NyQuil
Encyclopedia
NyQuil is a brand of over the counter medication
which is intended to relieve various symptoms of the common cold
. Because all of the medications within the NyQuil imprint contain sedating antihistamines, hypnotics, and/or alcohol
, they are intended to be taken before sleep. Its daytime counterpart is DayQuil
, which does not contain sedating antihistamines and is intended not to induce drowsiness. Both NyQuil and DayQuil are manufactured by Procter & Gamble
.
NyQuil is formulated as either liquid or capsules (LiquiCaps). The liquid form was test marketed in 1966 and finally widely introduced in the fall of 1968 (with numerous magazine
ads and television commercials), and the capsules were introduced in the late 1980s. The product's slogans have traditionally described the product as "The nighttime, sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, best-sleep-you-ever-got-with-a-cold medicine", where the list is slightly tailored to the particular formulation being offered.
It is unclear where the name NyQuil originated from, though it appears to be a portmanteau of the words "night" and "tranquil".
The liquid version of NyQuil Cold/Flu Multi-symptom Relief currently contains the following active ingredients (15 mL is one tablespoon, which is half the recommended adult dose):
The capsule (LiquiCap) version has the following active ingredients for one pill, which is half the recommended adult dose:
, a decongestant, and is available behind the pharmacy counter.
NyQuil D contains the following active ingredients (15 mL is one tablespoon, which is half the recommended adult dose):
According to Procter and Gamble, on 24 September 2010, Nyquil D is no longer manufactured.
This is the most commonly recreationally used variant of NyQuil due to its lack of acetaminophen, which has been known to cause liver damage in high doses.
Nyquil Sinus is available as LiquiCaps only.
(30 mg/15 mL), another nasal decongestant that also formed the active ingredient in Sudafed
. Following the passage of the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act
in 2006, in the United States all pseudoephedrine-containing medications must be kept behind a pharmacy counter and all purchases must be logged.
Vicks chose to keep its products more easily accessible by reformulating NyQuil Sinus, replacing pseudoephedrine
with phenylephrine
. Many people were outraged by this change and chose to boycott the product, because studies have shown that phenylephrine is no more effective than a placebo. Due to the protest, Vicks chose to revert to the original formula which became NyQuil D.
NyQuil no longer contains phenylephrine
except for the sinus LiquiCaps variety.
Children's NyQuil is unique among the NyQuil line in that it contains no alcohol. It is available in the syrup form only.
Medication
A pharmaceutical drug, also referred to as medicine, medication or medicament, can be loosely defined as any chemical substance intended for use in the medical diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention of disease.- Classification :...
which is intended to relieve various symptoms of the common cold
Common cold
The common cold is a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system, caused primarily by rhinoviruses and coronaviruses. Common symptoms include a cough, sore throat, runny nose, and fever...
. Because all of the medications within the NyQuil imprint contain sedating antihistamines, hypnotics, and/or alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
, they are intended to be taken before sleep. Its daytime counterpart is DayQuil
DayQuil
DayQuil is a medicine intended to relieve symptoms of the common cold and flu. Made by Vicks, it is available in syrup and capsule form. DayQuil's night time counterpart is NyQuil, which contains sedative antihistamines. Because DayQuil lacks antihistamines, it does not cause drowsiness, and thus...
, which does not contain sedating antihistamines and is intended not to induce drowsiness. Both NyQuil and DayQuil are manufactured by Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
.
NyQuil is formulated as either liquid or capsules (LiquiCaps). The liquid form was test marketed in 1966 and finally widely introduced in the fall of 1968 (with numerous magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
ads and television commercials), and the capsules were introduced in the late 1980s. The product's slogans have traditionally described the product as "The nighttime, sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, best-sleep-you-ever-got-with-a-cold medicine", where the list is slightly tailored to the particular formulation being offered.
It is unclear where the name NyQuil originated from, though it appears to be a portmanteau of the words "night" and "tranquil".
Products
NyQuil Cold/Flu Multisymptom Relief
NyQuil Cold/Flu Multisymptom Relief is available in syrup and LiquiCap form.The liquid version of NyQuil Cold/Flu Multi-symptom Relief currently contains the following active ingredients (15 mL is one tablespoon, which is half the recommended adult dose):
- Acetaminophen (325 mg/15 mL) (pain reliever/fever reducer)
- DextromethorphanDextromethorphanDextromethorphan is an antitussive drug. It is one of the active ingredients in many over-the-counter cold and cough medicines, such as Robitussin, NyQuil, Dimetapp, Vicks, Coricidin, Delsym, and others, including generic labels. Dextromethorphan has also found other uses in medicine, ranging...
(15 mg/15 mL) (cough suppressant) - Doxylamine succinate (6.25 mg/15 mL) (antihistamine/hypnotic)
The capsule (LiquiCap) version has the following active ingredients for one pill, which is half the recommended adult dose:
- Acetaminophen (325 mg/pill) (pain reliever/fever reducer)
- DextromethorphanDextromethorphanDextromethorphan is an antitussive drug. It is one of the active ingredients in many over-the-counter cold and cough medicines, such as Robitussin, NyQuil, Dimetapp, Vicks, Coricidin, Delsym, and others, including generic labels. Dextromethorphan has also found other uses in medicine, ranging...
