Pholcodine
Pholcodine
Pholcodine (/fɒlˈkoʊdiːn/) is a drug which is an opioid cough suppressant (antitussive). It helps suppress unproductive coughs and also has a mild sedative effect, but has little or no analgesic effects. It is also known to suppress the cough reflex, particularly in situations where the cough serves no useful purpose.
Etymology
The term "Pholcodine" is derived from the Greek words "pholcos" meaning "cough" and "dine" meaning "to suppress".
Pharmacology
Pholcodine is rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and it has a high first pass metabolism in the liver. The drug is metabolically transformed in the liver, including N-demethylation to norpholcodine, and it is excreted via the kidneys. The plasma half-life is about 10 hours for the parent drug and 20 hours for its metabolites. An active metabolite, morphine, may cause addiction and euphoria.
Side Effects
Common side effects of Pholcodine include drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, constipation, and dry mouth. In rare cases, it can cause severe allergic reactions.
Related Terms
- Opioid: A class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription.
- Antitussive: A member of a group of drugs which are used to suppress coughing.
- Analgesic: A drug used to relieve pain.
- Pharmacology: The branch of medicine concerned with the uses, effects, and modes of action of drugs.
- Gastrointestinal tract: An organ system within humans and other animals which takes in food, digests it to extract and absorb energy and nutrients, and expels the remaining waste as feces.
- Liver: A large, meaty organ that sits on the right side of the belly which detoxifies chemicals and metabolizes drugs.
- Kidneys: A pair of organs in the abdominal cavity of mammals, birds, and reptiles, which excrete urine.
- Morphine: A pain medication of the opiate family which is found naturally in a number of plants and animals.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Pholcodine
- Wikipedia's article - Pholcodine
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