Drixoral
Encyclopedia
Drixoral is the US and Canadian brand name for a combination medication containing the antihistamine
dexbrompheniramine maleate and the decongestant
pseudoephedrine sulfate. It is manufactured by Schering-Plough
and is used to treat symptoms associated with allergies and colds such as itchy and watery eyes, runny nose, nasal and sinus congestion, and sneezing. Because it contains pseudoephedrine, its purchase in the United States has been severely restricted by the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005
over fears that any product containing pseudoephedrine can be used to make methamphetamine
.
As of 2008, Drixoral has been removed from the US market by manufacturer Merck
(formerly Schering-Plough). The company's updated website attributes "changing [their] manufacturing location" for the supply disruption and currently states "it is unlikely product will be available in 2010". However, the drug still appears to be available in Canada and overseas, and other drugs manufactured at the same location have not become unavailable. This has led some Drixoral users to speculate that there may be other explanations for why Drixoral is no longer available in the US market. One possible reason is that the company is reformulating the product to no longer contain pseudoephedrine. Another possibility is that the 35-year-old drug is being removed in favor of newer, more profitable antihistamines such as Claritin (also manufactured by Schering-Plough). Some Drixoral users have resorted to ordering the drug from Canadian online pharmacies
.
Antihistamine
An H1 antagonist is a histamine antagonist of the H1 receptor that serves to reduce or eliminate effects mediated by histamine, an endogenous chemical mediator released during allergic reactions...
dexbrompheniramine maleate and the decongestant
Decongestant
A decongestant or nasal decongestant is a type of drug that is used to relieve nasal congestion.-Pharmacology:The vast majority of decongestants act via enhancing norepinephrine and epinephrine or adrenergic activity by stimulating the α-adrenergic receptors...
pseudoephedrine sulfate. It is manufactured by Schering-Plough
Schering-Plough
Schering-Plough Corporation was a United States-based pharmaceutical company. It was founded in 1851 by Ernst Christian Friedrich Schering as Schering AG in Germany. In 1971, the Schering Corporation merged with Plough to form Schering-Plough. On November 4, 2009 Merck & Co...
and is used to treat symptoms associated with allergies and colds such as itchy and watery eyes, runny nose, nasal and sinus congestion, and sneezing. Because it contains pseudoephedrine, its purchase in the United States has been severely restricted by the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005
Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005
The Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005 is federal legislation enacted in the United States on March 9, 2006, to regulate, among other things, retail over-the-counter sales of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine products because of their use in the manufacture of illegal...
over fears that any product containing pseudoephedrine can be used to make methamphetamine
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
.
As of 2008, Drixoral has been removed from the US market by manufacturer Merck
Merck & Co.
Merck & Co., Inc. , also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD outside the United States and Canada, is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. The Merck headquarters is located in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, an unincorporated area in Readington Township...
(formerly Schering-Plough). The company's updated website attributes "changing [their] manufacturing location" for the supply disruption and currently states "it is unlikely product will be available in 2010". However, the drug still appears to be available in Canada and overseas, and other drugs manufactured at the same location have not become unavailable. This has led some Drixoral users to speculate that there may be other explanations for why Drixoral is no longer available in the US market. One possible reason is that the company is reformulating the product to no longer contain pseudoephedrine. Another possibility is that the 35-year-old drug is being removed in favor of newer, more profitable antihistamines such as Claritin (also manufactured by Schering-Plough). Some Drixoral users have resorted to ordering the drug from Canadian online pharmacies
Online pharmacy
Online pharmacies, Internet pharmacies, or Mail Order Pharmacies are pharmacies that operate over the Internet and send the orders to customers.Online or internet pharmacies might include:...
.