Drug products containing active ingredients offered over-the-counter (OTC) for human use as an anticholinergic in cough-cold drug products.
21 C.F.R. § 310.533
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01(a) Atropine sulfate, belladonna alkaloids, and belladonna alkaloids as contained in Atropa belladonna and Datura stramonium have been present as ingredients in cough-cold drug products for use as an anticholinergic. Anticholinergic drugs have been marketed OTC in cough-cold drug products to relieve excessive secretions of the nose and eyes, symptoms that are commonly associated with hay fever, allergy, rhinitis, and the common cold. Atropine sulfate for oral use as an anticholinergic is probably safe at dosages that have been used in marketed cough-cold products (0.2 to 0.3 milligram); however, there are inadequate data to establish general recognition of the effectiveness of this ingredient. The belladonna alkaloids, which contain atropine (d, dl hyoscyamine) and scopolamine (l- hyoscine), are probably safe for oral use at dosages that have been used in marketed cough-cold products (0.2 milligram) but there are inadequate data to establish general recognition of the effectiveness of these ingredients as an anticholinergic for cough-cold use. Belladonna alkaloids for inhalation use, as contained in Atropa belladonna and Datura stramonium, are neither safe nor effective as an OTC anticholinergic. There are inadequate safety and effectiveness data to establish general recognition of the safety and/or effectiveness or any of these ingredients, or any other ingredient, for OTC use as an anticholinergic in cough-cold drug products.
(b) Any OTC cough-cold drug product that is labeled, represented, or promoted for use as an anticholinergic is regarded as a new drug within the meaning of section 201(p) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, for which an approved new drug application under section 505 of the act and part 314 of this chapter is required for marketing. In the absence of an approved new drug application, such product is also misbranded under section 502 of the act.
(c) Clinical investigations designed to obtain evidence that any cough-cold drug product labeled, represented, or promoted for OTC use as an anticholinergic is safe and effective for the purpose intended must comply with the requirements and procedures governing the use of investigational new drugs set forth in part 312 of this chapter.
(d) After the effective date of the final regulation, any such OTC cough-cold drug product that is labeled, represented, or promoted for use as an anticholinergic may not be initially introduced or initially delivered for introduction into interstate commerce unless it is the subject of an approved new drug application.
Source: eCFRURL: https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2024-07-01/title-21.xmlFetched: 7/26/2026