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Quick facts
- How it is given
- oral
- Type
- human prescription drug
- RxNorm ID
- 991061
We do not publish dosing. How much of this medicine to take, how often, and for how long depends on your age, weight, kidney and liver function, other conditions and other medicines. That is a decision for the person who prescribes or dispenses it. Follow the directions on your own pack and ask your pharmacist if anything is unclear.
What it is used to treat
Dicyclomine hydrochloride capsules, USP are indicated for the treatment of patients with functional bowel/irritable bowel syndrome. Dicyclomine hydrochloride capsules, USP are an antispasmodic and anticholinergic (antimuscarinic) agent indicated for the treatment of functional bowel/irritable bowel syndrome (1)
About this medicine
Dicyclomine hydrochloride is an antispasmodic and anticholinergic (antimuscarinic) agent available as: Dicyclomine hydrochloride capsules, USP for oral use containing 10 mg dicyclomine hydrochloride, USP. Dicyclomine hydrochloride 10 mg capsules contain the following inactive ingredients: corn starch, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, and microcrystalline cellulose. Capsule shells contain FD&C Blue No.1, FD&C Red No.40, gelatin, purified water, and sodium lauryl sulfate. The white monogramming ink contains: ammonium hydroxide, isopropyl alcohol, n-butyl alcohol, propylene glycol, shellac, simethicone, and titanium dioxide. Dicyclomine hydrochloride is [bicyclohexyl]-1-carboxylic acid, 2-(diethylamino) ethyl ester, hydrochloride, with a molecular formula of C 19 H 35 NO 2 •HCl and the following structural formula: Dicyclomine hydrochloride occurs as a fine, white, crystalline, practically odorless powder with a bitter taste. It is soluble in water, freely soluble in alcohol and chloroform, and very slightly soluble in ether. Dicyclomine hydrochloride structural image
How it works
12.1 Mechanism of Action Dicyclomine relieves smooth muscle spasm of the gastrointestinal tract. Animal studies indicate that this action is achieved via a dual mechanism: a specific anticholinergic effect (antimuscarinic) at the acetylcholine-receptor sites with approximately 1/8 the milligram potency of atropine ( in vitro , guinea pig ileum); and a direct effect upon smooth muscle (musculotropic) as evidenced by dicyclomine’s antagonism of bradykinin- and histamine-induced spasms of the isolated guinea pig ileum. Atropine did not affect responses to these two agonists. In vivo studies in cats and dogs showed dicyclomine to be equally potent against acetylcholine (ACh)- or barium chloride (BaCl 2 )-induced intestinal spasm while atropine was at least 200 times more potent against effects of ACh than BaCl 2 . Tests for mydriatic effects in mice showed that dicyclomine was approximately 1/500 as potent as atropine; antisialagogue tests in rabbits showed dicyclomine to be 1/300 as potent as atropine.
Who should not take it
Dicyclomine hydrochloride is contraindicated in infants less than 6 months of age [see Use in Specific P opu l a ti on s (8.4 ) ], nursing mothers [see Use in Specific Populations (8.3) ] and in patients with: unstable cardiovascular status in acute hemorrhage myasthenia gravis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] glaucoma [see Adverse Reactions (6.3) and Drug Interactions (7.1) ] obstructive uropathy [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8) ] obstructive disease of the gastrointestinal tract [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] severe ulcerative colitis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7) ] reflux esophagitis Infants less than 6 months of age (4) Nursing mothers (4) Unstable cardiovascular status in acute hemorrhage (4) Myasthenia gravis (4) Glaucoma (4) Obstructive uropathy (4) Obstructive disease of the gastrointestinal tract (4) Severe ulcerative colitis (4) Reflux esophagitis (4)
Warnings and cautions
Cardiovascular conditions : worsening of conditions (5.2) Peripheral and central nervous system : heat prostration can occur with drug use (fever and heat stroke due to decreased sweating); drug should be discontinued and supportive measures instituted (5.3) Psychosis and delirium have been reported in patients sensitive to anticholinergic drugs (such as elderly patients and/or in patients with mental illness): signs and symptoms resolve within 12 to 24 hours after discontinuation of dicyclomine hydrochloride (5.3) Myasthenia Gravis : overdose may lead to muscular weakness and paralysis. Dicyclomine hydrochloride should be given to patients with myasthenia gravis only to reduce adverse muscarinic effects of an anticholinesterase (5.4) Incomplete intestinal obstruction : diarrhea may be an early symptom especially in patients with ileostomy or colostomy. Treatment with dicyclomine hydrochloride would be inappropriate and possibly fatal (5.5) Salmonella dysenteric patients : due to risk of toxic megacolon (5.6) Ulcerative colitis : dicyclomine hydrochloride