Diphenoxylate
centrally active opioid drug used for the treatment of diarrhea
Diphenoxylate (Lomotil, R-1132) is a centrally active opioid drug of the phenylpiperidine series that is used as a combination drug, prescribed in the United States under the trade name Lomotil, with atropine for the treatment of diarrhea. Diphenoxylate is an opioid and acts by slowing intestinal contractions; the atropine is present to prevent drug abuse and overdose. It should not be given to children due to the risk that they will stop breathing and should not be used in people with Clostridioides difficile infection.
Medical use
Diphenoxylate is used to treat diarrhea in adults; it is only available as a combination drug with a subtherapeutic dose of atropine to prevent abuse.
It should not be used in children due to the risk of respiratory depression. It does not appear harmful to a fetus but the risks have not been fully explored.
It should not be taken with other central depressants like alcohol, as they can increase its risks.
It should not be used for people with diarrhea caused by an infection, for example with Clostridioides difficile infection, since the slowing of peristalsis can prevent clearing of the infectious organism.
Adverse effects
The drug label (in some jurisdictions) has warnings with regard to the risk of respiratory depression, anticholinergic toxicity and opioid overdose, the risk of dehydration and electrolyte imbalance that people with severe diarrhea always run, and toxic megacolon in people with ulcerative colitis.
Other adverse effects include numbness in the hands and feet, euphoria, depression, lethargy, confusion, drowsiness, dizziness, restlessness, headache, hallucinations, edema, hives, swollen gums, itchiness, vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite, and stomach pain.
“Diphenoxylate” enters the record as centrally active opioid drug used for the treatment of diarrhea. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Diphenoxylate, centrally and active can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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