Oxeladin is a

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 t ...

. It is a highly potent and effective drug used to treat all types of cough of various etiologies. It is not related to

opium Opium (or poppy tears, scientific name: ''Lachryma papaveris'') is dried latex obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy ''Papaver somniferum''. Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid morphine, which i ...

or its derivatives, so treatment with oxeladin is free of risk of dependence or

addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to engage in certain behaviors, one of which is the usage of a drug, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use o ...

. Oxeladin has none of the side effects (such as hypnosis,

respiratory depression Hypoventilation (also known as respiratory depression) occurs when ventilation is inadequate (''hypo'' meaning "below") to perform needed respiratory gas exchange. By definition it causes an increased concentration of carbon dioxide (hypercapnia ...

tolerance Tolerance or toleration is the state of tolerating, or putting up with, conditionally. Economics, business, and politics * Toleration Party, a historic political party active in Connecticut * Tolerant Systems, the former name of Veritas Software ...

constipation Constipation is a bowel dysfunction that makes bowel movements infrequent or hard to pass. The stool is often hard and dry. Other symptoms may include abdominal pain, bloating, and feeling as if one has not completely passed the bowel movement ...

and analgesia) which are present when common antitussives, such as

codeine Codeine is an opiate and prodrug of morphine mainly used to treat pain, coughing, and diarrhea. It is also commonly used as a recreational drug. It is found naturally in the sap of the opium poppy, ''Papaver somniferum''. It is typically use ...

and its derivatives, are used. It may be used at every age, as well as in patients with

heart disease Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDs include stroke, hea ...

, since it has a high level of safety and a great selectivity to act on the

bulbar The medulla oblongata or simply medulla is a long stem-like structure which makes up the lower part of the brainstem. It is anterior and partially inferior to the cerebellum. It is a cone-shaped neuronal mass responsible for autonomic (invol ...

centre of cough.

Indications

Oxeladin is indicated in all types of cough. Besides its antitussive action, it helps to clear the

respiratory tract The respiratory tract is the subdivision of the respiratory system involved with the process of respiration in mammals. The respiratory tract is lined with respiratory epithelium as respiratory mucosa. Air is breathed in through the nose to th ...

, since it increases the quantity of

secretion 440px Secretion is the movement of material from one point to another, such as a secreted chemical substance from a cell or gland. In contrast, excretion is the removal of certain substances or waste products from a cell or organism. The classical ...

and thins

bronchial A bronchus is a passage or airway in the lower respiratory tract that conducts air into the lungs. The first or primary bronchi pronounced (BRAN-KAI) to branch from the trachea at the carina are the right main bronchus and the left main bronchus. ...

secretion. * Irritative cough *

Allergic Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, refer a number of conditions caused by the hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include hay fever, food allergies, atopic derma ...

cough * Psychogenic cough * Treatment of cough in patients with heart disease (it has no action upon the

cardiovascular system The blood circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the entire body of a human or other vertebrate. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, tha ...

) * Infectious cough:

tracheitis Tracheitis is an inflammation of the trachea. Although the trachea is usually considered part of the lower respiratory tract, in ICD-10 tracheitis is classified under "acute upper respiratory infections". Symptoms * Increasing deep or barking cr ...

, bronchitis,

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...

* Treatment of cough in pre- and post-operative treatment for bronchoscopy

Contraindications

Although fetal malformations have not been reported, oxeladin should not be used during the first trimester of

pregnancy Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring develops ( gestates) inside a woman's uterus (womb). A multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins. Pregnancy usually occurs by sexual intercourse, but ca ...

. Oxeladin is contraindicated in patients with

MAOI Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are a class of drugs that inhibit the activity of one or both monoamine oxidase enzymes: monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) and monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B). They are best known as effective antidepressants, especi ...

therapy.

Side effects

Rarely, some patients have reported

rash A rash is a change of the human skin which affects its color, appearance, or texture. A rash may be localized in one part of the body, or affect all the skin. Rashes may cause the skin to change color, itch, become warm, bumpy, chapped, dry, cr ...

dizziness Dizziness is an imprecise term that can refer to a sense of disorientation in space, vertigo, or lightheadedness. It can also refer to disequilibrium or a non-specific feeling, such as giddiness or foolishness. Dizziness is a common medical c ...

sedation Sedation is the reduction of irritability or agitation by administration of sedative drugs, generally to facilitate a medical procedure or diagnostic procedure. Examples of drugs which can be used for sedation include isoflurane, diethyl ether, ...

or mild digestive disturbances. These usually disappear on reducing the dosage or interrupting the treatment.

Addiction

Oxeladin differs from common antitussives that cause addiction (such as etilmorphin,

or its derivatives) in that there is no evidence of risk of addiction or dependence.

Composition and packaging

Oxeladin is available as drops, syrup and tablets, providing easier ways of management which will be chosen depending on the age and clinical stage.

Drops

Each 1ml (33 drops) contains oxeladin citrate 20 mg. The bottle contains 20ml of solution.

Syrup

Each 100ml contains oxeladin citrate 200 mg. The bottle contains 100ml of syrup.

Tablets

Each tablet contains oxeladin citrate 20 mg. The box contains 20 tablets in blister packs

Dosage

* Children 2-5yrs: 2.5ml-5ml (17 drops) every 4–6 hours * Children 6-12 yrs: 10ml (33 drops), or 1 tablet, every 4–6 hours * Children 12 yrs and over and adults: 15ml (50 drops), or 2 tablets, every 4–6 hours

Restrictions in use and availability

The Drug and Medical Technology Agency of

Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...

rejected the registration of oxeladin in July 2000 since studies in

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

have shown potential

carcinogen A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that promotes carcinogenesis (the formation of cancer). This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes. Several radioactive substan ...

icity of the drug. (Reference: Communication to WHO, 9 August 2000.)

References

{{Cough and cold preparations Antitussives Carboxylate esters Ethers Diethylamino compounds