Dextromethorphan
Pronunciation:dex-troh-meth-OR-fan
Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number:125-71-3
Formal Names:Benylin, Cosylan, Creo-Terpin, Demorphan Hydrobromide, Dex-
ylets, Drixoral, DXM, Medicon, Mediquell, MorphiDex, Pertussin CS,
Robitussin-DM
Informal Names:Bromage, Brome, Cough Syrup, Dex, Dextro, DM, Drix, K (with
alcohol), Mega-Perls, Pole (with heroin), Polo (with heroin), Robe, Robo, Rojo,
Sky, Syrup, Triple C, Tussin, Velvet
Type:Depressant (opioid class).Seepage 22
Federal Schedule Listing:Unlisted
USA Availability:Nonprescription
Pregnancy Category:C
Uses.This cough and cold medicine has been used in the United States since
the 1950s. Because the drug is an opiate analogue and is related tolevor-
phanol, for convenience this book lists dextromethorphan as an opioid. Nal-
oxone, a chemical used to provoke withdrawal symptoms in persons who
have dependence with opiates and opioids, can bring forth those symptoms
in addicts who have switched frommethadoneto dextromethorphan. That
finding is consistent with dextromethorphan being an opioid; nonetheless, the
substance is not generally classified as an opioid.
The drug resemblescodeinebut is considered weaker in humans, although
a cat experiment measured dextromethorphan as three times stronger than
codeine. Body processes break down dextromethorphan into other substances
includingdextrorphan.
Urinalysis comparing the amounts of dextromethorphan and its break-
down product dextrorphan can identify a person’s susceptibility to lung can-
cer. Case reports tell of dextromethorphan’s success in treating infants’ brain
seizures. One experiment found the substance to be a useful supplement in
treating older epileptics, but another study detected no improvement. Parkin-
son’s disease patients have shown encouraging response to treatment with the
drug, but using it against Huntington’s disease and Lou Gehrig’s disease has
brought disappointment. Animal research suggests that the substance may be
useful in treating stroke. A mice experiment in France tested whether dextro-
methorphan can protect against the effects of the chemical warfare agent so-