Corex is a
cough syrup sold by
Pfizer Inc. It is available in
India,
Pakistan,
Bangladesh and a few other
South Asian countries. Corex is a prescribed medicine.
Its active ingredients are
chlorpheniramine maleate
Chlorphenamine (CP, CPM), also known as chlorpheniramine, is an antihistamine used to treat the symptoms of allergic conditions such as allergic rhinitis (hay fever). It is taken by mouth. The medication takes effect within two hours and lasts ...
and
codeine phosphate.
Mechanism of action
Chlorpheniramine maleate, an H1-blocking
antihistamine, relieves histamine-induced
allergic edema of
respiratory mucosa
Respiratory epithelium, or airway epithelium, is a type of ciliated columnar epithelium found lining most of the respiratory tract as respiratory mucosa, where it serves to moisten and protect the airways. It is not present in the vocal cords of ...
.
Codeine phosphate, by its action on the cough center in the
medulla, helps reduce excessive frequency and intensity of cough bouts, which allows the patient to rest or sleep.
Legal status
Legally, Corex can only be obtained by a physician's
prescription, but studies show that more than 90% of the product is sold without one.
Corex is not generally a
fatal drug substitute, unless taken in extremely high quantities. However, many side effects are common. Corex is known to cause short term
memory loss, sleeplessness, tremors and
spasms. Muscular pains and
dehydration are other common side-effects.
Long term abuse leads to serious
kidney damage or constipation. Corex has a high sugar content, and may be unsuitable for acute
diabetic patients.
References
General references
#
Antitussives
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