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Updating medicine ingredient names - list of affected ingredients
1 May 2020
We updated some medicine ingredient names used in Australia to align with names used internationally.
About the list
The list below shows the medicine ingredient names that are changing. This list is split into:
- Active ingredients, including adrenaline and noradrenaline, changes that will require dual labelling, hydration changes, and other significant and minor changes
- Excipient ingredients.
Adrenaline and noradrenaline
Adrenaline and noradrenaline remain as the approved names in Australia. There is no intent to move to using epinephrine and norepinephrine as the new ingredient names.
Instead, medicines containing adrenaline and noradrenaline will include the international names epinephrine and norepinephrine on labels and information leaflets. By including this information on labels indefinitely, we hope to reduce confusion for health professionals and consumers.
Changes to the list
This tab lists changes to the list of affected ingredient names made after April 2016 from most to least recent. These changes are also reflected in the searchable list.
- November 2016: The ingredient name diatrizoate meglumine has been further updated to amidotrizoate meglumine to ensure consistent naming of diatrizoate derivatives in Australia.
- November 2016: The ingredient name thyroxine sodium has been updated to the International Nonproprietary Name levothyroxine sodium.
Active ingredient changes
| Old name | New name |
|---|---|
| Adrenaline and noradrenaline | |
| Adrenaline | adrenaline (epinephrine) |
| Adrenaline acid tartrate | adrenaline (epinephrine) acid tartrate |
| Adrenaline acid tartrate (epinephrine acid tartrate) | adrenaline (epinephrine) acid tartrate |
| Adrenaline hydrochloride | adrenaline (epinephrine) hydrochloride |
| Noradrenaline acid tartrate | noradrenaline (norepinephrine) acid tartrate monohydrate |
| Dual labelling (these ingredients will need to show both the old and new name as displayed below on the product label until 2023) | |
| Actinomycin D | dactinomycin (actinomycin D) |
| Amethocaine hydrochloride | tetracaine (amethocaine) hydrochloride |
| Amphotericin | amphotericin B (amphotericin) |
| Amylobarbitone sodium | amobarbital (amylobarbitone) sodium |
| Bacillus Calmette and Guerin | Mycobacterium bovis (Bacillus Calmette and Guerin (BCG) strain) |
| Benzhexol hydrochloride | trihexyphenidyl (benzhexol) hydrochloride |
| Colaspase | asparaginase (colaspase) |
| Co-methylcobalamin | mecobalamin (co-methylcobalamin) |
| Crystal violet CI42555 | methylrosanilinium chloride (Crystal violet CI42555) |
| Cysteamine bitartrate | mercaptamine (cysteamine) bitartrate |
| Dothiepin hydrochloride | dosulepin (dothiepin) hydrochloride |
| Doxycycline hydrochloride | doxycycline hyclate (hydrochloride) |
| Eformoterol | formoterol (eformoterol) |
| Eformoterol fumarate | formoterol (eformoterol) fumarate |
| Eformoterol fumarate dihydrate | formoterol (eformoterol) fumarate dihydrate |
| Frusemide | furosemide (frusemide) |
| Frusemide sodium | furosemide (frusemide) sodium |
| Glycopyrrolate | glycopyrronium bromide (glycopyrrolate) |
| Hydroxyurea | hydroxycarbamide (hydroxyurea) |
| Lignocaine | lidocaine (lignocaine) |
| Lignocaine hydrochloride | lidocaine (lignocaine) hydrochloride monohydrate |
| Lignocaine hydrochloride anhydrous | lidocaine (lignocaine) hydrochloride |
