Antitussive activity of diphenhydramine in chronic cough.
A double-blind crossover study was conducted to evaluate the antitussive effectiveness of diphenhydramine (DPH) in chornic coughs related to bronchitis, at doses of 25 and 50 mg every 4 hr for four doses. Both 25- and 50-mg doses caused a statistically and clinically significant reduction in frequency of coughs, compared to placebo. The most frequently reported side effect was drowsiness, principally at the 50-mg dose level. There was little or no apparent correlation between antitussive effectiveness and incidence of drowsiness, however, suggesting that the two effects were pharmacologically unrelated.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000996:Antitussive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003371:Cough / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D004155:Diphenhydramine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking / Q000150:complications; D013997:Time Factors
D000996:Antitussive Agents; D004155:Diphenhydramine