Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: DARVOCET versus PERCODAN.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: DARVOCET versus PERCODAN.
DARVOCET vs PERCODAN
Comparing the clinical profiles, pharmacokinetic behaviors, and safety indices of these two therapeutic agents.
Darvocet is a combination of propoxyphene, a mu-opioid receptor agonist that alters perception of and response to pain, and acetaminophen, which inhibits COX enzymes and modulates descending serotonergic pathways.
Oxycodone is a full opioid agonist with relative selectivity for the mu-opioid receptor, although it can bind to other opioid receptors at higher doses. The principal therapeutic action of oxycodone is analgesia. Like all full opioid agonists, there is no ceiling effect for analgesia. Oxycodone acts on the central nervous system (CNS) to produce analgesia. Aspirin inhibits cyclooxygenase, leading to decreased prostaglandin synthesis, which reduces pain and inflammation.
1 tablet (propoxyphene 100 mg / acetaminophen 650 mg) orally every 4 hours as needed for pain; maximum 6 tablets per day.
1-2 tablets orally every 4-6 hours as needed for pain. Each tablet contains oxycodone 4.5 mg and aspirin 325 mg.
None Documented
None Documented
Propoxyphene: 6-12 hours (parent), 30-36 hours (norpropoxyphene). Acetaminophen: 1-4 hours (therapeutic doses). Accumulation of norpropoxyphene occurs with repeated dosing.
Oxycodone: 3-5 hours, prolonged in elderly, hepatic/renal impairment. Aspirin: 2-3 hours at low doses; 15-30 hours at anti-inflammatory doses due to saturable metabolism.
Propoxyphene: primarily hepatic metabolism to norpropoxyphene, renal excretion of metabolites (<1% unchanged). Acetaminophen: renal excretion of conjugates (85-90%) and unchanged drug (2-4%).
Oxycodone: primarily renal (65-87% as parent and metabolites, mostly noroxycodone and oxymorphone conjugates); ~10% fecal. Aspirin: renal (75-90% as salicylates and metabolites, dose-dependent).
Category C
Category C
Opioid Analgesic Combination
Opioid Analgesic Combination