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Lemsip is a brand of cold and flu remedies in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. It is manufactured by the British company Reckitt.
Their original and best-known product is a lemon-flavoured hot drink containing 650 mg of paracetamol (an analgesic), and 10 mg phenylephrine hydrochloride (a decongestant) to help to relieve headache, fever, blocked nose, body aches and pains, and a sore throat. [1] In 1995 the Lemsip Max range was launched which included lemon, blackcurrant and "Breathe Easy" hot drink flavours, and saw a variety of capsule products added to the range, including Lemsip Max Cold & Flu Capsules. The entire Lemsip Max range contains the maximum level of active ingredients allowed for general sales listing in the UK. In 2016 it was the fourth biggest selling branded over-the-counter medication sold in Great Britain, with sales of £63.9 million. [2]
In 2007 Lemsip launched Lemsip Max All In One hot drinks in Lemon, Wild Berry and Hot Orange, and Breathe Easy flavours. In 2008 Lemsip launched a Liquid into the Lemsip Max All In One range. The range contains 200 mg of guaifenesin which helps to relieve chesty cough, in addition to 1000 mg of paracetamol and 12.2 mg of phenylephrine hydrochloride (12.18 mg of phenylephrine hydrochloride in Lemsip Max All In One Liquid) which aims to relieve headache, sore throat, fever, body aches and pains, and a blocked nose. The Lemsip range now contains capsules, tablets, liquids, and hot drink sachets.
Possible side effects include hypersensitivity, blood problems or, above the recommended dose, pancreatitis and vomiting. [3]
Taking Lemsip alongside other medicine containing paracetamol can cause an overdose, potentially resulting in serious liver and kidney damage. [1]
Phenylephrine, which alongside paracetamol is one of Lemsip's two primary active ingredients and is intended to be responsible for most of the product's claimed effects, was discovered to be ineffective as a decongestant in 2015, leading some pharmacists to call for the ingredient to be banned. [4]
Lemsip is manufactured in parent company Reckitt's Hull and Nottingham sites.
Pseudoephedrine (PSE) is a sympathomimetic drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine chemical classes. It may be used as a nasal/sinus decongestant, as a stimulant, or as a wakefulness-promoting agent in higher doses.
Paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, is a medication used to treat fever and mild to moderate pain. Common brand names include Tylenol and Panadol.
Tylenol is a brand of medication, advertised for reducing pain, reducing fever, and relieving the symptoms of allergies, cold, cough, headache, and influenza. The active ingredient of its original flagship product is paracetamol, an analgesic and antipyretic. Like the words paracetamol and acetaminophen, the brand name Tylenol is derived from a chemical name for the compound, N-acetyl-para-aminophenol (APAP). The brand name is owned by McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.
Benadryl is a brand of various antihistamine medications used to stop allergies, whose content varies in different countries, but which includes some combination of diphenhydramine, acrivastine, and/or cetirizine.
Dihydrocodeine is a semi-synthetic opioid analgesic prescribed for pain or severe dyspnea, or as an antitussive, either alone or compounded with paracetamol (acetaminophen) or aspirin. It was developed in Germany in 1908 and first marketed in 1911.
Excedrin is an over-the-counter headache pain reliever, typically in the form of tablets or caplets. It contains paracetamol (acetaminophen), aspirin, and caffeine. It was manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb until it was purchased by Novartis in July, 2005 along with other products from BMS's over-the-counter business. As of March 2015, GSK holds majority ownership of Excedrin through a joint venture transaction with Novartis. On 18 July 2022, GSK spun off its consumer healthcare business to Haleon.
Dextropropoxyphene is an analgesic in the opioid category, patented in 1955 and manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company. It is an optical isomer of levopropoxyphene. It is intended to treat mild pain and also has antitussive and local anaesthetic effects. The drug has been taken off the market in Europe and the US due to concerns of fatal overdoses and heart arrhythmias. It is still available in Australia, albeit with restrictions after an application by its manufacturer to review its proposed banning. Its onset of analgesia is said to be 20–30 minutes and peak effects are seen about 1.5–2.0 hours after oral administration.
Phenylephrine is a medication primarily used as a decongestant, to dilate the pupil, to increase blood pressure, and to relieve hemorrhoids. In the United States, it was previously used orally as an over-the-counter decongestant to relieve nasal congestion due to sinusitis, but this use was discontinued in 2007. As of 2022, its use as a nasal decongestant in other applications still persists. Phenylephrine can be taken by mouth, as a nasal spray, given by injection into a vein or muscle, or applied to the skin.
Doxylamine, sold under the brand name Unisom among others, is an antihistamine medication which is used in the treatment of insomnia and allergies. In combination with pyridoxine (vitamin B6), it is also used to treat morning sickness in pregnant women. Doxylamine is available over-the-counter, and is used in nighttime cold medicines, such as NyQuil, as well as in pain medications containing acetaminophen and codeine, to help with sleep. The medication is taken by mouth.
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Reckitt Benckiser Group plc, trading as Reckitt, is a British multinational consumer goods company headquartered in Slough, England. It is a producer of health, hygiene and nutrition products. The company was formed in March 1999 by the merger of British company Reckitt & Colman plc and Dutch company Benckiser N.V.
Benylin is a brand name owned by Johnson & Johnson for a range of cough, cold and flu medications. Some Benylin products also contain codeine, which is used to treat pain, cough and diarrhea.
Actifed is a registered trademark for a combination antihistamine and nasal decongestant medication used for cold and allergy symptoms. Actifed was developed in 1958 by Burroughs Wellcome & Company, later Haleon.
Strepsils is a brand of throat lozenges manufactured by Reckitt. Strepsils throat lozenges are used to relieve discomfort caused by mouth and throat infections.
Propyphenazone/paracetamol/caffeine is an analgesic combination indicated for the management of headache. It contains the analgesics propyphenazone and paracetamol and the stimulant caffeine.
The Beecham Group plc was a British pharmaceutical company. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. Beecham, after having merged with American pharmaceutical company SmithKline Beckman to become SmithKline Beecham, merged with Glaxo Wellcome to become GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). GSK still uses the Beechams brand name in the UK for its over-the-counter cold and flu relief products.
Paracetamol/metoclopramide hydrochloride is an oral fixed dose combination prescription medication containing the analgesic paracetamol (500 mg) and the anti-emetic metoclopramide hydrochloride (5 mg). Formulated as a tablet and as sachets of a water-soluble powder, it is sold under the trade name Paramax by Sanofi-Synthelabo, and in Switzerland as Migraeflux MCP, in Australia it is sold as Meteclomax and Anagraine.
Guaifenesin/phenylephrine is a combination of the drugs guaifenesin and phenylephrine and is a preparation against the symptoms of cold, flu and allergy. Guaifenesine is an expectorant, phenylephrine is a decongestant. The drug is sold under the brand name Entex and as generic brands. Entex La is 400 mg guaifenesin and 30 mg phenylephrine hydrochloride. Entex Pse is 600 mg guaifenesin and 120 mg phenylephrine hydrochloride. Both are extended release products, meaning that the non-active ingredients are chosen to dissolve slowly to provide a prolonged therapeutic effect.
Nurofen is a brand name range of pain-relief medication containing ibuprofen made by the British multinational Reckitt. Introduced in 1983, the Nurofen brand was acquired following Reckitt Benckiser's acquisition of Boots in 2005. The brand is primarily marketed and sold in the United Kingdom, other parts of Europe, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In 2016 it was the biggest selling branded over-the-counter medication sold in Great Britain, with sales of £116.8 million.