| Oxpentifylline | pentoxifylline (oxpentifylline) |
| Phenobarbitone | phenobarbital (phenobarbitone) |
| Phenobarbitone sodium | phenobarbital (phenobarbitone) sodium |
| Piperazine oestrone sulfate | estropipate (piperazine oestrone sulfate) |
| Procaine penicillin | procaine benzylpenicillin (procaine penicillin) |
| Salcatonin | calcitonin salmon (salcatonin) |
| Tetracosactrin | tetracosactide (tetracosactrin) |
| Trimeprazine tartrate | alimemazine (trimeprazine) tartrate |
| Other significant changes | |
| Acriflavine | acriflavinium chloride |
| Berberine hydrochloride | berberine chloride |
| Butoxyethyl nicotinate | nicoboxil |
| Chitosan | poliglusam |
| Chlorbutol | chlorobutanol hemihydrate |
| Chlorphenamine maleate (Chlorpheniramine maleate) | chlorphenamine maleate |
| Chlorpheniramine maleate | chlorphenamine maleate |
| Diclofenac diethylammonium | diclofenac diethylamine |
| Glutaraldehyde | glutaral |
| Glycol salicylate | hydroxyethyl salicylate |
| Hexamine hippurate | methenamine hippurate |
| Hydroxyethylrutosides | oxerutins |
| Hydroxyquinoline sulfate | oxyquinoline sulfate |
| Insulin - human | insulin |
| Iodobenzylguanidine(131I) sulfate | iobenguane (131I) sulfate |
| Laureth-9 | lauromacrogol 400 |
| Maldison | malathion |
| Meglumine diatrizoate | amidotrizoate meglumine |
| Octyl triazone | ethylhexyl triazone |
| Oxethazaine | oxetacaine |
| Rutin | rutoside |
| Sodium diatrizoate | sodium amidotrizoate |
| Tetrahydrozoline hydrochloride | tetryzoline hydrochloride |
| Thiamine phosphate acid ester chloride dihydrate | monophosphothiamine dihydrate |
| Thiamine phosphoric acid ester chloride | monophosphothiamine |
| thyroxine sodium | levothyroxine sodium |
| Triethanolamine lauryl sulfate | trolamine lauril sulfate |
| Triethanolamine salicylate | trolamine salicylate |
| Minor spelling changes | |
| Alpha tocopherol | dl-alpha-tocopherol |
| Alpha tocopherol acetate | dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate |
| Aminacrine hydrochloride | aminoacridine hydrochloride |
| Amlodipine besylate | amlodipine besilate |
| Amoxycillin | amoxicillin |
| Amoxycillin sodium | amoxicillin sodium |
| Amoxycillin trihydrate | amoxicillin trihydrate |
| Atracurium besylate | atracurium besilate |
| Beclomethasone Dipropionate | beclometasone dipropionate |
| Benztropine mesylate | benzatropine mesilate |
| Bromocriptine mesylate | bromocriptine mesilate |
| Cephalexin | cefalexin monohydrate |
| Cephalexin anhydrous | cefalexin |
| Cephalothin sodium | cefalotin sodium |
| Cephamandole | cefamandole |
| Cephazolin | cefazolin |
| Cephazolin sodium | cefazolin sodium |
| Chlorthalidone | chlortalidone |
| Cholecalciferol | colecalciferol |
| Cholestyramine | colestyramine |
| Cisatracurium besylate | cisatracurium besilate |
| Clomiphene citrate | clomifene citrate |
| Cyclosporin | ciclosporin |
| Desferrioxamine mesylate | desferrioxamine mesilate |
| Dexamphetamine sulfate | dexamfetamine sulfate |
| Dextropropoxyphene napsylate | dextropropoxyphene napsilate monohydrate |
| Di-iodohydroxyquinoline | diiodohydroxyquinoline |
| Diphemanil methylsulfate | diphemanil metilsulfate |
| Dimethicone 350 | dimeticone 350 |
| dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate | dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate |
| Dolasetron mesylate | dolasetron mesilate monohydrate |
| Doxazosin mesylate | doxazosin mesilate |
