Oxymetazoline, sold under the brand name Afrin among others, is a topical decongestant and vasoconstrictor medication. It is available over-the-counter as a nasal spray to treat nasal congestion and nosebleeds, as eye drops to treat eye redness due to minor irritation, and (in the United States) as a prescription topical cream to treat persistent facial redness due to rosacea in adults. Its effects begin within minutes and last for up to six hours. Intranasal use for longer than three to five days may cause congestion to recur or worsen, resulting in physical dependence. Fluticasone propionate (Flonase) and other intranasal glucocorticoids are known to treat oxymetazoline dependence.[1]
Oxymetazoline is a derivative of imidazole.[2] It was developed from xylometazoline at Merck by Wolfgang Fruhstorfer and Helmut Müller-Calgan in 1961.[3] A direct sympathomimetic, oxymetazoline binds to and activates α1 adrenergic receptors and