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Trade names | Carnigen, Cophylac, Suprifen, others |
Other names | Oxilophrine; Hydroxyephedrine; (±)-Hydroxyephedrine; 4-Hydroxyephedrine; p-Hydroxyephedrine; Oxyephedrine; Methylsynephrine; 4-HMP; 4,β-Dihydroxy-N-methyl-α-methylphenethylamine; 4,β-Dihydroxy-N-methylamphetamine |
Routes of administration | Oral [1] |
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ECHA InfoCard | 100.006.067 |
Chemical and physical data | |
Formula | C10H15NO2 |
Molar mass | 181.235 g·mol−1 |
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Oxilofrine, sold under the brand names Carnigen and Suprifen among others, is a sympathomimetic medication which has been used as an antihypotensive agent and cough suppressant. [4] [5] [6] It is taken by mouth. [1]
Oxilofrine acts as a norepinephrine releasing agent and hence is an indirectly acting sympathomimetic. [7] [6] [8] It is a substituted amphetamine and is closely related to ephedrine (with oxilofrine also being known as 4-hydroxyephedrine). [4] [8]
Oxilofrine was first developed in the 1930s. [9] It is mostly no longer marketed today. [10]
Oxilofrine is described as an ephedrine-like indirectly acting sympathomimetic and antihypotensive agent. [4] [7] [6] It acts as a norepinephrine releasing agent and indirectly activates the α- and β-adrenergic receptors. [6] [8] The drug has positive inotropic effects (increases myocardial contractility). [6]
As an α-adrenergic receptor agonist, Oxilofrine activates the Alpha-1 adrenergic receptor. Activation of said receptor causes vasoconstriction, which is likely how it treats cough. By that mechanism, secretion of mucus into the airway would be dampened, thus reducing the urge to cough. [11] It's also postulated that Oxilofrine acts as a sigma-1 receptor agonist, since it shares structural similarities to dextromethorphan and methamphetamine, two other sigma-1 receptor agonists.
Oxilofrine, also known as 4,β-dihydroxy-N-methyl-α-methylphenethylamine or as 4,β-dihydroxy-N-methylamphetamine, is a substituted phenethylamine and amphetamine derivative. [4] [10] It is the racemic 4-hydroxylated analogue of ephedrine ((1R,2S)-β-hydroxy-N-methylamphetamine). [4] It is also related to pholedrine (4-hydroxy-N-methylamphetamine). [4]
The predicted log P of oxilofrine ranges from -0.13 to 0.6. [12] [1] [13] It is more hydrophilic than ephedrine, which has an experimental log P of 1.13 and a predicted log P of 0.9 to 1.32. [14] [15] [16]
Oxilofrine was originally developed in the 1930s as a cardiac stimulant. Trade names included Suprifen (Bayer) and, combined with an adenosine-containing standardized organ extract, Carnigen (Hoechst AG). [9]
In combination with normethadone, it was marketed as a cough suppressant under the trade name Ticarda. As of 2021, this formulation was still manufactured in Canada by Valeant and sold as Cophylac. [17]
Several other sympathomimetics and vasodilators were developed as chemical derivatives of oxilofrine, such as the β2-adrenergic receptor agonists buphenine and isoxsuprine. [18] [19]
Oxilofrine is the generic name of the drug and its INN . [4] [7] [10] It is also known by synonyms including methylsynephrine, oxyphedrine, and hydroxyephedrine. [4] [10] Brand names of oxilofrine include Carnigen, Cophylac (with normethadone), Suprifen, and Ticarda (also with normethadone), among others. [4] [10] [9]
Oxilofrine has been marketed in Austria, Canada, and Germany. [4] [10]
Oxilofrine is currently a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited substance when used in competition. [20] It has been found as an adulterant in some dietary supplements. [9] [21] Even after receiving warning letters from the FDA, [22] some sports and weight loss supplement companies continue to use oxilofrine as an undeclared ingredient in their products despite it being prohibited. [23]
Several doping cases involving oxilofrine have been publicized, including:
Oxilofrine is a known metabolite of para-methoxymethamphetamine (PMMA). [6]