| Eprosartan mesylate | eprosartan mesilate |
| Ethacrynic acid | etacrynic acid |
| Ethinyloestradiol | ethinylestradiol |
| Ethynodiol diacetate | etynodiol diacetate |
| Flumethasone pivalate | flumetasone pivalate |
| Flupenthixol decanoate | flupentixol decanoate |
| Guaiphenesin | guaifenesin |
| Haematoporphyrin | hematoporphyrin |
| Haematoporphyrin dihydrochloride | hematoporphyrin dihydrochloride |
| Heparinoid | heparinoids |
| Hexachlorophane | hexachlorophene |
| Hexamidine isethionate | hexamidine isetionate |
| Indomethacin | indometacin |
| Imatinib mesylate | imatinib mesilate |
| Indomethacin sodium | indometacin sodium trihydrate |
| Lactobacillus kefir | Lactobacillus kefiri |
| Lapatinib ditosylate monohydrate | lapatinib ditosilate monohydrate |
| Oestradiol | estradiol |
| Oestradiol hemihydrate | estradiol hemihydrate |
| Oestradiol valerate | estradiol valerate |
| Oestrogens - conjugated | conjugated estrogens |
| Oestriol | estriol |
| Pentamidine isethionate | pentamidine isetionate |
| Pericyazine | periciazine |
| Phytic acid | fytic acid |
| Prochlorperazine mesylate | prochlorperazine mesilate |
| Retinyl acetate | retinol acetate |
| Retinyl palmitate | retinol palmitate |
| Saquinavir mesylate | saquinavir mesilate |
| Sorafenib tosylate | sorafenib tosilate |
| Testosterone enanthate | testosterone enantate |
| Thioguanine | tioguanine |
| Hydration change only | |
| Alum | alum dodecahydrate |
| Aluminium hydroxide | aluminium hydroxide hydrate |
| Aluminium hydroxide - dried | aluminium hydroxide |
| Aluminium nitrate | aluminium nitrate nonahydrate |
| Aluminium sulfate | aluminium sulfate hydrate |
| Amiloride hydrochloride | amiloride hydrochloride dihydrate |
| Antimony potassium tartrate | antimony potassium tartrate trihydrate |
| Apomorphine hydrochloride | apomorphine hydrochloride hemihydrate |
| Atropine sulfate | atropine sulfate monohydrate |
| Bupivacaine hydrochloride | bupivacaine hydrochloride monohydrate |
| Bupivacaine hydrochloride anhydrous | bupivacaine hydrochloride |
| Calcium chloride | calcium chloride dihydrate |
| Calcium citrate hydrate | calcium citrate tetrahydrate |
| Calcium gluconate | calcium gluconate monohydrate |
| Calcium hydrogen phosphate | calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate |
| Calcium hydrogen phosphate anhydrous | calcium hydrogen phosphate |
| Calcium lactate anhydrous | calcium lactate |
| Carbidopa | carbidopa monohydrate |
| Carbidopa anhydrous | carbidopa |
| Citric acid - anhydrous | citric acid |
| Chromic chloride | chromic chloride hexahydrate |
| Codeine phosphate | codeine phosphate hemihydrate |
| Cupric sulfate anhydrous | cupric sulfate |
| Cyclophosphamide | cyclophosphamide monohydrate |
| Cyproheptadine hydrochloride | cyproheptadine hydrochloride sesquihydrate |
| Dantrolene sodium | dantrolene sodium hemiheptahydrate |
| Dextromethorphan hydrobromide | dextromethorphan hydrobromide monohydrate |
| Ethylmorphine hydrochloride | ethylmorphine hydrochloride dihydrate |
| Ferrous lactate | ferrous lactate trihydrate |
| Ferrous phosphate | ferrous phosphate octahydrate |
| Ferrous sulfate | ferrous sulfate heptahydrate |
| Ferrous sulfate - dried | ferrous sulfate |
| Flucloxacillin sodium | flucloxacillin sodium monohydrate |
| Flurbiprofen sodium | flurbiprofen sodium dihydrate |
| Fusidic acid | fusidic acid hemihydrate |
| Glucose | glucose monohydrate |
| Glucose - anhydrous | glucose |
