Orphenadrine

Orphenadrine (Norflex®) is a drug used to treat muscle injuries and Parkinson's disease. The citrate salt is most often used for muscle spasms as well as headaches and similar problems, and the hydrochloride is used, often as injection, for Parkinson's disease. At least for the latter use, the citrate and hydrochloride salts are not interchangable. Orphenadrine is also available mixed with aspirin in some countries such as Canada.

The muscle-relaxant and analgesic dose is 100 mg when it is a 12-hour extended release tablet or 60 mg q8h immediate-release.

The action in both pain and Parkinson's disease seems to be the result of orphenadrine's moderate anticholinergic activity, which is about 58% the antimuscarinic strength of atropine. Orphenadrine is also an ethanolamine class antihistamine and most closely related to diphenhydramine (Benadryl®). Orphenadrine has the side effects of these antihistamines in large part, except that stimulation is somewhat more common and orphenadrine generates a slight yet durable euphoria in a large percentage of patients. Also in common with many antihistamines, orphenadrine has analgesic-sparing (potentiating) effects on many centrally-acting analgesics such as codeine, dihydrocodeine, hydrocodone, and others.

Orphenadrine citrate tablets are a prescription item in the United States and over the counter in Canada; this drug is used less in Europe at this time but where it is available it tends to be over the counter and should be orderable by your local chemist if you are within the European Union and possibly the remainder of Central Europe.

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