Caffeine
CAFFEINE
Overview:
Caffeine is a natural substance that helps you feel less tired and more awake. You’ll find it in things like coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks, and even in some medications.
Classification: Central nervous system stimulants
Uses:
Fights sleepiness and helps keep you focused
Can help you stay mentally sharp during the day
Often added to pain relievers to make them work better (like in migraine treatment)
Sometimes used in newborns (especially premature babies) to help with breathing problems
How it works:
Caffeine helps you stay awake and focused by blocking a brain chemical called adenosine, which normally makes you feel drowsy.
By stopping adenosine, caffeine keeps your brain more active, helping you feel energized, alert, and a bit more awake. It can also slightly increase your heart rate and make you feel more awake physically and mentally.
Dosage: As prescribed by your doctor.
Side effects:
Having too much caffeine might cause:
Restlessness or shaky hands
Trouble falling asleep
Rapid heartbeat or a racing pulse
Stomach discomfort or acidity
Mild headaches, especially if you suddenly stop using it
Frequent urination
Feeling uneasy or anxious
Precautions:
Don’t have too much: Taking in large amounts of caffeine can make you feel nervous, interfere with sleep, or cause a fast heartbeat. It’s best to keep it moderate—about 1 to 3 cups of tea or coffee a day is usually safe.
If you’re sensitive, go slow: Some people react strongly to even small doses of caffeine, causing shakiness, headaches, or discomfort.
Avoid it before bedtime: Since caffeine keeps you alert, having it too late in the day (especially after the afternoon) can make it hard to fall asleep.
Pregnant or breastfeeding? Talk to your doctor. Too much caffeine might affect your baby, so it’s safer to limit your intake.
If you have heart issues, anxiety, or high blood pressure: Be careful—caffeine can sometimes worsen these problems.
Check food and medicine labels: Caffeine isn’t only in coffee—it’s also found in soft drinks, energy drinks, chocolate, and some pills like pain relievers or slimming products.
Disclaimer:
This content is for informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare provider for medical advice and proper dosage
Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride
DIPHENHYDRAMINE
Overview
Diphenhydramine is a commonly used medicine to treat allergic reactions, cold symptoms, and itching. It also acts as a sleep aid and helps relieve motion sickness or nausea. It’s available in various forms, including tablets, syrups, creams, and injections.
Classification
Antihistamine
Uses
Eases allergy symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, and hives
Soothes skin irritation and itching due to insect bites, rashes, or eczema
Helps with insomnia (difficulty sleeping)
Used to prevent and manage motion sickness
Relieves cough and cold symptoms when combined with other ingredients
Sometimes used for mild anxiety or restlessness
How It Works
Diphenhydramine works by blocking histamine, a natural substance your body releases during allergic reactions. It also affects certain brain chemicals to cause drowsiness, which helps with sleep and reduces motion-related nausea or dizziness.
Dosage
As prescribed by your doctor.
Side effects
Common effects may include:
Drowsiness or sleepiness
Dry mouth, nose, or throat
Dizziness or blurred vision
Upset stomach or constipation
Feeling groggy or uncoordinated, especially in older adults
Precautions
Can cause drowsiness—avoid driving or operating heavy machinery after taking
Should be used cautiously in older adults, as it may cause confusion or falls
Let your doctor know if you have asthma, glaucoma, high blood pressure, or an enlarged prostate
Avoid alcohol and other sedatives while using this medicine
Not usually recommended for children under 6 without medical advice
If pregnant or breastfeeding, consult your doctor before using
Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare provider for medical advice and proper dosage
Paracetamol
PARACETAMOL
Overview
Paracetamol is a commonly used medication that helps relieve mild to moderate pain and reduce fever. It’s often used for:
Headaches
Toothaches
Muscle and back pain
Menstrual cramps
Cold and flu symptoms
It’s available over-the-counter and is considered safe when used as directed.
Classification
Analgesic and antipyretic agent
Uses
Paracetamol is used for pain relief and fever. It is used to relieve pain in conditions like headache, muscle pain, or dental pain.
