Dry cough is an unpleasant symptom. He often torments for a long period of time and worsens the general condition. Dextromethorphan hydrobromide can help eliminate dry cough. The abbreviation for this substance is DXM (i.e., Dextromethorphan).
How does the substance
Dextromethorphan is part of the group of antitussive components. The use of drugs with this substance is indicated for diseases accompanied by dry cough (for example, with pulmonary tuberculosis, pneumonia, whooping cough, etc.).
Dextromethorphan after ingestion is distributed to all organs. In the brain, DXM affects the cough center, inhibiting its excitability. Thanks to this, a painful cough is suppressed.
What happens in the body after taking
Dextromethorphan is part of the medication intended for oral administration. When it enters the stomach, the substance is rapidly absorbed. After about 10-30 minutes, DXM begins to have a therapeutic effect. The effect of dextromethorphan on the body lasts for 5–6 hours in adults and for 6–9 hours in children.
Therapeutic doses of DXM do not lead to hypnotic, narcotic, analgesic effects. When taking large doses, the component begins to exert such an effect on the human body that is similar to the effect of dissociative and psychedelic substances.
The metabolism of a substance quickly and intensively in the liver. During this process, an active metabolite called dextrorphan is formed. Withdrawal of the drug is mainly carried out by the kidneys. With urine, demethylated metabolites and dextromethorphan leave the human body unchanged.
When can DXM be harmful?
Dextromethorphan hydrobromide has been studied. The results showed that the substance in some cases cannot be used. Contraindications for use:
- Bronchial asthma. In this disease, DXM is not used for the reason that it can impair sputum production and increase airway resistance.
- Bronchitis.
- Hypersensitivity to the components.
- The period of taking mucolytic drugs.
In no case should one experiment with the use of drugs containing dextromethorphan during pregnancy and lactation. These drugs can harm the fetus or baby. DXM can only be prescribed when absolutely necessary in cases where the expected effect for the mother is higher than the potential risk to the fetus or infant.
Also, medicines with DXM may have additional contraindications. It depends on the composition of the medication.
What else is important to know
Preparations with dextromethorphan hydrobromide should be used with caution in case of impaired liver function.
DXM can cause overdose symptoms, so you should not drink medicines with this component in doses exceeding the recommended ones. People who took large doses of drugs experienced dizziness, agitation, impaired consciousness, respiratory depression, decreased blood pressure, and tachycardia. In case of an overdose, the help of specialists is required. Patients with the above symptoms need symptomatic therapy, mechanical ventilation.
Dextromethorphan may cause side effects:
- from the gastrointestinal tract - pain in the stomach, nausea, vomiting;
- on the part of the nervous system - dizziness, craving for sleep.
Another possible side symptom is drug dependence. However, it occurs in rare cases. The reason for the formation of dependence lies in the long-term use of large doses of a drug with DXM.
When treating cough, people often forget about taking the prescribed drug with dextromethorphan, and then decide to take a double dose for the best effect. This in no case should not be done. A double dose affects the body, leading to an overdose.
Which drugs have DXM?
The list of medicines containing DXM is quite large. Here is a list of products with dextromethorphan hydrobromide (trade names and dosage forms):
- Glycodinum, Coldrex night, Terasil-D, Tussin plus - syrups.
- "Flux", "Kaffetin Cold", "Padevix" - tablets.
- "Toff plus" - capsules.
- Influblock is a powder for oral solution.
Consider some of the medicines on this list - Coldrex Night and Tussin Plus. But let's start with Alex Plus. This drug is not in the above list, but many people remember such a medication. Previously, it was sold in pharmacies and was prescribed by doctors for the treatment of acute and chronic respiratory diseases that occur with a dry irritating cough.
Alex Plus
Several years ago, with the goal of treating dry cough, some people took Alex Plus. This remedy had one dosage form - lozenges. The composition included 3 active components - dextromethorphan hydrobromide, terpinghydrate, levomenthol. Thanks to these substances, the drug had an antitussive, expectorant and antispasmodic effect.
"Alex Plus" was prescribed in the following doses:
- Adults - from 2 to 5 lozenges 3 or 4 times a day. The maximum allowable number of lozenges is 20 pcs. (per day).
- Children aged 4-6 years - 1 lozenge 3 or 4 times a day. The maximum daily number of lozenges is 4 pcs.
- Children aged 7-12 years - from 1 to 2 lozenges 3 or 4 times a day. The maximum daily dose is 8 lozenges.
The drug was considered quite effective. However, now it is no longer possible to feel its therapeutic effect. Cough lozenges "Alex Plus" are no longer sold in Russian pharmacies. The drug disappeared due to the expiration of the registration certificate.
Coldrex Knight
Coldrex Night is a combination drug that comes in the form of a syrup. It is designed to combat the symptoms of colds, acute respiratory infections. A medicine was made on the basis of 3 active substances - dextromethorphan, promethazine hydrochloride and paracetamol. Dextromethorphan inhibits the occurrence of dry cough. Promethazine eliminates nasal congestion. Paracetamol reduces fever. Also, this component has an analgesic effect, relieving pain in joints, muscles and headaches.
The drug is taken 1 time per day at night, because it alleviates the symptoms and therefore improves sleep. Single doses are as follows:
- for adults (including for the elderly) - 20 ml;
- for children 6-12 years old - 10 ml;
- for children from 12 years old - 20 ml.
This medicine for dry cough is not prescribed for children under 6 years of age. Syrup is also contraindicated in kidney diseases, benign prostatic hypertrophy, blood diseases, epilepsy, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.
This drug can be drunk for 3 days. If symptoms persist after such a short course of treatment, stop taking the syrup and consult a doctor.
Tussin Plus
Tussin Plus is a cough syrup with a cherry flavor. This is also a combined drug that combines an antitussive and expectorant substance. The antitussive component in the syrup is dextromethorphan hydrobromide. Guainefesin performs an expectorant function. It increases the activity of ciliary epithelium, increases the secretion of the liquid components of bronchial mucus.
Tussin plus syrup is drunk to relieve symptoms of acute respiratory viral infections, flu, colds that occur with a cough. Take the medicine after meals every 4 hours. Single doses:
- for adults - 2 tsp;
- for children 6-12 years old - 1 teaspoon;
- for children from 12 years and older - 2 tsp.
Dry cough medicine is not suitable for children under 6 years of age. Other contraindications are a stomach ulcer and duodenal ulcer, severe organic diseases of the central nervous system, a history of gastric bleeding, a wet cough, in which sputum flows abundantly. It is also forbidden to take other medicines during treatment with syrup, which contain dextromethorphan and / or guinenefesin.
Dextromethorphan Interaction
Adverse effects may occur when DXM is combined with other substances:
- a number of side effects are recorded while taking dextromethorphan and MAO inhibitors - agitation, dizziness, intracranial bleeding, high blood pressure, coma, etc .;
- serotonin syndrome and death are possible with a combination of DXM and tricyclic antidepressants;
- when using amiodarone, fluoxetine, quinidine, the concentration of dextromethorphan in the blood may increase;
- tobacco smoke provokes an increase in the secretion of glands against the background of suppression of the cough reflex;
- quinidine enhances and lengthens the effects of DXM.
In addition, drug interactions must be learned from the instructions of preparations containing dextromethorphan. For example, Coldrex Night cannot be combined with other colds and rhinitis medicines containing paracetamol. It is also forbidden to take alcoholic beverages during treatment with this syrup.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that it is undesirable to independently use drugs to treat unproductive cough. They should be prescribed by a doctor in combination with additional medications, because you need not only to suppress this symptom, but also to influence the cause of its occurrence, i.e., the existing disease.