| Hyoscyamine sulfate | hyoscyamine sulfate dihydrate |
| Ipratropium bromide | ipratropium bromide monohydrate |
| Ipratropium bromide anhydrous | ipratropium bromide |
| Irinotecan hydrochloride | irinotecan hydrochloride trihydrate |
| Lincomycin hydrochloride | lincomycin hydrochloride monohydrate |
| Magnesium acetate | magnesium acetate tetrahydrate |
| Magnesium aspartate | magnesium aspartate tetrahydrate |
| Magnesium aspartate anhydrous | magnesium aspartate |
| Magnesium carbonate | magnesium carbonate hydrate |
| Magnesium carbonate - heavy | magnesium carbonate hydrate |
| Magnesium carbonate - light | magnesium carbonate hydrate |
| Magnesium chloride | magnesium chloride hexahydrate |
| Magnesium lactate | magnesium lactate dihydrate |
| Magnesium phosphate | magnesium phosphate pentahydrate |
| Magnesium phosphate - tribasic anhydrous | magnesium phosphate tribasic |
| Magnesium sulfate | magnesium sulfate heptahydrate |
| Manganese chloride | manganese chloride tetrahydrate |
| Manganese sulfate | manganese sulfate tetrahydrate |
| Methyldopa | methyldopa sesquihydrate |
| Methyldopa anhydrous | methyldopa |
| Metoclopramide hydrochloride | metoclopramide hydrochloride monohydrate |
| Metoclopramide hydrochloride anhydrous | metoclopramide hydrochloride |
| Mercaptopurine | mercaptopurine monohydrate |
| Minocycline hydrochloride | minocycline hydrochloride dihydrate |
| Morphine hydrochloride | morphine hydrochloride trihydrate |
| Morphine sulfate | morphine sulfate pentahydrate |
| Naloxone hydrochloride | naloxone hydrochloride dihydrate |
| Naloxone hydrochloride anhydrous | naloxone hydrochloride |
| Quinine bisulfate | quinine bisulfate heptahydrate |
| Quinine sulfate | quinine sulfate dihydrate |
| Sodium carbonate anhydrous | sodium carbonate |
| Sodium citrate anhydrous | sodium citrate |
| sodium phosphate - dibasic | dibasic sodium phosphate heptahydrate |
| Sodium phosphate - dibasic anhydrous | dibasic sodium phosphate |
| Sodium sulfate | sodium sulfate decahydrate |
| Sodium sulfate anhydrous | sodium sulfate |
| Sodium thiosulfate | sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate |
| Other minor changes | |
| Bee | honey bee |
| Bee venom | honey bee venom |
| Cyanocobalamin(57Co) | cyanocobalamin (57Co) |
| Dimeglumine gadobenate | gadobenate dimeglumine |
| Dimeglumine gadopentetate | gadopentetate dimeglumine |
| Disodium etidronate | etidronate disodium |
| Disodium pamidronate | pamidronate disodium |
| Gallium(67Ga) citrate | gallium (67Ga) citrate |
| Glucosamine sulfate-potassium chloride complex | glucosamine sulfate potassium chloride |
| Glucosamine sulfate-sodium chloride complex | glucosamine sulfate sodium chloride |
| Indium(111In) chloride | indium (111In) chloride |
| Indium(111In) hydroxyquinoline | indium (111In) hydroxyquinoline |
| Indium(111In) pentetate | indium (111In) pentetate |
| Iobenguane(123I) sulfate | iobenguane (123I) sulfate |
| Manganese aspartate | manganese diaspartate |
| Meglumine iothalamate | iotalamate meglumine |
| Meglumine iotroxate | iotroxate meglumine |
| Meglumine ioxaglate | ioxaglate meglumine |
| meta-Cresol | metacresol |
| Mussel - green lipped | green lipped mussel |
| Paraffin - soft white | white soft paraffin |
| Pramipexole hydrochloride | pramipexole dihydrochloride |
| Pramipexole hydrochloride monohydrate | pramipexole dihydrochloride monohydrate |
| R,S-alpha Lipoic acid | alpha lipoic acid |
