ACTIFED W/ CODEINE vs ACULAR

Independent side-by-side comparison.

Rated against independent regulatory sources·Last updated August 23, 2026·How we rate

Possible drug interaction. ACTIFED W/ CODEINE and ACULAR are different prescription medicines. Combining or switching between them can cause interactions — talk to a pharmacist or prescriber before making changes. This page is not medical advice.

Attribute	ACTIFED W/ CODEINE	ACULAR
Rating	70/100	72/100
Pharmacy pays	~$20.54 /30	—
Type	RX	RX
Active ingredient	CODEINE PHOSPHATE AND PSEUDOEPHEDRINE HYDROCHLORIDE AND TRIPROLIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE	KETOROLAC TROMETHAMINE
Manufacturer	Glaxosmithkline	Abbvie
Dosage forms	Syrup	Drops
Drug class	—	Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug
Boxed warning	None	None
Half-life	roughly 3 to 16 hours — the label does not give one number, because the elimination half-life depends on urine pH: about 3 to 6 hours when urine pH is 5 (acidic), and about 9 to 16 hours when urine pH is 8 (alkaline)	about 5 to 6 hours
Treats	—	Allergic Conjunctivitis, Inflammation, Pain

actifed w/ codeine acular

Rating

70/100

72/100

Pharmacy pays

~$20.54 /30

—

Type

Active ingredient

CODEINE PHOSPHATE AND PSEUDOEPHEDRINE HYDROCHLORIDE AND TRIPROLIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE

KETOROLAC TROMETHAMINE

Manufacturer

Glaxosmithkline

Abbvie

Dosage forms

Syrup

Drops

Drug class

—

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug

Boxed warning

None

Half-life

roughly 3 to 16 hours — the label does not give one number, because the elimination half-life depends on urine pH: about 3 to 6 hours when urine pH is 5 (acidic), and about 9 to 16 hours when urine pH is 8 (alkaline)

about 5 to 6 hours

Treats

—

Allergic Conjunctivitis, Inflammation, Pain

Frequently asked questions

Which is better-rated, Actifed W/ Codeine or Acular?

By our independent rating, Acular scores higher — 3.6 vs 3.5 out of 5 for Actifed W/ Codeine. Ratings are based on FDA regulatory (recall-safety) data.

What is the difference between Actifed W/ Codeine and Acular?

Actifed W/ Codeine contains Codeine Phosphate and Pseudoephedrine Hydrochloride and Triprolidine Hydrochloride, while Acular contains Ketorolac Tromethamine — they have different active ingredients.

Ratings are based on FDA regulatory (recall-safety) data. This comparison is for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional before choosing or switching a medication.