DIPHENOXYLATE HYDROCHLORIDE

Chemical properties

White or almost white, crystalline powder.

Originator

Lomotil,Searle,US,1960

The Uses of DIPHENOXYLATE HYDROCHLORIDE

Antiperistaltic; antidiarrheal. Controlled substance (opiate).

Definition

ChEBI: The hydrochloride salt of diphenoxylate.

Manufacturing Process

A mixture of 23 parts of the ethyl ester of 4-phenylisonipecotic acid and 15 parts of 2,2-diphenyl-4-
omobutyronitrile in 19 parts of xylene is heated for 24 hours at 100-120°C and then cooled and filtered to remove the precipitate of the hydro
omide of the ethyl ester of 4-phenylisonipecotic acid. The filtrate is then extracted with dilute hydrochloric acid and the extract is rendered alkaline by addition of concentrated aqueous potassium hydroxide and extracted with ether. This ether extract is treated with gaseous hydrogen chloride. The resulting precipitate is collected on a filter. The hydrochloride of the ethyl ester of 2,2-diphenyl-4-(4'-carboxy-4'-phenyl-1'- piperidino)butyronitrile thus obtained melts at about 220.5-222°C. See meperidine hydrochloride for synthesis of 4-phenyl-isonipecotic acid ethyl ester.

Therapeutic Function

Antidiarrheal

Veterinary Drugs and Treatments

Diphenoxylate is an opiate in combination with atropine in antidiarrheal products used primarily in dogs; it also has antitussive properties. Use in cats is controversial and many clinicians do not recommend its use in this species.