Triprolidine

 Risk Factor: CM
 Class: ANTIHISTAMINES

Contents of this page:

Fetal Risk Summary
Breast Feeding Summary
References
Questions and Answers

Fetal Risk Summary

Triprolidine is an antihistamine in the same class as brompheniramine, chlorpheniramine, and dexchlorpheniramine. The drug is used in a number of proprietary decongestant-antihistamine mixtures.

The Collaborative Perinatal Project monitored 50,282 mother-child pairs, 16 of whom had 1st-trimester exposure to triprolidine (1). From this small sample, no evidence was found to suggest a relationship to large categories of major or minor malformations or to individual malformations.

In a 1971 study, infants and mothers who had ingested antihistamines during the 1st trimester actually had fewer abnormalities when compared with controls (2). Triprolidine was the third most commonly used antihistamine. The manufacturer claims that in more than 20 years of marketing the drug no reports of triprolidine teratogenicity have been received (M.F. Frosolono, personal communication, Burroughs Wellcome, 1980). Their animal studies have also been negative.

Two studies, one appearing in 1981 (3) and the second in 1985 (4), described the 1st-trimester drug exposures of 6,837 and 6,509 mothers, respectively, treated by the Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound and whose pregnancies terminated in a live birth. Both studies covered 30-month periods, 19771979, and 19801982, respectively. From the total of 13,346 mothers, 628 (4.7%) consumed during the 1st trimester (based on the filling of a prescription) a proprietary product containing triprolidine hydrochloride and pseudoephedrine (Actifed). Nine (1.4%) of the exposed infants had a major congenital abnormality (type not specified). Spontaneous or induced abortions, stillbirths, and many minor anomalies, such as club foot, syndactyly, polydactyly, clinodactyly, minor ear defects, coronal or first-degree hypospadias, and hernia, were excluded from the data.

In two surveillance studies of Michigan Medicaid recipients involving 333,440 completed pregnancies conducted between 1980 and 1983, and 1985 and 1992, 910 newborns had been exposed to triprolidine during the 1st trimester (F. Rosa, personal communication, FDA, 1994). Of the 900 exposed newborns identified in the 19801983 group, 65 (7.2%) had major birth defects (59 expected), 10 of which were cardiovascular defects (8 expected). No cases of cleft lip and/or palate were observed. None of the 10 newborns included in the 19851992 data had congenital malformations.

Breast Feeding Summary

Triprolidine is excreted into human breast milk (5). Three mothers, who were nursing healthy infants, were given an antihistamine-decongestant preparation containing 2.5 mg of triprolidine and 60 mg of pseudoephedrine. The women had been nursing their infants for 14 weeks, 14 weeks, and 18 months. Triprolidine was found in the milk of all three subjects, with milk:plasma ratios in one woman at 1, 3, and 12 hours of 0.5, 1.2, and 0.7, respectively. Using the area under the concentration-time curves in the other two women gave more reliable results of 0.56 and 0.50 (5). The authors calculated that a milk production of 1000 mL/24 hours would contain 0.0010.004 mg of triprolidine base, or about 0.06%0.2% of the maternal dose. The American Academy of Pediatrics considers triprolidine to be compatible with breast feeding (6).

References

1. Heinonen OP, Slone D, Shapiro S. Birth Defects and Drugs in Pregnancy. Littleton, MA: Publishing Sciences Group, 1977:323.
2. Nelson MM, Forfar JO. Associations between drugs administered during pregnancy and congenital abnormalities of the fetus. Br Med J 1971;1:5237.
3. Jick H, Holmes LB, Hunter JR, Madsen S, Stergachis A. First-trimester drug use and congenital disorders. JAMA 1981;246:3436.
4. Aselton P, Jick H, Milunsky A, Hunter JR, Stergachis A. First-trimester drug use and congenital disorders. Obstet Gynecol 1985;65:4515.
5. Findlay JWA, Butz RF, Sailstad JM, Warren JT, Welch RM. Pseudoephedrine and triprolidine in plasma and breast milk of nursing mothers. Br J Clin Pharmacol 1984;18:9016.
6. Committee on Drugs, American Academy of Pediatrics. The transfer of drugs and other chemicals into human milk. Pediatrics 1994;93:13750.
   
   

Questions and Answers

How many actifed kiils? (triprolidine hydrochloride 2.5mg & pseudoephedrine hydrocloride 60mg)?, i need urgent or anyone knows which drug is really deadly doing research paper.... about drug abuse! thanks!

In any practical sense, that would go into the category of random event. The cardiovascular events associated with the decongestant and the anticholinergic effects of the antihistamine are not to be discounted, but in the real world overdoses are limited in the number of pills a person will actually take and retain, and within that range one doesn't reach a level that's normally fatal. One person may take two or three and have a stroke. Another may take a whole stock bottle and survive.

Can I take caffeine and an antihistamine together?, I have a very bad sore throat & blocked sinuses. I have just taken 2 paracetamol each containing 60mg of caffeine - I'm now looking to take one Actifed which contains 2.5mg of Triprolidine hydrochloride (an antihistamine)

Is this a safe combination?

You should be able to with no problem. Many non-prescription antihistamines contain some sort of a decongestant -usually phenylephrine or pseudoephedrine (the latter I had thought most formulations of Actifed contained, depending on your country) 120 mg of caffeine is about the same amount as in a half cup of coffee, so it shouldn't add much more of a stimulant effect than if you'd only taken Actifed.

Can a fever (or the sensation of a fever) be caused by one of these common drug ingredients?, This morning I sneezed a little, and I took a pill -- Cold & Allergy Relief (by CVS). It contains Pseudoephedrine Hydrochloride and Triprolidine Hydrochloride. After a couple of a hours, I started feeling feverish and drowsy, so I went to bed.

I noticed that this has happened to me previously. My question is -- did I really have a fever? And if I didn't, why did it feel as if I was having one? Could it be the result of taking this pill? If I did have a fever, did the pill cause it?

Thank you in advance for serious answers.

This likely happened from the medication.

Pseudoephedrine is a decongestant that can temporarily raise your heart rate or increase your blood pressure. It was likely an increase in blood pressure that made you feel warm. It wasn't a fever, it just felt like one. If this happens often, try a cold remedy without Pseudoephedrine. Coricidin is one brand name that doesn't contain any decongestants and they market it for people with high blood pressure.

Triprolidine is an antihistamine with a side effect of drowsiness which is why you felt sleepy.

Can you use 'COTRIDIN" to make "purple drank" aka "lean?"?, I was wondering if you can use "ratio-Cotridin" to make purple drank since it contains CODEINE.

Each 5 mL of red, syrupy liquid with a cherry odour contains 2 mg of triprolidine, 30 mg of pseudoephedrine, and 10 mg of codeine phosphate. Nonmedicinal ingredients: artificial colouring and flavourings, glycerin, methylparaben, propylparaben, purified water, sorbitol, and sucrose.

Anything with codeine in it requires.. a valid prescription. This one is for cough. Other ingredients could make you sleepy. Not a good idea to add alcohol to it..

A nasty side effect of long term use of codeine is constipation, and you probably realize if you use too much of it this stuff can stop your breathing, too. Why would you do that?

If you want a purple drink, would it be easier to get food color?

Your question was if you can use this medication to make purple drink. Who is going to stop you from doing that? If you just want to experiment, make sure someone is there to call 911 just in case.

I am sorry I have not been helpful. I have seen a few people "try" stuff like this and, well, you know, it's not pretty.