How it works
When you produce a fever, your body’s internal thermostat — found in the hypothalamus portion of the brain — is raised to a higher temperature. This new set point is usually induced by pyrogens (substances made during infections) that tell the body to produce more heat as a form of immune defense.
Due to its effects in the brain, paracetamol reduces the production of reactive prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are disease-fighting chemicals released during infection that in turn, raise the body’s temperature set point. By decreasing prostaglandin levels, paracetamol enables the hypothalamus’ temperature control centre to bring the body’s temperature back down to normal, allowing the body to cool down and the fever to subside
Dosage
As directed by the physician
Precautions
Most people can take paracetamol safely, including:
pregnant women
breastfeeding women
children over 2 months of age – lower doses are recommended for young children
always get advice before taking paracetamol if you:
have liver or kidney problems
have problems with alcohol, like long-term alcohol misuse
are very underweight
are taking other medications
Don’t take paracetamol if you’ve had an allergic reaction to it in the past
Side effects
common side effects of paracetamol.
Nausea
Swelling
Vomiting
Pain
Tenderness in the upper abdomen
Sweating
Loss of appetite
Stomach cramps
Diarrhea
Major side effects are as follows:
Dark-colored urine
High fever
Lower backache
Skin having red spots
Rashes
Inflammation
Itching
Sore throat
Ulcers
Breathlessness
Yellowish eyes
Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare provider for medical advice and proper dosage.
Phenylephrine Hydrochloride
PHENYLEPHRINE HYDROCHLORIDE
Overview
Phenylephrine is a nasal decongestant used to temporarily relieve nasal discomfort caused by colds, allergies, and hay fever. It works by reducing swelling in the nasal passages, making it easier to breathe. However, it does not address the underlying cause of the symptoms or speed up recovery
Classification
Nasal decongestants
Uses
Oral and nasal phenylephrine are used as nasal decongestants to temporarily unblock a nose or relieve sinus pressure in people with nasal and sinus congestion caused by colds, allergies, or hay fever. While phenylephrine can provide some symptom relief, it doesn’t treat the underlying cause or speed recovery
How it works
Phenylephrine Hydrochloride is a sympathomimetic amine used as a topical decongestant, systolic vasopressor, and mydriatic agent. Its mechanism of action works through various pathways with the mechanism of action primarily based on its ability to stimulate alpha-adrenergic receptors, particularly alpha-1 receptors, which are involved in vascular smooth muscle contraction.
Dosage
As directed by the physician
Precautions
Before using Vazculep, please note:
Allergies: If you’re allergic to phenylephrine or any of its ingredients, avoid using this medication.
Children: Keep this medication out of reach of children. In case of overdose, seek medical help or contact a Poison Control Center immediately.
Contraindications (Do not use if you have):
Severe high blood pressure (hypertension)
Ventricular tachycardia (a type of rapid heart rate)
Closed-angle glaucoma (a condition affecting the eyes)
Hypersensitivity to phenylephrine or sulfites (a type of preservative)
Use with caution if you have:
Heart or blood vessel problems
Thyroid issues
Diabetes
Enlarged prostate
Liver or kidney problems
Asthma or sulfite sensitivity
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding:
Use during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
Considered safe during breastfeeding, but consult your doctor.
Side effects
Injection Site Reactions: Leakage of intravenous medication
Cardiovascular: High blood pressure (hypertension)
Heart Rate: Slow heart rate (bradycardia)
Mental Health: Anxiety, nervousness, restlessness
Neurological: Headache, dizziness, lightheadedness
Respiratory: Shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing
Gastrointestinal: Nausea, stomach pain or upset
Renal: Reduced urine output, decreased blood flow to the kidneys
Pulmonary: Fluid accumulation in the lungs (pulmonary edema)
Rebound Symptoms: Nasal congestion worsening after initial relief (rebound congestion)
Skin: Burning or stinging sensation
Other: Sneezing
If you experience any of these side effects, it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional for guidance.
Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare provider for medical advice and proper dosage.