should be used with caution in these patients; large doses may suppress intestinal motility or aggravate the serious complications of toxic megacolon (5.7) Prostatic hypertrophy : dicyclomine hydrochloride should be used with caution in these patients; may lead to urinary retention (5.8) Hepatic and renal disease : should be used with caution (5.9) Geriatric : use with caution in elderly who may be more susceptible to dicyclomine hydrochloride’s adverse events (5.10) 5.2 Cardiovascular Conditions Dicyclomine hydrochloride needs to be used with caution in conditions characterized by tachyarrhythmia such as thyrotoxicosis, congestive heart failure and in cardiac surgery, where they may further accelerate the heart rate. Investigate any tachycardia before administration of dicyclomine hydrochloride. Care is required in patients with coronary heart disease, as ischemia and infarction may be worsened, and in patients with hypertension [see Adverse Reactions (6.3) ] . […]
Reported side effects
The pattern of adverse effects seen with dicyclomine is mostly related to its pharmacological actions at muscarinic receptors [see Clinical Pharmacology (12) ] . They are a consequence of the inhibitory effect on muscarinic receptors within the autonomic nervous system. These effects are dose-related and are usually reversible when treatment is discontinued. The most serious adverse reactions reported with dicyclomine hydrochloride include cardiovascular and central nervous system symptoms [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2, 5.3) ]. The most serious adverse reactions include cardiovascular and central nervous system symptoms. The most common adverse reactions (> 5% of patients) are dizziness, dry mouth, vision blurred, nausea, somnolence, asthenia and nervousness (6) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. at 1-800-962-8364 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.com 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. The data described below reflect exposure in controlled clinical trials involving over 100 patients treated for functional bowel/irritable bowel syndrome with dicyclomine hydrochloride at initial doses of 160 mg daily (40 mg four times a day). In these trials most of the side effects were typically anticholinergic in nature and were reported by 61% of the patients. Table 1 presents adverse reactions ( MedDRA 13.0 preferred terms) by decreasing order of frequency in a side-by-side comparison with placebo. Table 1: Adverse reactions experienced in controlled clinical trials with decreasing order of frequency MedDRA Preferred Term Dicyclomine Hydrochloride(40 mg four times a day) % Placebo % Dry Mouth 33 5 Dizziness 40 5 Vision blurred 27 2 Nausea 14 6 Somnolence 9 1 Asthenia 7 1 Nervousness 6 2 Nine percent (9%) of patients were discontinued from dicyclomine hydrochloride because of one or more of these side effects (compared with 2% in the placebo group). […]
Interactions with other medicines
Antiglaucoma agents : anticholinergics antagonize antiglaucoma agents and may increase intraoccular pressure (7) Anticholinergic agents : may affect the gastrointestinal absorption of various drugs; may also increase certain actions or side effects of other anticholinergic drugs (7) Antacids : interfere with the absorption of anticholinergic agents (7) 7.1 Antiglaucoma Agents Anticholinergics antagonize the effects of antiglaucoma agents. Anticholinergic drugs in the presence of increased intraocular pressure may be hazardous when taken concurrently with agents such as corticosteroids. Use of dicyclomine hydrochloride in patients with glaucoma is not recommended [see Contraindications (4) ]. 7.2 Other Drugs with Anticholinergic Activity The following agents may increase certain actions or side effects of anticholinergic drugs including dicyclomine hydrochloride: amantadine, antiarrhythmic agents of Class I (e.g., quinidine), antihistamines, antipsychotic agents (e.g., phenothiazines), benzodiazepines, MAO inhibitors, narcotic analgesics (e.g., meperidine), nitrates and nitrites, sympathomimetic agents, tricyclic antidepressants, and other drugs having anticholinergic activity. 7.3 Other Gastrointestinal Motility Drugs Interaction with other gastrointestinal motility drugs may antagonize the effects of drugs that alter gastrointestinal motility, such as metoclopramide. 7.4 Effect of Antacids Because antacids may interfere with the absorption of anticholinergic agents including dicyclomine hydrochloride, simultaneous use of these drugs should be avoided. 7.5 Effect on Absorption of Other Drugs Anticholinergic agents may affect gastrointestinal absorption of various drugs by affecting on gastrointestinal motility, such as slowly dissolving dosage forms of digoxin; increased serum digoxin concentration may result. 7.6 Effect on Gastric Acid Secretion The inhibiting effects of anticholinergic drugs on gastric hydrochloric acid secretion are antagonized by agents used to treat achlorhydria and those used to test gastric secretion.
