Guaifenesin
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Guaifenesin
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| Systematic (IUPAC) name | |
| 3-(2-methoxyphenoxy)propane-1,2-diol | |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS number | |
| ATC code | R05 |
| PubChem | |
| DrugBank | |
| Chemical data | |
| Formula | C10H14O4 |
| Mol. mass | 198.216 g/mol |
| Pharmacokinetic data | |
| Bioavailability | ? |
| Metabolism | ? |
| Half life | 1 hour |
| Excretion | ? |
| Therapeutic considerations | |
| Licence data |
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| Pregnancy cat. |
C (US) |
| Legal status | |
| Routes | Oral (PO) |
Guaifenesin (IPA: [gwaɪˈfɛnəsɪn]) (INN) or guaiphenesin (former BAN) is an expectorant drug usually taken orally (by mouth) to assist the bringing up ("expectoration") of phlegm from the airways in acute respiratory tract infections.
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[edit] History
Similar medicines derived from the guaiac tree were in use as a generic remedy by Native Americans when explorers reached North America in the 1500s, but guaifenesin was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1952.
[edit] Availability
Guaifenesin is sold as pills or syrups under several brand names, including: Guai-Aid, GuaiLife, Ethex 208, Humibid, Mucinex, and Robitussin. It is also included in many other over-the-counter cough and cold remedy combinations (usually in conjunction with dextromethorphan and/or pseudoephedrine and/or acetaminophen).
[edit] Uses
[edit] Treatment of asthma
Guaifenesin is effective in the treatment of the thickened bronchial mucosa characteristic of asthma. It works by drawing water into the bronchi. The water both thins mucus and lubricates the airway, facilitating the removal of mucus by coughing. One may notice a sense of dry mouth when taking this medication. Water consumption is important, not only to help with dry mouth, but also to improve the effectiveness of the drug.
[edit] Treatment of coughing
Guaifenesin is frequently combined with dextromethorphan, an antitussive. Under normal circumstances this combination leads to fewer, but more productive coughs. However, in the above-normal quantities consumed by recreational users of dextromethorphan, it may cause nausea and vomiting, as well as the formation of stones in the urinary tract (urolithiasis).
[edit] Treatment of fibromyalgia
Because of its uricosuric effect, guaifenesin was chosen in the 1990s for the experimental guaifenesin protocol - a treatment for fibromyalgia. Proponents of the guaifenesin protocol believe that it cures fibromyalgia by removing excess phosphate from the body. A lesser publicized and thus lesser known fact among fibromyalgia sufferers is that guaifenesin has skeletal muscle relaxant activity, and a form of guaifenesin known as guafenesin carbomate is used for this purpose. This may explain some of the symptomatic relief experienced by fibromyalgia sufferers who take guaifenesin.[citation needed]
[edit] Other uses
Guaifenesin also has other known neurological effects, including an analgesic effect that is related to its action as a skeletal muscle relaxant, and possible inhibition of platelet aggregation.[citation needed]
Guaifenesin's neurological properties first became known in the late 1940s, and it is still used in veterinary medicine to anesthetize horses being prepared for surgery. When contrasted with other propanediol drugs used for this purpose, guaifenesin has less hemolytic activity (i.e., less destruction of red blood cells) and is more soluble in water.[citation needed]
[edit] Use by singers
Opera singers sometimes refer to guaifenesin as the "wonder drug" for its ability to promote secondary mucosal secretion in the respiratory system. Secondary mucous is the thinner, lubricating mucus that occurs on the vocal folds naturally when they are healthy and well hydrated. Singers use guaifenesin to improve the state of their vocal folds in extremes of humidity (very humid or very dry), after flying long distances, and during mild allergies.[citation needed]
[edit] Use by women who want to conceive
Guaifenesin is widely used by women to facilitiate conception by thinning and increasing the amount of cervical mucus. Evidence concerning the effectiveness of this use is almost entirely anecdotal; the exception[1] is a very small study without controls. In another very small but double-blind and placebo-controlled experiment, guaifenesin reduced primary dysmenorrhea, but the effect was not significant.
[edit] References
- ^ Check JH, Adelson HG, Wu CH (1982). "Improvement of cervical factor with guaifenesin.". Fertil. Steril. 37 (5): 707–8. PMID 6896190.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- RxList site giving some properties
- MedlinePlus DrugInfo medmaster-a682494
- Information from MedicineNet.com
