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| Combination of | |
|---|---|
| Dihydrocodeine | Opioidanalgesic |
| Paracetamol | Non-opioid analgesic |
| Clinical data | |
| Routes of administration | Oral |
| Legal status | |
| Legal status |
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| Pharmacokinetic data | |
| Bioavailability | ~20% (Oral) |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS Number | |
| (verify) | |
Co-dydramol (BAN) is a non-proprietary name used to denote a particularcompound analgesic, a combination ofdihydrocodeine tartrate andparacetamol. Co-dydramol tablets are used for the relief of moderatepain. Co-dydramol is part of a series ofcombination drugs available in the UK and other countries includingco-codaprin (aspirin andcodeine).
All formulations of co-dydramol contain 500 mg of paracetamol per tablet and may only be sold at a pharmacy as anover-the-counter item without prescription (a P medicine) if containing less than 7.5 mg of dihydrocodeine per tablet. Higher strengths areprescription only medicines. There are noGSL formulations of co-dydramol, as it is a Schedule 5controlled drug. Four strengths of dihydrocodeine tartrate in each tablet are available:
Dihydrocodeine is metabolised by the CYP450 system isoenzyme 2D6 to dihydromorphine, which mediates the majority of its analgesic effects. Owing to the low oral bioavailibility of dihydrocodeine (20%), and its subsequent metabolism to active compounds, it is likely that doses below 30mg are sub therapeutic for analgesia.