Dimenhydrinate (marketed under brand names Dramamine, Gravol and Vertirosan) is an over-the-counter drug used to prevent motion sickness. It is closely related to diphenhydramine HCl, or Benadryl. The differences relate to the weight-for-weight potency (50mg dimenhydrinate contains 29mg of the drug diphenhydramine), delay of action (dimenhydrinate must dissociate into diphenhydramine and its counterion in the body before it is active, therefore diphenhydramine produces effects sooner), and degree of sedation produced. Chemically, dimenhydrinate is a salt of two drugs: diphenhydramine(+) and 8-chlorotheophyllinate(-). Chlorotheophyllinate is a chlorinated form of the drug theophylline. The chlorination provides the necessary charge to associate with diphenhydramine as a solid. Theophylline is very closely related to caffeine and theobromine, mild central nervous system stimulants. It was thought that by combining the antiemetic effects of diphenhydramine with a stimulant, the extreme drowsiness induced by the former could be mitigated somewhat by the latter. In actuality, the sedation caused by diphenhydramine is substantially stronger than the stimulation caused by chlorotheophyllinate. Diphenhydramine, an ethanolamine-class antihistamine, is found in most OTC sleep aids and allergy preparations, such as Tylenol PM and Benadryl. It is primarily a H₁-antagonist, but also possesses an antimuscarinic effect. It is used in Dramamine to prevent nausea and emesis; however, the development of the chemical meclizine has overtaken its usage (marketed as "Dramamine II") due to the fact that meclizine doesn't produce as much drowsiness. In pharmacology and toxicology, a route of administration is the path by which a drug, fluid, poison or other substance is brought into contact with the body 1. ... Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are medicines that may be sold without a prescription and without a visit to a medical professional, in contrast to prescription drugs. ... Diphenhydramine hydrochloride (trade name Benadryl, as produced by J&J, or Dimedrol outside the U.S.) is an over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamine and sedative. ... Dissociation in chemistry and biochemistry is a general process in which complexes, molecules, or salts separate or split into smaller molecules, ions, or radicals, usually in a reversible manner. ... A counterion is the ion that accompanies an ionic species in order to maintain electric neutrality. ... For other uses, see Salt (disambiguation). ... Chlorination is the process of adding the element chlorine to water to make it fit for human consumption (potable) or to water intended for swimming or bathing in order to keep it from spreading disease. ... Theophylline is a methylxanthine drug used in therapy for respiratory diseases such as COPD or asthma under a variety of brand names. ... Caffeine is a xanthine alkaloid compound that acts as a stimulant in humans. ... Theobromine, also known as xantheose,[1] is a bitter alkaloid of the cacao plant. ... A diagram showing the CNS: 1. ... A stimulant is a drug which increases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and produces a sense of euphoria or awakeness. ... An antiemetic is a drug that is effective against vomiting and nausea. ... Ethanolamine, also called 2-aminoethanol or monoethanolamine (often abbreviated as MEA), is an organic chemical compound which is both a primary amine (due to an amino group in its molecule) and a primary alcohol (due to a hydroxyl group). ... An antihistamine is a drug which serves to reduce or eliminate effects mediated by histamine, an endogenous chemical mediator released during allergic reactions, through action at the histamine receptor. ... An anticholinergic agent is a member of a class of pharmaceutical compounds which serve to reduce the effects mediated by acetylcholine in the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. ... For the Beck song, see Nausea (song). ... Vomiting (or emesis) is the forceful expulsion of the contents of ones stomach through the mouth. ... Meclizine is an antihistamine, considered to be an antiemetic. ... Meclizine is an antihistamine, considered to be an antiemetic. ...

Recreational use

A person wishing to seek recreational drug use from dimenhydrinate takes several times the recommend dosage to achieve an intense, long-lasting state of anti-cholinergic delirium which results in physical and mental effects producing hallucinations. The dosage to experience these effects varies but is generally from 300mg to 800mg. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... An anticholinergic agent is a member of a class of pharmaceutical compounds (such as Dicyclomine) which serve to reduce the effects mediated by acetylcholine in the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. ...

Users report in less than fifteen minutes and sometimes upward of an hour, a hallucinogenic effect and a confusing high. The mental effects are often described as "dreaming while awake" involving visual and auditory hallucinations unlike those experienced with recreational drugs known as psychedelics, that often cannot be readily distinguished from reality. This includes open eye visual and closed eye visuals, almost all users report wavy lines. People report music being very good sounding like all the imperfections have been taken out, and even hearing words in the song that don't exist. This entry pertains to the word psychedelic, its origin and uses. ...

The physical effects people commonly experience vary, but usually include the sense of their body being unusually 'heavy,' especially in the legs, so much as to the point where they can't even walk, or where they constantly bump into things due to lack of control of their limbs. People commonly think that they are in a completely different environment, and not even realize it, this makes the drug especially dangerous. Reaction times are extremely slowed down with dimenhydrinate, making interaction very confusing and frustrating with other people. In some cases, thoughts pass in under a minute, which makes focusing very difficult if not impossible. Hearing is affected, mainly due to the fact that users have to "concentrate" to hear sounds.

