ANTIPYRINE

analgesic now little used, though it is the oldest of the synthetic drugs that relieve pain and reduce fever. It also has a mild anesthetic effect. Antipyrine was introduced in 1887. Antipyrine is longer acting than aspirin (a single dose can give relief from pain for 24 hours), and in most people it has very few side effects. But a small minority of persons are highly allergic to antipyrine, and in them the drug can cause severe skin eruptions, giddiness, tremor, vascular collapse, and even coma and death. In combination with benzocaine, antipyrine is still sometimes used as a topical agent to relieve earache. The use of antipyrine has been greatly reduced since its undesirable side effects have been recognized.