Carbinoxamine: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Carbinoxamine is a histamine-1 receptor antagonist sold in the U.S. under 3 brand and generic names, for angioedema, allergic conjunctivitis and perennial allergic rhinitis. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Drug class
- Histamine-1 Receptor Antagonist
- Treats (across its forms)
- Angioedema, Allergic Conjunctivitis and Perennial Allergic Rhinitis
- Available as
- Solution · Tablet · Elixir · Suspension, extended release
- Sold as
- 3 products — Carbinoxamine Maleate, Clistin and Karbinal ER
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
- What the pharmacy pays
- about $0.44 per ml — not your price
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How Karbinal ER is dosed
From the FDA label for Karbinal ER (application NDA022556). Other carbinoxamine products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Adults and Adolescents 12 years of age and older ( 2.2 ): 7.5 mL to 20 mL (6 mg to 16 mg) orally every 12 hours Pediatric patients 2 years to 11 years of age (approximately 0.2 mg/kg/day to 0.4 mg/kg/day) ( 2.3 ): 2 years to 3 years – 3.75 mL to 5 mL (3 mg to 4 mg) orally every 12 hours 4 years to 5 years – 3.75 mL to 10 mL (3 mg to 8 mg) orally every 12 hours 6 years to 11 years – 7.5 mL to 15 mL (6 mg to 12 mg) orally every 12 hours 2.1 General Administration Instructions The dosage of Carbinoxamine Maleate Extended-Release Oral Suspension should be individualized based on the severity of the condition and the response of the patient. Start with lower doses and increase as needed and tolerated. Administer Carbinoxamine Maleate Extended-Release Oral Suspension by the oral route only. Measure Carbinoxamine Maleate Extended-Release Oral Suspension with an accurate milliliter measuring device. A household teaspoon is not an accurate measuring device and could lead to overdosage. A pharmacist can provide an appropriate measuring device and can provide instructions for measuring the correct dose. Shake Carbinoxamine Maleate extended-release oral suspension well before use. 2.2 Recommended Dosage for Adults and Adolescents 12 years of age and older: Administer 7.5 mL to 20 mL (6 mg to 16 mg) orally every 12 hours 2.3 Recommended Dosage for Pediatric Patients 2 years to 11 years of…
Everything below is the FDA label for Karbinal ER (suspension, extended release). Carbinoxamine is also sold as solution, tablet and elixir, and those are different medicines to take — follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Karbinal ER side effects
The following clinically significant adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling: Somnolence and Impaired Mental Alertness [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)] Allergic Reactions due to Sulfites, including Anaphylaxis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)] The most frequent adverse reactions include: sedation, sleepiness, dizziness, disturbed coordination, epigastic distress, and thickening of bronchial secretions. In clinical use, younger children and older adults may be particularly sensitive to adverse reactions [see Pediatric Use (8.4) and Geriatric Use (8.5)]. The following adverse reactions, listed by body system, have been identified in case reports and during the use of carbinoxamine in observational studies. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Body as a Whole : Urticaria, drug rash, anaphylactic shock, photosensitivity, excessive perspiration, chills, dryness of mouth, nose and throat. Cardiovascular : Hypotension, headache, palpitations, tachycardia, extrasystoles. Central Nervous System : Fatigue, confusion, restlessness, excitation, nervousness, tremor, irritability, insomia, euphoria, paresthesia, blurred vision, diplopia, vertigo, tinnitus, acute labyrinthitis, hysteria, neuritis,…
Who shouldn’t take Karbinal ER
Carbinoxamine Maleate Extended-Release Oral Suspension is contraindicated in: children younger than 2 years of age because deaths have been reported in this age group [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)]. patients who are hypersensitive to carbinoxamine maleate or any of the inactive ingredients in Carbinoxamine Maleate Extended-Release Oral Suspension [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4)]. patients who are taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) [see Drug Interactions (7)]. Children younger than 2 years of age (4) Patients with known hypersensitivity to the drug or any of the inactive ingredients (4) Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) (4)
Karbinal ER drug interactions
Do not use Carbinoxamine Maleate extended-release oral suspension in patients who are taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), which prolong and intensify the anticholinergic (drying) effects of antihistamines. Avoid use of Carbinoxamine Maleate extended-release oral suspension with alcohol and other CNS depressants (hypnotics sedatives, tranquilizers, etc.) due to additive effects. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs): Prolong and intensify the anticholinergic (drying) effects. (4 and 7) Alcohol and CNS depressants (hypnotics sedatives, tranquilizers, etc.): Avoid concomitant use due to additive adverse effects. (7)
Every carbinoxamine product we track (3)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Solution | Generic | $0 | View → | |
| 2 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Tablet | Generic | $0 | View → | |
| 3 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Suspension | Generic | $0 | View → |
What carbinoxamine pills look like
Imprint codes, colour and shape from the FDA’s labelling data. Match the imprint on your pill — or search any imprint.
