Monitoring the hypnotic effects of some active ingredients of anti-cold medicines in the Iranian pharmaceutical market using focus test on driving simulator and determination of chlorpheniramin and diphenhydramine concentrations in the biological samples

Abstract

In recent years, the rate of traffic accidents and injurys has increased. One of the most important factors affecting this rate is the medications taken before driving. Diphenhydramine and Chlorpheniramine existing in Anti-cold medications, may increase the rate of accidents based on their sedative effects.Aim:The aim of this study is to evaluate the sedative effects of Diphenhydramine and Chlorpheniramine and their effects on driving usuing driving simulator. Method:20 healthy, male volunteers took part 3 times in driving simulator. One of these steps was the placebo phase. The other steps were conducted after taking anti-cold products one of them containing 25 mg of diphenhydramine and the other containing 2 mg of chlorphenoramine. Blood samples were collected before Sahand 1 driving simulator tests. Volunteers took part in driving simulator tests and the data was collected. The data was analysed and drugs plasma level was obtained. Result:The results show that under this study’s circumstances the sedative effects of these two drugs didn’t lead to tangible differences in most of the analysed parameters. The only parameters that the effects of drugs show significant differences, were: the effect of chlorphenoramine on SDLP in rural area and the effect of chlorpheniramine on line exit in the rural area and the whole way. Unlike chlorphenoramine, diphenhydramine didn’t cause significant changes in volunteers’ driving performance.Conclusion:Analytical results specified that taking these two drugs, will not make major differences in driver’s performance. But the unnegilible mistake is to rule on these drugs complete safety. So it is recommended to health care providers and pharmaceutical policy makers to notice the people the possible risks of taking these drugs until adequate researchs are done.