Dextropropoxyphene

Rare card · No. 68351

Dextropropoxyphene is an opioid analgesic patented in 1955 and manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company. It is an optical isomer of levopropoxyphene. It is intended to treat mild pain and also has antitussive (cough suppressant) and local anesthetic effects. The drug has been taken off the market in Europe and the United States due to concerns of fatal overdoses and heart arrhythmias. It is still available in Australia, albeit with restrictions after an application by its manufacturer to review its proposed banning. Its onset of analgesia (pain relief) is said to be 20–30 minutes and peak effects are seen about 1.5–2.0 hours after oral administration. Dextropropoxyphene is sometimes combined with paracetamol (acetaminophen). Trade names include Darvocet-N, Di-Gesic, and Darvon with APAP (for dextropropoxyphene and paracetamol). The British approved name (i.e. the generic name of the active ingredient) of the paracetamol/dextropropoxyphene preparation is co-proxamol (sold under a variety of...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Vaccinationist, Public domain