Phenylephrine: uses, dosing, side effects & brands

Phenylephrine is an alpha-1 adrenergic agonist sold in the U.S. under 4 brand and generic names, for fissure in ano, open-angle glaucoma and hemorrhoids. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.

By the pharmaranks editorial teamReviewed against the FDA (openFDA label, NDC Directory & Enforcement) sourcesUpdated Jul 24, 2026How we research

Key facts

Drug class: Alpha-1 Adrenergic Agonist
Treats (across its forms): Fissure in Ano, Open-Angle Glaucoma and Hemorrhoids
Available as: Injectable · Liposomal · Solution · Drops · Tablet
Sold as: 4 products — Immphentiv, Biorphen and Phenylephrine Hydrochloride, and others
Prescription?: Prescription only
Generic available?: Yes
What the pharmacy pays: about $9 per ml — not your price

How Immphentiv is dosed

From the FDA label for Immphentiv (application NDA203826). Other phenylephrine products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.

General Administration Instructions Phenylephrine hydrochloride must be diluted before administration as bolus intravenous infusion or continuous intravenous infusion. Inspect the solution for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration. The diluted solution should not be held for more than 4 hours at room temperature or for more than 24 hours under refrigerated conditions. Discard any unused portion. During phenylephrine hydrochloride administration: Correct intravascular volume depletion. Correct acidosis. Acidosis may reduce the effectiveness of phenylephrine. 2.2 Preparing a 100 mcg/mL Solution of Bolus Intravenous Administration For bolus intravenous administration, withdraw 10 mg (1 mL of a 10 mg/mL concentration) of phenylephrine injection and dilute with 99 mL of 5% Dextrose Injection, USP or 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection, USP. This will yield a final concentration of 100 mcg/mL. Withdraw an appropriate dose from the 100 mcg/mL solution prior to bolus intravenous administration. 2.3 Preparing a Solution for Continuous Intravenous Infusion For continuous intravenous infusion, withdraw 10 mg (1 mL of 10 mg/mL concentration) of phenylephrine hydrochloride injection and add to 500 mL of 5% Dextrose Injection, USP or 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection, USP (providing a final concentration of 20 mcg/mL). 2.4 Dosing for Perioperative Setting In adult patients…

Everything below is the FDA label for Immphentiv (injectable, liposomal). Phenylephrine is also sold as solution, drops and tablet, and those are different medicines to take — follow the label for the one you were prescribed.

Immphentiv side effects

The following adverse reactions associated with the use of phenylephrine hydrochloride were identified in the literature. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to estimate their frequency reliably or to establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Cardiac disorders: Bradycardia, AV block, ventricular extrasystoles, myocardial ischemia Gastrointestinal disorders: Nausea, vomiting General disorders and administrative site conditions: Chest pain, extravasation Immune system disorders: Sulfite sensitivity Nervous system disorders: Headache, nervousness, paresthesia, tremor Psychiatric disorders: Excitability Respiratory: Pulmonary edema, rales Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders: Diaphoresis, pallor, piloerection, skin blanching, skin necrosis with extravasation Vascular disorders: Hypertensive crisis

Who shouldn’t take Immphentiv

The use of phenylephrine hydrochloride is contraindicated in patients with: Hypersensitivity to it or any of its components

Immphentiv drug interactions

7.1 Agonists The pressor effect of phenylephrine hydrochloride is increased in patients receiving: Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI), such as selegiline. β-adrenergic blockers α-2 adrenergic agonists, such as clonidine Steroids Tricyclic antidepressants Norepinephrine transport inhibitors, such as atomoxetine Ergot alkaloids, such as methylergonovine maleate Centrally-acting sympatholytic agents, such as guanfacine or reserpine Atropine sulfate 7.2 Antagonists α-adrenergic blocking agents, including phenothiazines (e.g., chlorpromazine) and amiodarone block phenylephrine and are in turn blocked by phenylephrine.

Can you take phenylephrine with…?

Source-cited answers for the combinations people actually ask about — each with a verdict and what to watch for.

Can you take Claritin-D and DayQuil together? →Check any combination →

Every phenylephrine product we track (4)

Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.

