A Comparative Evaluation of Marketed Analgesic Drugs

Abstract

Abstract In a double-blind crossover study of marketed drugs given by the oral route to relieve pain, aspirin (650 mg) was superior to all agents tested. Mefenamic acid (250 mg), pentazocine (50 mg), acetaminophen (650 mg), phenacetin (650 mg) and codeine (65 mg) also showed a significant advantage over a placebo. Propoxyphene (65 mg), ethoheptazine (75 mg) and promazine (25 mg) gave no significant evidence of therapeutic activity; and each of these agents was significantly inferior to aspirin in analgesic effect. Pentazocine (50 mg) produced sufficient gastrointestinal and Central-nervous-system side effects to make this agent of dubious value for ambulatory patients. All other drugs tested in this single dose study did not produce significantly greater side effects than a placebo.