(15 mg/pill) (cough suppressant) - Doxylamine succinate (6.25 mg/pill) (antihistamine/hypnotic)
NyQuil D
NyQuil D is available in syrup form only. It contains pseudoephedrinePseudoephedrine
Pseudoephedrine is a sympathomimetic drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine chemical classes. It is used as a nasal/sinus decongestant and stimulant, or as a wakefulness-promoting agent....
, a decongestant, and is available behind the pharmacy counter.
NyQuil D contains the following active ingredients (15 mL is one tablespoon, which is half the recommended adult dose):
- Acetaminophen (500 mg/15 mL) (pain reliever/fever reducer)
- DextromethorphanDextromethorphanDextromethorphan is an antitussive drug. It is one of the active ingredients in many over-the-counter cold and cough medicines, such as Robitussin, NyQuil, Dimetapp, Vicks, Coricidin, Delsym, and others, including generic labels. Dextromethorphan has also found other uses in medicine, ranging...
(15 mg/15 mL) (cough suppressant) - Doxylamine succinate (6.25 mg/15 mL) (antihistamine/hypnotic)
- PseudoephedrinePseudoephedrinePseudoephedrine is a sympathomimetic drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine chemical classes. It is used as a nasal/sinus decongestant and stimulant, or as a wakefulness-promoting agent....
(30 mg/15 mL) (nasal decongestant)
According to Procter and Gamble, on 24 September 2010, Nyquil D is no longer manufactured.
NyQuil Cough
Nyquil Cough's active ingredients are:- DextromethorphanDextromethorphanDextromethorphan is an antitussive drug. It is one of the active ingredients in many over-the-counter cold and cough medicines, such as Robitussin, NyQuil, Dimetapp, Vicks, Coricidin, Delsym, and others, including generic labels. Dextromethorphan has also found other uses in medicine, ranging...
(15 mg/15 mL) (cough suppressant) - Doxylamine succinate (6.25 mg/15 mL) (antihistamine/hypnotic)
This is the most commonly recreationally used variant of NyQuil due to its lack of acetaminophen, which has been known to cause liver damage in high doses.
NyQuil Sinus
Nyquil Sinus' active ingredients are:- Acetaminophen (pain reliever/fever reducer)
- Doxylamine succinate (antihistamine/hypnotic)
- PhenylephrinePhenylephrinePhenylephrine is a selective α1-adrenergic receptor agonist used primarily as a decongestant, as an agent to dilate the pupil, and to increase blood pressure...
(nasal decongestant)
Nyquil Sinus is available as LiquiCaps only.
Reformulation
Previously, NyQuil Cold/Flu Multisymptom Relief and NyQuil Sinus contained pseudoephedrinePseudoephedrine
Pseudoephedrine is a sympathomimetic drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine chemical classes. It is used as a nasal/sinus decongestant and stimulant, or as a wakefulness-promoting agent....
(30 mg/15 mL), another nasal decongestant that also formed the active ingredient in Sudafed
Sudafed
Sudafed is a brand name and registered trademark for over the counter decongestants manufactured by McNeil Laboratories for sale in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States...
. Following the passage of the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act
Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005
The Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005 is federal legislation enacted in the United States on March 9, 2006, to regulate, among other things, retail over-the-counter sales of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine products because of their use in the manufacture of illegal...
in 2006, in the United States all pseudoephedrine-containing medications must be kept behind a pharmacy counter and all purchases must be logged.
Vicks chose to keep its products more easily accessible by reformulating NyQuil Sinus, replacing pseudoephedrine
Pseudoephedrine
Pseudoephedrine is a sympathomimetic drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine chemical classes. It is used as a nasal/sinus decongestant and stimulant, or as a wakefulness-promoting agent....
with phenylephrine
Phenylephrine
Phenylephrine is a selective α1-adrenergic receptor agonist used primarily as a decongestant, as an agent to dilate the pupil, and to increase blood pressure...
. Many people were outraged by this change and chose to boycott the product, because studies have shown that phenylephrine is no more effective than a placebo. Due to the protest, Vicks chose to revert to the original formula which became NyQuil D.
NyQuil no longer contains phenylephrine
Phenylephrine
Phenylephrine is a selective α1-adrenergic receptor agonist used primarily as a decongestant, as an agent to dilate the pupil, and to increase blood pressure...
except for the sinus LiquiCaps variety.
Children's NyQuil
Children's NyQuil active ingredients are:- Chlorpheniramine (antihistamine)
- DextromethorphanDextromethorphanDextromethorphan is an antitussive drug. It is one of the active ingredients in many over-the-counter cold and cough medicines, such as Robitussin, NyQuil, Dimetapp, Vicks, Coricidin, Delsym, and others, including generic labels. Dextromethorphan has also found other uses in medicine, ranging...
(cough suppressant)
Children's NyQuil is unique among the NyQuil line in that it contains no alcohol. It is available in the syrup form only.