Medicines Dihydrocodeine

Numerous derivati es of morphine have been devised for use in medicine including acyl derivatives, of which diacetylmorphine (C], Hj,03N, Ac2, m.p. 173°, [a]J°° — 166° (MeOH) B. HCl. 2H2O, m.p. 231-2°) is the best known, alkyl and other ethers such as the ethyl-and benzyl-morphines, dihydro- and dihydroketo-compounds such as dihydromorphine, dihydrocodeine, dihydromorphinone, dihydrocodeinone and hydroxydihydrocodcinone, and the deoxy-compounds, e.g., dihydro-deoxymorphine and methyldihydrodeoxymorphine. 

Codeine is combined with aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen in many OTC analgesic products, and also in the formulary preparations co-codamol (with paracetamol) and co-codaprin (with aspirin). Dihydrocodeine is included with paracetamol in one OTC product, and at a higher dose in co-dydramol tablets, which are prescription-only medicines (POM). 

Crystals from methanol + water, mp [ 12-113 bp,s 248. Bitartrate (acid tartrate), C H NOg, Fortuss, OHC, Dico. Crystals from methanol, contains 66.8% dihydrocodeine when completely anhydr, mp 192 193 (Stein). The commercial medicinal grade usually melts at 186-190°. [< ]g... 

Skin Erythema multiforme major in a 74-year-old woman was attributed to dihydrocodeine in an over-the-counter cold medicine Pabron S containing dihydrocodeine 8 mg [78" ]. Patch testing was positive. 

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