Compound analgesics are those with multiple active ingredients; they include many of the stronger prescription analgesics.
Active ingredients that have been commonly used in compound analgesics include:
There is evidence that a compound of two analgesics with different mechanism of action can have an increased painkilling effect over the sum of the effect of each individual analgesic.[1]
Several such formulations have disappeared from over-the-counter status in drug store aisles and other retail outlets. One example is APC (aspirin, phenacetin, and caffeine) compound tablets common from the 1940s to 1983; because of harmful side effects of phenacetin, Anacin in the U.S. was reformulated to eliminate it; while Vincent's APC is no longer sold. Some others have been judged to contribute too often to substance abuse.
Lenoltec is a compound analgesic that comes in four strengths:
| No. ! Acetaminophen mg | Caffine mg ! Codene mg | DIN | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 300 | 15 | 8 | 00653233 https://www.tevacanada.com/en/canada/our-products/product-page/lenoltecno.1-00653233 |
| 2 | 300 | 15 | 15 | 00653241 https://www.tevacanada.com/en/canada/our-products/product-page/lenoltecno.2-00653241 |
| 3 | 300 | 15 | 30 | 00653276 https://www.tevacanada.com/en/canada/our-products/product-page/lenoltecno.3-00653276 |
| 4 | 300 | 0 | 60 | 00621463 https://www.tevacanada.com/en/canada/our-products/product-page/lenoltecno.4-00621463 |
Another example is Bex, a once popular Australian compound analgesic which is no longer sold. It contained 42% aspirin, 42% phenacetin, plus caffeine.[2]
The United States Food and Drug Administration also now requires that manufacturers of compound analgesics unequivocally state each ingredient's purpose.