A-COLD TAB

A-COLD tablets

What is in A-COLD?

The box lists four active ingredients:

1. Paracetamol

2. Phenylephrine hydrochloride

3. Caffeine

4. Diphenhydramine hydrochloride

The image shows a 10 × 10 tablet pack (100 tablets) and the Rx symbol, indicating prescription use.

What each ingredient does

IngredientMain purposeParacetamolReduces fever and relieves headache/body achesPhenylephrineDecongestant — helps reduce a blocked/stuffy noseCaffeineCan enhance pain relief and reduce drowsiness/fatigueDiphenhydramineAntihistamine — helps with runny nose, sneezing and watery eyes

So the combination is designed to address several symptoms at once: fever + headache/body ache + nasal congestion + runny nose/sneezing.

Important: the strength isn't readable

The front of the box in this photograph doesn't clearly show the quantity of each ingredient per tablet. I would not guess the doses from the brand name alone.

If you send a clear photograph of the back of the box or the foil side of the blister, I can read the exact composition.

Side effects to watch for

Because it contains diphenhydramine, it can cause:

• Sleepiness/drowsiness

• Dizziness

• Dry mouth

• Blurred vision in some people

Phenylephrine can sometimes cause:

• Increased blood pressure

• Faster heartbeat/palpitations

• Nervousness or difficulty sleeping

Paracetamol is generally well tolerated at appropriate doses, but excessive total paracetamol intake can seriously damage the liver.

⚠️ Particularly important with the other medicines you showed

You previously showed ACECLOTT-P, which contains paracetamol + aceclofenac.

That means you should not automatically take A-COLD together with ACECLOTT-P, because both contain paracetamol. Taking both without accounting for the total amount could result in too much paracetamol.

You also showed AMLOCOT-AT (amlodipine + atenolol). Phenylephrine can potentially raise blood pressure and heart rate, so this combination deserves particular caution in someone taking blood-pressure/heart medicines.

And you showed azithromycin 250/500 mg. Whether that antibiotic is appropriate depends on the infection; A-COLD does not replace an antibiotic, and antibiotics aren't useful for most ordinary viral colds.

In short

A-COLD = symptom-relief medicine, not an antibiotic.

It is intended to help with:
🤒 fever + 🤕 aches/headache + 🤧 runny nose + 👃 blocked nose + sneezing

Given the medicines you've shown so far, I'd recommend checking the complete prescription before taking all of them together, especially because of the duplicate paracetamol and the potential blood-pressure effects of phenylephrine.