Nytol
Encyclopedia
Nytol is a brand of sleeping pill produced by GlaxoSmithKline
. The active ingredient is diphenhydramine
hydrochloride, a sedative antihistamine
.
GlaxoSmithKline acquired the product in 2001 with the purchase of Block Drug
.
Diphenhydramine enters the brain in significant quantities and causes drowsiness. It decreases the time taken to fall asleep and increases the depth and quality of sleep. This makes it helpful for the temporary relief of sleeping difficulties.
In the United Kingdom and Canada it is available over the counter
.
It is intended for short-term use as a sleep aid, or for alleviating effects of jet lag
. It is available in both "One a night" and "Two a night" dosages. The maximum dose is 50 mg of diphenhydramine HCl per day.
Taking Nytol with alcohol is not recommended by the manufacturers. It is potentially dangerous to take more than the recommended dosage, and those on other medication or pregnant women should seek medical advice before using Nytol. As with any other sleeping pill, one should never drive after taking a dosage. Long term usage is also discouraged as tolerance to the effect occurs over a couple of weeks. Diphenhydramine is not addictive .
Taking more than the recommended amount can be dangerous, and was a contributing factor in the death of a man in 2006 who apparently was using it for its recommended purpose, but who took four times the recommended dosage. The direct cause of his death was asphyxiation from vomit in his airway.
In Zambia, diphenhydramine is listed as a controlled and illegal substance under article 34, PtII of chapter 96 of the Laws of Zambia.
Under the schedule listed in Regulation 2, possession of any amount of powders/tablets, including Nytol, containing 0.5mg or more, or liquids containing 2.5mg (or ml), of diphenhydramine is classed as trafficking.
Nytol Herbal is a different product containing the herb
al products hops
, valeriana
, and passion flower
.
GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline plc is a global pharmaceutical, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare company headquartered in London, United Kingdom...
. The active ingredient is diphenhydramine
Diphenhydramine
Diphenhydramine hydrochloride is a first-generation antihistamine possessing anticholinergic, antitussive, antiemetic, and sedative properties which is mainly used to treat allergies. Like most other first-generation antihistamines, the drug also has a powerful hypnotic effect, and for this reason...
hydrochloride, a sedative antihistamine
Antihistamine
An H1 antagonist is a histamine antagonist of the H1 receptor that serves to reduce or eliminate effects mediated by histamine, an endogenous chemical mediator released during allergic reactions...
.
GlaxoSmithKline acquired the product in 2001 with the purchase of Block Drug
Block Drug
Block Drug Company was a pharmaceutical company based in Jersey City, New Jersey, that specialized in dental care products.GlaxoSmithKline purchased the company for $1.24 billion in 2001....
.
Diphenhydramine enters the brain in significant quantities and causes drowsiness. It decreases the time taken to fall asleep and increases the depth and quality of sleep. This makes it helpful for the temporary relief of sleeping difficulties.
In the United Kingdom and Canada it is available over the counter
Over-the-counter drug
Over-the-counter drugs are medicines that may be sold directly to a consumer without a prescription from a healthcare professional, as compared to prescription drugs, which may be sold only to consumers possessing a valid prescription...
.
It is intended for short-term use as a sleep aid, or for alleviating effects of jet lag
Jet lag
Jet lag, medically referred to as desynchronosis, is a physiological condition which results from alterations to the body's circadian rhythms; it is classified as one of the circadian rhythm sleep disorders...
. It is available in both "One a night" and "Two a night" dosages. The maximum dose is 50 mg of diphenhydramine HCl per day.
Taking Nytol with alcohol is not recommended by the manufacturers. It is potentially dangerous to take more than the recommended dosage, and those on other medication or pregnant women should seek medical advice before using Nytol. As with any other sleeping pill, one should never drive after taking a dosage. Long term usage is also discouraged as tolerance to the effect occurs over a couple of weeks. Diphenhydramine is not addictive .
Taking more than the recommended amount can be dangerous, and was a contributing factor in the death of a man in 2006 who apparently was using it for its recommended purpose, but who took four times the recommended dosage. The direct cause of his death was asphyxiation from vomit in his airway.
In Zambia, diphenhydramine is listed as a controlled and illegal substance under article 34, PtII of chapter 96 of the Laws of Zambia.
Under the schedule listed in Regulation 2, possession of any amount of powders/tablets, including Nytol, containing 0.5mg or more, or liquids containing 2.5mg (or ml), of diphenhydramine is classed as trafficking.
Nytol Herbal is a different product containing the herb
Herb
Except in botanical usage, an herb is "any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavoring, food, medicine, or perfume" or "a part of such a plant as used in cooking"...
al products hops
Hops
Hops are the female flower clusters , of a hop species, Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine...
, valeriana
Valeriana
Valeriana is a genus of flowering plants in the family Valerianaceae. It includes a number of species of which the best known is the garden valerian Valeriana officinalis...
, and passion flower
Passion flower
Passiflora, known also as the passion flowers or passion vines, is a genus of about 500 species of flowering plants, the namesakes of the family Passifloraceae. They are mostly vines, with some being shrubs, and a few species being herbaceous. For information about the fruit of the passiflora...
.