Users report unpleasant side effects, a profile consistent with tropane glycoalkaloidal poisoning. This includes dry mouth and eyes, rapid heart beat (tachycardia), somnolence, and extreme malaise. Though in some cases insomnia is reported, often extreme drowsiness occurs. Spasms, twitches and extreme anxiety and amnesia can plague users, often causes extreme frustration. Amnesia subsides as the physical effects wear off. This is due to antagonism of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in both the central and autonomic nervous system, inhibiting various signal transduction pathways. Chemical structure of tropane Tropane (C8H15N, 8-methyl-8-aza-bicyclo[3. ... Chemical structure of ephedrine, a phenethylamine alkaloid An alkaloid is, strictly speaking, a naturally occurring amine produced by a plant,[1] but amines produced by animals and fungi are also called alkaloids. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Somnolence (or drowsiness) is a state of near-sleep, a strong desire for sleep, or sleeping for unusually long periods. ... Malaise is a feeling of general discomfort or uneasiness, an out of sorts feeling, often the first indication of an infection or other disease. ... This article is about the sleeping disorder. ... Antagonists In medicine and biology, a receptor antagonist is a ligand that inhibits the function of an agonist and inverse agonist for a specific receptor. ... Muscarinic receptors are those membrane bound acetylcholine receptors that are more sensitive to muscarine than to nicotine. ... An acetylcholine receptor (abbreviated AChR) is an integral membrane protein that responds to the binding of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. ... A diagram showing the CNS: 1. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Overview of signal transduction pathways In biology, signal transduction refers to any process by which a cell converts one kind of signal or stimulus into another, most often involving ordered sequences of biochemical reactions inside the cell, that are carried out by enzymes and linked through second messengers resulting in...

In the CNS, diphenhydramine readily crosses the blood-brain barrier, exerting effects within the visual and auditory cortex, accounting for reported visual and auditory disturbances. Other CNS effects occur within the limbic system and hippocampus, causing confusion and temporary amnesia. Toxicology also manifests in the autonomic nervous system, primarily at the neuromuscular junction, resulting in ataxia and extrapyramidal side-effects, and at sympathetic post-ganglionic junctions, causing urinary retention, pupil dilation, tachycardia, and dry skin & mucous membranes. Considerable over dosage can lead to myocardial infarction, serious ventricular dysrhythmias, coma and death. Such a side-effect profile is thought to give ethanolamine-class antihistamines a relatively low abuse liability. A diagram showing the CNS: 1. ... Freeze-fracture morphology of the blood-brain barrier of a rat The blood-brain barrier (abbreviated BBB) is a membranic structure that acts primarily to protect the brain from chemicals in the blood, while still allowing essential metabolic function. ... Brodmann area 17 (primary visual cortex) is shown in red in this image which also shows area 18 (orange) and 19 (yellow) The visual cortex refers to the primary visual cortex (also known as striate cortex or V1) and extrastriate visual cortical areas such as V2, V3, V4, and V5. ... The primary auditory cortex is the region of the brain that is responsible for processing of auditory (sound) information. ... The limbic system (Latin limbus: border or edge) includes the structures in the human brain involved in emotion, motivation, and emotional association with memory. ... The hippocampus is structurally located inside the medial temporal lobe of the brain. ... Look up Confusion in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Confusion can have the following meanings: Unclarity or puzzlement, e. ... Amnesia or amnæsia (from Greek ) (see spelling differences) is a condition in which memory is disturbed. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... A neuromuscular junction is the junction of the axon terminal of a motoneuron with the motor end plate, the highly-excitable region of muscle fiber plasma membrane responsible for initiation of action potentials across the muscles surface. ... For other uses, see Ataxia (disambiguation). ... In human anatomy, the extrapyramidal system is a neural network located in the brain that is part of the motor system involved in the coordination of movement. ... Grays FIG. 838– The right sympathetic chain and its connections with the thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic plexuses. ... This is a dorsal root ganglion (DRG) from a chicken embryo (around stage of day 7) after incubation overnight in NGF growth medium stained with anti-neurofilament antibody. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The mucous membranes (or mucosa) are linings of ectodermic origin, covered in epithelium, that line various body cavities and internal organs. ... Acute myocardial infarction (AMI or MI), more commonly known as a heart attack, is a disease state that occurs when the blood supply to a part of the heart is interrupted. ... Cardiac arrhythmia is a group of conditions in which the electrical activity of the heart is irregular or is faster or slower than normal. ... In medicine, a coma (from the Greek koma, meaning deep sleep) is a profound state of unconsciousness. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Ethanolamine, also called 2-aminoethanol or monoethanolamine (often abbreviated as MEA), is an organic chemical compound which is both a primary amine (due to an amino group in its molecule) and a primary alcohol (due to a hydroxyl group). ...

Depending on the dosage, the high lasts from 8-12 hours.

Veterinary use

Dimenhydrinate has successfully been used as an antiemetic and sedative in housepets. It is commonly used to reduce the effects of idiopathic vestibular syndrome. The suggested dosage is 50 mg for dogs (2-4 mg per pound) and 10 mg for cats; duration of effect is 8 hours. An antiemetic is a drug that is effective against vomiting and nausea. ...

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