Question

The antidiarrheal drug Lomotil contains both diphenoxylate, a synthetic opiate agonist, and atropine, an anticholinergic. The purpose of the atropine in this combination is to

a. enhance the effects of the diphenoxylate.
b. discourage recreational use of the opiate diphenoxylate.
c. counteract the adverse effects of the diphenoxylate.
d. act as an adsorbent for bacteria in the bowel.

Answer 1

The atropine in Lomotil is used to discourage recreational use of diphenoxylate by producing unpleasant side effects at higher doses.

Step-by-step explanation:

The purpose of the atropine in the combination drug Lomotil, which includes both diphenoxylate, a synthetic opiate agonist, and atropine, an anticholinergic, is to discourage recreational use of the opiate diphenoxylate. Atropine in small therapeutic doses may produce minimal effects, but when taken in excess, it can cause unpleasant side effects such as dry mouth, blurred vision, and tachycardia, which are intended to deter misuse of diphenoxylate for its euphoric effects. Atropine is an anticholinergic drug that works by blocking muscarinic receptors, which are part of the parasympathetic nervous system. Its presence in Lomotil is not primarily for enhancing the antidiarrheal effects or for adsorption of bacteria, nor is it directly meant to counteract the adverse effects of diphenoxylate.