How long carbinoxamine keeps
No carbinoxamine label we read sets a separate limit for after opening, but they do specify how it must be stored — and the stability behind any date assumes those conditions.
Does carbinoxamine expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsCarbinoxamine and breastfeeding
From LactMed, the US National Library of Medicine’s Drugs and Lactation Database — quoted, not rewritten.
Full LactMed record for carbinoxamine: levels in milk, effects in breastfed infants, and the drugs it would consider insteadSmall occasional doses of carbinoxamine are probably acceptable during breastfeeding. Larger doses or more prolonged use may cause drowsiness and other effects in the infant or decrease the milk supply, particularly in combination with a sympathomimetic such as pseudoephedrine or before lactation is well established. The manufacturer recommends avoiding breastfeeding during carbinoxamine use because severe toxicity has occurred in children under 2 years. The nonsedating antihistamines are preferred alternatives.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, record revised September 15, 2025. LactMed states its information is not a substitute for professional judgement.
What people report to the FDA about carbinoxamine
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 202 reports naming carbinoxamine, and the FDA flagged 67% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- electrocardiogram qt prolonged24 reports
- schizoaffective disorder23 reports
- drug toxicity14 reports
- fatigue14 reports
- headache13 reports
- insomnia12 reports
- pyrexia12 reports
- cough11 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean carbinoxamine caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved July 25, 2026.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is Karbinal ER?
Each 5 mL of Carbinoxamine Maleate extended-release oral suspension contains 4 mg carbinoxamine maleate (equivalent to 2.86 mg of carbinoxamine) complex with sodium polystyrene sulfonate. Carbinoxamine Maleate extended-release oral suspension contains the following inactive ingredients: citric acid anhydrous, strawberry-banana flavor, glycerin, high fructose corn syrup, methylparaben, modified food starch, polysorbate 80, polyvinyl acetate, povidone, propylparaben, purified water, sodium metabisulfite, sodium polystyrene sulfonate, sucrose, triacetin, and xanthan gum.
What kind of drug is carbinoxamine?
The FDA classifies carbinoxamine as a histamine-1 receptor antagonist. H1 antihistamines work by blocking histamine, the chemical released during an allergic reaction, from attaching to H1 receptors. This prevents the sneezing, itching, runny nose, watery eyes, and hives that histamine would otherwise trigger. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
Can you take carbinoxamine with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run carbinoxamine against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is carbinoxamine sold under?
We track 3 carbinoxamine-containing products in the U.S.: Carbinoxamine Maleate, Clistin and Karbinal ER. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does carbinoxamine come in?
Across the brands we track, carbinoxamine is currently marketed as solution, tablet, elixir and suspension, extended release, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic carbinoxamine?
Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic carbinoxamine product alongside the brand versions. A generic has the same active ingredient and must meet the FDA's bioequivalence standard; it usually costs less. Ask your pharmacist which one your plan covers.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Carbinoxamine: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/carbinoxamine
- MLA
- “Carbinoxamine: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/carbinoxamine.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for carbinoxamine on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.