Use in specific groups
Pregnancy: use only if clearly needed (8.1) Pediatric Use: Safety and effectiveness not established (8.4) Hepatic and renal impairment: caution must be taken with patients with significantly impaired hepatic and renal function (8.6) 8.1 Pregnancy Pregnancy Category B Adequate and well-controlled studies have not been conducted with dicyclomine hydrochloride in pregnant women at the recommended doses of 80 to 160 mg/day. However, epidemiologic studies did not show an increased risk of structural malformations among babies born to women who took products containing dicyclomine hydrochloride at doses up to 40 mg/day during the first trimester of pregnancy. Reproduction studies have been performed in rats and rabbits at doses up to 33 times the maximum recommended human dose based on 160 mg/day (3 mg/kg) and have revealed no evidence of harm to the fetus due to dicyclomine. Because animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response, this drug should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed. 8.3 Nursing Mothers Dicyclomine hydrochloride is contraindicated in women who are breastfeeding. Dicyclomine hydrochloride is excreted in human milk. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in breast-fed infants from dicyclomine hydrochloride, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother [see Use in Specific Populations (8.4) ] . 8.4 Pediatric Use Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established. Dicyclomine hydrochloride is contraindicated in infants less than 6 months of age [see Contraindications (4) ] . There are published cases reporting that the administration of dicyclomine hydrochloride to infants has been followed by serious respiratory symptoms (dyspnea, shortness of breath, breathlessness, respiratory collapse, apnea and asphyxia), seizures, syncope, pulse rate fluctuations, muscular hypotonia, and coma, and death, however; no causal relationship has been established. […]
If too much is taken
In case of an overdose, patients should contact a physician, poison control center (1-800-222-1222), or emergency room. The signs and symptoms of overdosage include: headache; nausea; vomiting; blurred vision; dilated pupils; hot, dry skin; dizziness; dryness of the mouth; difficulty in swallowing; and CNS stimulation including convulsion. A curare-like action may occur (i.e., neuromuscular blockade leading to muscular weakness and possible paralysis). One reported event included a 37-year-old who reported numbness on the left side, cold fingertips, blurred vision, abdominal and flank pain, decreased appetite, dry mouth, and nervousness following ingestion of 320 mg daily (four 20 mg tablets four times daily). These events resolved after discontinuing the dicyclomine. The acute oral LD 50 of the drug is 625 mg/kg in mice. The amount of drug in a single dose that is ordinarily associated with symptoms of overdosage or that is likely to be life- threatening, has not been defined. The maximum human oral dose recorded was 600 mg by mouth in a 10-month-old child and approximately 1500 mg in an adult, each of whom survived. In three of the infants who died following administration of dicyclomine hydrochloride [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] , the blood concentrations of drug were 200, 220, and 505 ng/mL. It is not known if dicyclomine hydrochloride is dialyzable. Treatment should consist of gastric lavage, emetics, and activated charcoal. Sedatives (e.g., short-acting barbiturates, benzodiazepines) may be used for management of overt signs of excitement. If indicated, an appropriate parenteral cholinergic agent may be used as an antidote.
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This page is built from the openFDA record of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approved labelling for this product, effective 24 July 2023. Label text has been shortened and reformatted for readability; safety wording has not been altered in meaning. FDA labelling describes products approved in the United States — brand names, strengths, formulations and approved uses may differ in your country. Always read the leaflet that comes with your own pack. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the FDA. Retrieved 2026-07-30.