Phenylephrine products
#	Drug	Rating	Type	Form	Generic?	Pharmacy pays
1	Immphentiv	72/100	Prescription	Injectable	Generic	$9	View →
2	Biorphen	Not yet rated	Prescription	Injectable	Generic	$9	View →
3	Phenylephrine Hydrochloride	Not yet rated	Prescription	Solution	Generic	$9	View →
4	Vazculep	Not yet rated	Prescription	Solution	Generic	$9	View →

What phenylephrine pills look like

Imprint codes, colour and shape from the FDA’s labelling data. Match the imprint on your pill — or search any imprint.

Phenylephrine pill imprints
Imprint	Strength	Colour	Shape	Maker
PC9	325 mg / 10 mg / 5 mg	orange	capsule	—
PC9	325 mg / 10 mg / 5 mg	orange	capsule	—
S719	5 mg / 200 mg / 325 mg / 10 mg	red	capsule	—
70	5 mg / 325 mg / 10 mg	orange	oval	—
314;116	10 mg / 325 mg / 6.25 mg / 5 mg	green, blue	oval	—
G02	5 mg / 325 mg / 10 mg	blue	oval	—
G01	6.25 mg / 10 mg / 325 mg / 5 mg	green	oval	—
AZ;261	500 mg / 5 mg	white	round	—
RC;CPE	650 mg / 25 mg / 10 mg	white	oval	—
RC;CPE	650 mg / 25 mg / 10 mg	white	oval	—
ANTIDESFLU	325 mg / 10 mg / 4 mg	gray	capsule	—
PC9	325 mg / 10 mg / 5 mg	orange	capsule	—

Combination products containing phenylephrine

A combination is a different drug — different dosing, different warnings. It is listed here so you can find it, not so you can substitute it.

Phenylephrine recalls

From the FDA Enforcement database. A recall covers specific lots — not the drug as a whole.

Giving phenylephrine to a child

Children’s phenylephrine is sold at 27 different strengths, and each has its own dosing chart on its label — a chart is only correct for the bottle it was printed on. We hold the chart from 39 labelled products.

Children’s phenylephrine dosage charts, by strength

Phenylephrine and breastfeeding

From LactMed, the US National Library of Medicine’s Drugs and Lactation Database — quoted, not rewritten.

The oral bioavailability of phenylephrine is negligible, so the drug is unlikely to reach the infant. However, intravenous or oral administration of phenylephrine might decrease milk production. An alternate drug may be preferred, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant.

Full LactMed record for phenylephrine: levels in milk, effects in breastfed infants, and the drugs it would consider instead

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, record revised April 15, 2026. LactMed states its information is not a substitute for professional judgement.

What people report to the FDA about phenylephrine

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 4,361 reports naming phenylephrine, and the FDA flagged 91% 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:

pemphigus1,032 reports
joint swelling998 reports
rheumatoid arthritis963 reports
systemic lupus erythematosus950 reports
pericarditis932 reports
glossodynia931 reports
infusion related reaction925 reports
wound914 reports

Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean phenylephrine 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 27, 2026.

Related calculators

How long it stays in your system →

Frequently asked questions

What is Immphentiv?

Immphentiv (Phenylephrine Hydrochloride) is an alpha-1 adrenergic agonist used to treat Fissure in Ano, Open-Angle Glaucoma, Hemorrhoids, Hypotension.

What kind of drug is phenylephrine?

The FDA classifies phenylephrine as an alpha-1 adrenergic agonist. 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 phenylephrine 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 phenylephrine 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 phenylephrine sold under?

We track 4 phenylephrine-containing products in the U.S.: Immphentiv, Biorphen, Phenylephrine Hydrochloride and Vazculep. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.

What forms does phenylephrine come in?

Across the brands we track, phenylephrine is currently marketed as injectable, liposomal, solution, drops and tablet, 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 phenylephrine?

Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic phenylephrine 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.

Has phenylephrine been recalled?

The FDA's Enforcement database lists at least 5 recall records whose product description mentions phenylephrine. The most recent: Phenylephrine Hydrochloride Injectable Solution (Apr 1, 2026). A recall applies to specific lots, not to the drug as a whole — check the record for the affected lot numbers.

What should I avoid while taking phenylephrine?

Other medicines: we hold source-cited interaction answers for Can you take Claritin-D and DayQuil together?. This is what the FDA label and our cited sources say — it is not a complete list. Your pharmacist can check your own combination.

Cite this page

APA: pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Phenylephrine: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/phenylephrine
MLA: “Phenylephrine: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/phenylephrine.

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 phenylephrine on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.