Compound analgesic

A compound analgesic is an analgesic with more than one active ingredient. This includes many of the stronger prescription analgesics.

Common active ingredients used in compound analgesics include:

• aspirin
• paracetemol (acetaminophen)
• codeine or oxycodone
• phenacetin

Once readily available over the counter and in supermarkets, compound analgesics became associated with substance abuse and are now more restricted in many countries. As a result, some once famous brands such as APC and Bex have either disappeared, or have become brands of simple analgesics.

Anacin formerly contained aspirin, phenacetin and caffeine but the phenacetin has been removed.

External links

• APC definition and brief history.
• Bex packaging history at the Powerhouse Museum website.