Pseudo-Ephedrine

Pseudo-ephedrine is the main ingredient in numerous over-the-counter nasal and bronchial decongestants. It works by constricting blood vessels in the nose, lungs, and other mucus membranes. By limiting the blood that flows to these areas, pseudo-ephedrine opens up a person's airways and thus decreases congestion.

The term is most commonly associated with the brand name Sudafed. However, there are several other products that contain pseudo-ephedrine including Pediacare, Afrin, Benadryl, Dimetapp and Sinutab. Although products containing pseudo-ephedrine can perform miracles on a stuffy nose, they have unfortunately been associated with some rather serious side effects.

The side effects of pseudo-ephedrine include nervousness, restlessness, excitability, dizziness, headache, fear, anxiety, tremor, hallucinations and convulsions. It is highly recommended that products that contain pseudo-ephedrine not be taken for more than seven consecutive days. Care should also be used when combining medications containing pseudo-ephedrine with those that contain monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

New Concerns with Pseudo-Ephedrine

If the side effects associated with products that include pseudo-ephedrine weren't bad enough, recent investigations have uncovered that the products are now being used to make a deadly and highly addictive narcotic known as meth. For this reason, thirteen states have passed legislation restricting the sale of products that contain pseudo-ephedrine. In fact, major retailers like Wal-Mart and Target have even resorted to placing over-the-counter medications that contain the substance behind the pharmacy counter. There are plenty of alternative products out there that can produce the results offered by ephedrine, without those disastrous side effects. Look into products that use synephrine instead of ephedrine--this is an extract of the bitter orange fruit, and is reputed to bear none of the side effects of ephedrine.