Promethazine

Chemical formula: C₁₇H₂₀N₂S  Molecular mass: 284.419 g/mol  PubChem compound: 4927

Pharmacodynamic properties

Potent, long acting, antihistamine with additional anti-emetic central sedative and anti-cholinergic properties.

Pharmacokinetic properties

Promethazine hydrochloride is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, but undergoes extensive first pass metabolism in the liver. With only 25% of the oral dose reaching the systemic circulation unchanged. After oral therapy therapeutic effects are identifiable at 15-30 minutes and peak plasma concentrations at 2 to 3 hours. Estimates of terminal half-life in blood plasma have been quoted as 4-6 hours. It is extensively plasma protein bound. It is eliminated mainly as metabolites, predominantly by the faecal (via biliary) route, with <1% of the parent compound and CA 10% as the sulfoxide metabolite being excreted in the urine over a 72 hour period.

It is distributed widely in the body. It enters the brain and crosses the placenta. Phenothiazines pass into the milk at low concentrations.

Preclinical safety data

None stated.

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