Antihistamines of the first generation have been used in clinical practice for more than fifty years. Phenergan is one of this class representatives that is popular in Australia.

The spectrum of the drug application is very wide. Phenergan is used to treat a number of allergic reactions that develop due to the use of medicinal and chemical medicines or insect bites.

Phenergan is also used to treat contact dermatitis, hay fever, and allergic dermatitis. If the symptoms of measles and chicken pox cause discomfort, the sedative effect of the drug can help falling asleep.

In anesthesiology, Phenergan is used as a drug to enhance general anesthesia and hypothermia, for premedication. The drug can be prescribed for the treatment of nausea and vomiting, as well as the motion sickness syndrome.

In Australia, Phenergan is supplied by the pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis and is available in local pharmacies in the form of 1 mg/mL oral liquid and 10 mg, 25 mg tablets.

The active ingredient of Phenergan is Promethazine, a phenothiazine agent that has high antihistaminic activity and pronounced influence over the CNS.

Phenergan tablets and oral liquid have a sedative, antiemetic and antipsychotic effect. Studies have shown that this antiallergic drug prevents the action of histamine by blocking H1-histamine receptors.

Histamine is a mediator of inflammation and is produced by the immune system at the introduction of an antigen, to which the body is sensitive. Phenergan reduces the swelling of the mucous membranes, capillary permeability and itching.

• Both Phenergan tablets and oral solution have a high safety and efficacy profile.

In Australia, Phenergan is approved for use in adults, adolescents and children aged 2 and older. In pediatrics, Phenergan is usually used in liquid form, because it has a pleasant orange taste and, unlike oral tablets, is easier to swallow.

Tablets of this potent anti-allergy drug are recommended for use in adults and children older than 6 years. Despite these recommendations, many Australians prefer using the liquid form of Phenergan, since it allows to easily divide the daily dose of the drug into several intakes.

• Each pack of Phenergan solution contains a measuring device: a dosing syringe or a medicine cup, which allow measuring the therapeutic dose.

For the treatment of allergies, Phenergan dose for children aged 2 to 5 years varies in the range of 5-15 mL per day. The prescribed dose should be taken once a day before going to bed, or divided into 2 to 3 intakes.

The daily dose for children aged 6 to 12 years is either one or two Phenergan 10 mg tablets, or 10-25 mL of suspension. For the treatment of urticaria, contact dermatitis and pollen allergy, adults are prescribed one Phenergan 25 mg pill just before bedtime.

To prevent motion sickness and reduce its symptoms (nausea and vomiting), many Australians buy Phenergan tablets. The drug is taken once, about an hour before the trip. The daily dose for adults is one Phenergan 25 mg tablet, and the infant dose can vary from 10 to 20 mg per day.

When you use Phenergan, please keep in mind that the drug can cause dizziness, decreased concentration and slowing of psychomotor reactions.

Therefore, the drug is not recommended for people, whose activities are related to working with complex mechanisms and driving vehicles. Phenergan is also contraindicated in Australians, who are hypersensitive to Promethazine and other drug components.

If possible, avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight and visits to tanning beds. Phenergan can contribute to the appearance and increase in the rate of sunburn occurrence on the skin.

For this reason, when you are on the street, use sunscreen and wear protective clothes.

Australians, who use Phenergan tablets, are recommended to abandon alcohol, since it increases the risk of side effects.

Simultaneous administration of Phenergan with certain drugs may cause drug interactions and decrease the treatment efficacy.

Joint use with narcotic analgesics, tricyclic antidepressants and tranquilizers enhances the influence of Phenergan over the CNS and can cause severe drowsiness and sedation.

• Doctors can sometimes prescribe caffeine to patients to prevent excessive CNS depression.

In Australia, Phenergan does not belong to prescription drugs and can be purchased freely at any retail pharmacy. However, it should be borne in mind that the abuse of this drug can lead to respiratory depression and insomnia.

If a patient uses Phenergan to treat allergies and forgot to take an evening dose of the drug, he may take the missed dose the next day. However, if this is the case, he should divide the daily dose into 2-3 intakes.

To date, Phenergan is the most effective and popular antihistamine drug in Australia.