Pilocarpine
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| Trade names | Isopto Carpine, Salagen, others |
| AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
| MedlinePlus | a608039 |
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| Routes of administration |
topical (eye drops), by mouth |
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| Pharmacokinetic data | |
| Biological half-life | 0.76 hours (5 mg), 1.35 hours (10 mg) |
| Excretion | urine |
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| ECHA InfoCard | 100.001.936 |
| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | C11H16N2O2 |
| Molar mass | 208.257 g/mol |
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Pilocarpine is a medication used to treat increased pressure inside the eye and dry mouth. As eye drops it is used for angle closure glaucoma until surgery can be performed, ocular hypertension, open angle glaucoma, and to bring about constriction of the pupil following their dilation. Onset of effects with the drops is typically within an hour and lasts for up to a day. By mouth it is used for dry mouth as a result of Sjogren's syndrome or radiation therapy.
Common side effects of the eye drops include irritation of the eye, increased tearing, headache, and blurry vision. Other side effects include allergic reactions, and retinal detachment. Use is generally not recommended during pregnancy. Pilocarpine is in the miotics family of medication. It works by activating cholinergic receptors which cause the trabecular meshwork to open and the aqueous humor to drain from the eye.
Pilocarpine was isolated in 1874. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system. The wholesale cost in the developing world is about 1.61 to 4.88 USD per 10 ml bottle. In the United States a month of the drops costs less than 25 USD. It was originally made from the South American plant Pilocarpus.
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