Co-dydramol

Co-dydramol (BAN) is a non-proprietary name used to denote a combination of dihydrocodeine tartrate and paracetamol. Co-dydramol tablets are used for the relief of moderate pain. Co-dydramol is in fact part of a series of combination drugs available in the UK and other countries including Co-codaprin (aspirin and codeine), Co-codamol (dihydrocodeine and paracetamol) and Co-proxamol (dextropropoxyphene and paracetamol).

Formulation
All formulations contain 500 mg of paracetamol per tablet and may only be sold at a pharmacy as an over-the-counter item without prescription if containing less than 7.5 mg of dihydrocodeine per tablet. Higher strengths are prescription only medicines. Four strengths of dihydrocodeine tartrate in each tablet are available:
 * 7.46 mg dihydrocodeine in the brand Paramol.
 * 10 mg dihydrocodeine, BAN of Co-dydramol 10/500, this is also the preparation to be dispensed if no strength is specified on a prescription.
 * 20 mg dihydrocodeine, BAN of Co-dydramol 20/500 (branded product Remedeine).
 * 30 mg dihydrocodeine, BAN of Co-dydramol 30/500 (branded product Remedeine forte).

Co-dydramol is one of a number of drugs using its particular method of deriving a proprietary and/or common name beginning with "co" and a hyphen. In fact, the "co" is for "combination", and in the British National Formulary there are many combination drugs with names using this naming convention, including antibiotics, gastrointestinal perparations, drugs to lower blood pressure, diuretics, anti-Parkinsonism agents and others. This list includes other agents for combating migrane headaches, such as Co-dergocrine, Co-careldopa, and others. The other commonly-encountered opioid combination is the anti-diarrhoeal, non-analgesic mixture of diphenoxylate and atropine, Co-phenotrope (a.k.a. Lomotil)