Pilocarpine

Information about Pilocarpine

Pilocarpine uses

Pilocarpine is used in the treatment of dry mouth after radiotherapy of head and neck cancer.

How pilocarpine works

Pilocarpine is a cholinergic agonist. It works by stimulating certain nerves and glands in your body thereby increasing the production of saliva, tears, sweat, digestive juices and other secretions.

Common side effects of pilocarpine

Chills, Headache, Dizziness, Blurred vision, Vomiting, Weakness, Nausea, Diarrhea, Stinging in the eyes, Superficial keratitis, Retinal detachment, Burning eyes, Eye itching, Eye redness, Lacrimation (flow of tears), Vasodilation, Foreign body sensation in eyes, Glare, High blood pressure, Lens opacity

Available Medicine for Pilocarpine

  • ₹44 to ₹57
    FDC Ltd
    3 variant(s)
  • ₹78
    Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd
    1 variant(s)
  • ₹18 to ₹52
    Sunways India Pvt Ltd
    4 variant(s)
  • ₹16 to ₹60
    Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd
    2 variant(s)
  • ₹19
    Entod Pharmaceuticals Ltd
    1 variant(s)
  • ₹50
    Aurolab
    1 variant(s)
  • ₹32
    Allergan India Pvt Ltd
    1 variant(s)
  • ₹32
    Centaur Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd
    1 variant(s)
  • ₹19
    Micro Labs Ltd
    1 variant(s)
  • ₹33
    FDC Ltd
    1 variant(s)

Frequently asked questions for Pilocarpine

Pilocarpine

Q. Does Pilocarpine increase or decrease heart rate?
Pilocarpine can decrease the heart rate. However, it does not increase the heart rate.
Q. Does Pilocarpine cause weight gain/increase blood pressure?
Pilocarpine increases blood pressure. However, no clinically relevant effect on weight has been reported with the use of Pilocarpine.
Q. Does Pilocarpine help dry eyes?
Yes, Pilocarpine helps dry eyes by increasing the production of tears.
Show More
Q. Does Pilocarpine work?
Pilocarpine acts by increasing the activity of chemical acetylcholine, thereby, increasing the secretion from various glands including salivary glands and tear glands. Due to its cholinergic effect, it also constricts the pupil of the eye and improves the outflow of aqueous humor (fluid in within the eye) contributing to reduction in eyeball pressure.
Q. Does Pilocarpine cause blurred vision/hair loss?
Yes, Pilocarpine causes blurred vision. But, it does not cause hair loss.
Q. How does Pilocarpine affect heart rate?
Pilocarpine decreases heart rate by increasing the effect of a chemical called as acetylcholine.
Q. How does Pilocarpine lower intraocular pressure?
Pilocarpine lowers intraocular pressure by constricting the ciliary muscle of the eyes, therefore increasing the outflow of fluid (aqueous humor) from posterior part of the eye.

Content on this page was last updated on 20 February, 2021, by Dr. Varun Gupta (MD Pharmacology)