Xylometazoline
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| Pronunciation | ZY-low-met-AH-zoh-leen |
| Trade names | Otrivin, Otrivine, others |
| AHFS/Drugs.com | Micromedex Detailed Consumer Information |
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| Dependence liability |
moderate |
| Routes of administration |
intranasal (spray or drops) |
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| Pharmacokinetic data | |
| Biological half-life | >10 seconds |
| Excretion | Urinary |
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| ChEMBL | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.007.629 |
| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | C16H24N2 |
| Molar mass | 244.37516 g/mol |
| 3D model (Jmol) | |
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Xylometazoline, also spelled xylomethazoline, is a medication which is used to improve symptoms of nasal congestion, allergic rhinitis, and sinusitis. Use is not recommended for more than seven days. Use is also not recommended in those less than three months of age and some say not less than 6 years of age. It is used directly in the nose as a spray or drops.
Side effects include trouble sleeping, irritation of the nose, nausea, and headache. Long term use is not recommended due to a rhinitis medicamentosa when stopped. Use is not recommended during pregnancy. Xylometazoline is in the decongestant and alpha-adrenergic agonist families of medication.
Xylometazoline was patented in 1956 and came into medical use in 1959. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system. Xylometazoline is available as a generic medication. The wholesale cost in the developing world is about 0.75 USD for a 10 ml bottle. In the United Kingdom that dose costs the NHS about 2.10 pounds.
The drug works by stimulating adrenergic receptors on the lamina propria of blood vessels in the nose. The decongestant effect is due to constriction of large veins in the nose which swell up during the inflammation of any infection or allergy of the nose. The smaller arteries are also constricted and this causes the colour of the nasal epithelium to be visibly paler after dosage.
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Wikipedia