General Description
Crystalline white powder.
Air & Water Reactions
Slightly soluble in water. Slightly acidic.
Health Hazard
SYMPTOMS: Symptoms associated with this compound include: drowsiness, lethargy, fatigue hypnosis and coma. Initial sedation may be followed by central nervous system hyperexcitability. Also, the victim may experience dry mouth, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, abdominal distress, constipation, and/or diarrhea.
Fire Hazard
Flash point data for this compound are not available but DIMENHYDRINATE is probably non-flammable.
Description
Dimenhydrinate (16.1.2) is a complex compound of N, N-dimethyl (2-
diphenylmethoxy)ethylamine—diphenhydramine with 8-chlorotheophylline. While blocking
the H1 receptor, dimenhydrinate simultaneously acts on the vomiting center.
Chemical Properties
White Solid
Originator
Dramamine,Searle,US,1949
Definition
ChEBI: The diphenhydramine salt of 8-chlorotheophylline. Its effects are similar to those of diphenhydramine, but it is less potent. It was thought that by combining the antiemetic effects of diphenhydramine with the mild stimulant effects of 8-chlorotheophyline,
the extreme drowsiness induced by the former would be mitigated. However, the sedation caused by diphenhydramine is considerably stronger than the stimulation caused by 8-chlorotheophylline. Dimenhydrinate is used mainly as an antiemetic in the prevention
nd treatment of motion sickness.
Manufacturing Process
58.8 grams of 8-chlorotheophylline and 70 grams of β-dimethylaminoethyl
benzohydryl ether are dissolved in 150 cc of hot methanol. Then 5 grams of
activated charcoal are added and the mixture is boiled for an hour. It is
filtered hot and the filtrate cooled. The crystalline precipitate of βdimethylaminoethyl benzohydryl ether 8-chlorotheophyllinate is collected on a
filter, washed with ether and dried. It melts at 96-99°C. It is dissolved in
boiling ethyl acetate, filtered hot to remove any insoluble material, and then
chilled. The salt so obtained melts at 102.5°-104°C after filtration, washing
with ether and drying.
Brand name
Dommanate (Forest).
Therapeutic Function
Antinauseant
Veterinary Drugs and Treatments
In veterinary medicine, dimenhydrinate is used primarily for its antiemetic
effects
for vomiting and in the prophylactic treatment of
motion sickness in dogs and cats. Dimenhydrinate may be useful as
an adjunctive treatment for feline pancreatitis. As dimenhydrinate
is often thought of as “half-strength diphenhydramine” it can be
employed whenever a histmine-1 blocker is desired.