Phenylephrine
Decongestant medication / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Phenylephrine is a medication used as a decongestant for uncomplicated nasal congestion,[3] used to dilate the pupil, used to increase blood pressure (given intravenously in cases of low blood pressure), and used to relieve hemorrhoids.[2][4] It can be taken by mouth, as a nasal spray, given by injection into a vein or muscle, or applied to the skin.[2]
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Pronunciation | /ˌfɛnəlˈɛfriːn, fiː-, -ɪn/ |
Trade names | Neo-synephrine, others[1] |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
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Routes of administration | By mouth, in the nose, on the eye, intravenous, intramuscular |
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Bioavailability | 38% through GI tract |
Protein binding | 95% |
Metabolism | Liver (oxidative deamination) |
Onset of action | Very rapid (IV); within 20 min (by mouth)[2] |
Elimination half-life | 2.1–3.4 h |
Duration of action | Up to 20 min (IV); 4 hrs (by mouth)[2] |
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ECHA InfoCard | 100.000.386 |
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Formula | C9H13NO2 |
Molar mass | 167.208 g·mol−1 |
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Common side effects when taken by mouth or injected include nausea, vomiting, headache, and anxiety.[2] Use on hemorrhoids is generally well tolerated.[2] Severe side effects may include a slow heart rate, intestinal ischemia, chest pain, kidney failure, and tissue death at the site of injection.[2][4] It is unclear whether its use during pregnancy and breastfeeding is safe.[2] Phenylephrine is a selective α1-adrenergic receptor agonist with minimal to no β-adrenergic receptor agonist activity.[3] It causes constriction of both arteries and veins.[2]
Phenylephrine was patented in 1933[5] and came into medical use in 1938.[6] It is available as a generic medication.[4][7][8] Unlike pseudoephedrine, abuse of phenylephrine is very uncommon.[9] Its effectiveness as a nasal decongestant has been questioned.[2][10][11] In 2023, a Food and Drug Administration panel concluded that the drug was ineffective as a nasal decongestant when taken orally.[12]