Clofedanol (

INN Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway. Before the advent of motorized transportation, they also provided accomm ...

) or chlophedianol ( BAN), sold under the brand name Ninjacof among others, is a centrally acting

cough suppressant Cold medicines are a group of medicinal, medications taken individually or in Combination drug, combination as a Symptomatic treatment, treatment for the symptoms of the common cold and similar conditions of the upper respiratory tract. The ter ...

used in the treatment of dry cough. Clofedanol has

local anesthetic A local anesthetic (LA) is a medication that causes absence of all sensation (including pain) in a specific body part without loss of consciousness, providing local anesthesia, as opposed to a general anesthetic, which eliminates all sensati ...

antispasmodic An antispasmodic (synonym: spasmolytic) is a pharmaceutical drug or other agent that suppresses muscle spasms. Smooth muscle spasm One type of antispasmodics is used for smooth muscle relaxation, especially in tubular organs of the gastrointestina ...

, and

antihistamine Antihistamines are drugs which treat allergic rhinitis, common cold, influenza, and other allergies. Typically, people take antihistamines as an inexpensive, generic (not patented) drug that can be bought without a prescription and provides ...

properties, and may have

anticholinergic Anticholinergics (anticholinergic agents) are substances that block the action of the acetylcholine (ACh) neurotransmitter at synapses in the central nervous system, central and peripheral nervous system. These agents inhibit the parasympatheti ...

effects at high doses.

Side effects

Adverse effects may include irritability, drowsiness, nightmares, vertigo, nausea or vomiting, visual disturbances or hallucinations, and

urticaria Hives, also known as urticaria, is a kind of skin rash with red or flesh-colored, raised, itchy bumps. Hives may burn or sting. The patches of rash may appear on different body parts, with variable duration from minutes to days, and typically ...

. There are potential interactions with other anticholinergics, CNS depressants, and alcohol.

Pharmacology

Unlike many other antitussive drugs such as

dextromethorphan Dextromethorphan, sold under the brand name Robitussin among others, is a cough suppressant used in many cough and Common cold, cold medicines. In 2022, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the combination dextromethorphan/bupropi ...

, it binds poorly to the

sigma-1 receptor The sigma-1 receptor (σ1R), one of two sigma receptor subtypes, is a Chaperone (protein), chaperone protein at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that modulates calcium signaling through the IP3 receptor. In humans, the σ1 receptor is encoded by ...

Society and culture

Chlophedianol was approved for OTC status in 1987 by the FDA OTC monograph process and its safety and efficacy data are limited. It was formerly sold over-the-counter in the United States under the trade name Ulo, as a syrup with a dosage of 25 mg/5 mL. It is now marketed under the brand name of Ninjacof and others in the U.S. It is marketed in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

under the trade name Ulone. GM Pharmaceuticals owns the patents to 113 combinations with Chlophedianol and was the first company to launch the cough suppressant in the United States. It is sold in

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

as an over-the-counter drug under the name Coldrin. It has been marketed in Germany as Pectolitan and in Spain as Gentos.

References

Antitussives H1 receptor antagonists 2-Chlorophenyl compounds Tertiary alcohols Dimethylamino compounds {{respiratory-system-drug-stub

Side effects

Pharmacology

Society and culture

See also

References