Drug Facts for Africans: Codeine
By: Grace Chukwuekwu. B.MLS. Health Writer. Reviewed by Chinedu Akpa. B. Pharm.
Image showing brown cough syrup pouring out of a brown bottle into a teaspoon. Image credit: Freepik. Click on image to enlarge.
Drug name: Codeine
Drug class: Opiate (narcotic) analgesics
Brand Names (commonly found across the African continent): Benylin, Biolin, Adcodol, and Lenadol.
Dosage forms:
Codeine is on the list of essential medicines by the World Health Organization (WHO) for adults, but not for children. It is a commonly used medication worldwide and many users assume it is not harmful. This is not true..
This report aims to educate Africans about codeine as follows:
Codeine is a medication that relieves pain and can also relieve cough. It is usually used for short-term pain and discomfort.
It belongs to a group of drugs called opioids, similar to morphine, and comes from the opium poppy plant. Codeine is available as a prescription and over-the-counter medication.
Codeine is mainly prescribed to relieve mild to moderate pain. In some cases, doctors may also use it off-label to help calm a stubborn cough or slow down diarrhea, but these are not its primary approved uses.
Codeine works by altering how your brain and body feel pain and discomfort. After it is taken, the liver converts part of it into morphine, which is the active substance that brings pain relief [1]. Then, inside the brain and spinal cord, codeine attaches to special pain receptors. This blocks pain signals, so pain feels less intense. It also increases the release of dopamine, a chemical that creates a sense of ease and comfort, which is why some people feel relaxed or sleepy after taking it [1].
In the same way, it affects the part of the brain that controls coughing, helping to reduce the urge to cough. This is why codeine is used for cough suppression [1].
Always follow your doctor’s instructions. The usual dose is 15mg to 60mg per dose [1, 2]
Codeine can cause constipation, so eating fiber-rich foods or using a laxative may be recommended.
Just skip it and take the next dose at your normal time. Do not take two doses at once to make up for the missed one [2].
Common side effects include:
You’re more likely to feel side effects if:
Some of the adverse effects of codeine can be serious, especially if used for a long time. They include:
Codeine can cause dependence and addiction, even at low doses or when taking it exactly as prescribed. It is meant for short-term use, usually not longer than one week. Doctors would monitor use to help prevent misuse and harm
Cough and cold medicines with codeine should not be used by anyone under 18 years without doctor's order.
Using codeine during pregnancy can harm the unborn baby, including:
Codeine can make one sleepy, dizzy, and slow reaction time, which can make driving or using heavy machines dangerous and if dose was recently started or changed, accident risk is higher.
If you have kidney or liver problems, codeine may not be safe for you.
Using more than one drug at the same time, called polysubstance use, can be risky, especially when the drugs affect the brain or breathing. While some combinations can be safe or even helpful when prescribed by a doctor, mixing certain substances on your own can be dangerous. It is especially unsafe to combine codeine with:
These combinations can slow breathing, increase drowsiness, raise the risk of overdose and can even be life-threatening.
If you’ve been using codeine for a while and want to stop, talk to your doctor first. They can slowly reduce the dose to prevent withdrawal symptoms such as feeling restless, anxious and excess sweating [2].
Overdose risk is higher if mixed with:
What to do when a codeine overdose happens
If you suspect someone has overdosed on codeine;
An opioid overdose can cause breathing to stop and may lead to coma, brain damage, or death if not treated quickly [1, 3].
Codeine is a medicine used to treat pain and cough, and it comes as tablets, capsules, liquids, syrups, and sometimes injections. Many people see it as harmless because it comes from the pharmacy, but it is actually a strong opioid that can be addictive if misused. It works by calming the brain and blocking pain signals, which can make people feel relaxed or sleepy. While it can help when used correctly, it can also cause side effects like dizziness, constipation, slow breathing, and dependence. It should only be used for a short time, avoided in children under 18 and during pregnancy, and never mixed with alcohol or sedatives, because this can be life-threatening.
Proper use, safe storage, and medical guidance are essential to reduce harm.
1. Peechakara BV, Tharp JG, Eriator II, et al. Codeine. [Updated 2024 Feb 28]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from here.
2. National Health Service. How and when to take codeine. [Internet]. NHS, Last reviewed 2022 January 31. [Cited December 12. 2025]. Available from here.
3. American Addiction Centers. Codeine Addiction: Side Effects, Signs of Misuse, and Treatment, [Internet]. Updated 2024 July 31. [Cited December 12, 2025]. Available from here.
Related:
Drug Facts for Africans: Tramadol
Managing chronic pain with opioids raises your addiction risk, study says
Published: December 12, 2025
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