hydrochloride)

Centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxant (anticholinergic)

Guidance notes

Orphenadrine is a centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxant with strong anticholinergic and sedating effects — it causes drowsiness, blurred vision, impaired reaction time and occasionally confusion and tremor, all incompatible with flying duties. It is structurally related to the sedating first-generation antihistamine diphenhydramine. Not acceptable for aviation personnel. Treat any muscle-relaxant combination containing orphenadrine (e.g. Norgesic, Norflex) as unacceptable regardless of the other ingredients, and have the underlying musculoskeletal condition assessed by a DAME.

Known SA brand names