| Samarium | samarium (153Sm) |
| sodium phosphate - monobasic | monobasic sodium phosphate |
Excipient ingredient changes
| Old name | New name |
|---|---|
| 2-hydroxymethylfuran | furfuryl alcohol |
| 3-phenyl propyl alcohol | phenylpropanol |
| 6-acetyl-1,1,3,4,4,6-hexamethyl tetrahydronaphthalene | 7-acetyl-1,1,3,4,4,6-hexamethyl tetrahydronaphthalene |
| 8-hydroxyquinoline | oxyquinoline |
| Alizarin cyanine green F | acid green 25 |
| Allylamyl glycollate | allyl amyl glycolate |
| Aluminium oxide anhydrous | aluminium oxide |
| Benzodihydropyrone | dihydrocoumarin |
| C12-15 alkyl benzoate | alkyl (C12-15) benzoate |
| Calcium sulfate | calcium sulfate dihydrate |
| Calcium sulfate anhydrous | calcium sulfate |
| Caldiamide sodium | caldiamide sodium hydrate |
| Caprylic/capric triglyceride | medium chain triglycerides |
| Cellacephate | cellacefate |
| Cetyl dimethicone | cetyl dimeticone |
| cis-3-Hexenyl caproate | cis-3-hexenyl hexanoate |
| Coco-caprylate/caprate | coco-octanoate/decanoate |
| DEA-C8-18 perfluoroalkylethyl phosphate | diolamine C8-18 perfluoroalkylethyl phosphate |
| DEA-cetyl phosphate | diolamine cetyl phosphate |
| Decan-1-ol | decyl alcohol |
| Diazolidinylurea | diazolidinyl urea |
| Diethyl toluamide | diethyltoluamide |
| Di-isopropanolamine | diisopropanolamine |
| Dimethicone 10 | dimeticone 10 |
| Dimethicone 100 | dimeticone 100 |
| Dimethicone 1000 | dimeticone 1000 |
| Dimethicone 1510 | dimeticone 1510 |
| Dimethicone 20 | dimeticone 20 |
| Dimethicone 200 | dimeticone 200 |
| Dimethicone 30 | dimeticone 30 |
| Dimethicone 450 | dimeticone 450 |
| Dimethicone 5 | dimeticone 5 |
| Dimethicone 50 | dimeticone 50 |
| Dimethicone copolyol | dimeticone copolyol |
| Dimethiconol | dimeticonol |
| Dimethiconol stearate | dimeticonol stearate |
| Di-N propyl isocinchomeronate | di-n-propyl isocinchomeronate |
| Diphenyl ether | diphenyl oxide |
| dl-alpha tocopherol phosphate disodium | dl-alpha-tocopheryl phosphate disodium |
| DMDM Hydantoin | dimethylol dimethyl hydantoin |
| Edetate dipotassium | edetate dipotassium dihydrate |
| Eosine | acid red 87 |
| Ethanolamine | monoethanolamine |
| Ether - solvent | ether |
| Ethyl oenantate | ethyl enantate |
| Ethyl oenanthate | ethyl enantate |
| Ethylene glycol monostearate | ethylene glycol monopalmitostearate |
| Ethylene/VA copolymer | ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer |
| Ferric chloride anhydrous | ferric chloride |
| Ferric nitrate | ferric nitrate nonahydrate |
| Glycerol triacetate | triacetin |
| Glyceryl mono-oleate | glyceryl monooleate |
| Glycol stearate | ethylene glycol monopalmitostearate |
| Glycollic acid | glycolic acid |
| Glycyrrhetinic acid | enoxolone |
| Hercolyn | methyl hydrogenated rosinate |
| Hydroxyethylcellulose | hyetellose |
| Hydroxyethylmethylcellulose | hymetellose |
| Hydroxypropyl beta cyclodextrin | hydroxypropylbetadex |
| Hydroxypropylcellulose | hyprolose |
| Isoascorbic acid | erythorbic acid |
| iso-Cyclocitral | isocyclocitral |
| Isopropyl adipate | diisopropyl adipate |
| Isopropyl hydroxybenzoate | isopropyl 4-hydroxybenzoate |
| Lactose | lactose monohydrate |
| Lactose anhydrous | lactose |
| Lauryl diethanolamide | lauramide DEA |
| Laurylmethicone copolyol | laurylmeticone copolyol |
| Lime | calcium oxide |
| Meglumine pentetate | pentetate meglumine |
| Menthyl acetate | l-menthyl acetate |
| Methyl sulfide | dimethyl sulfide |
| Monosodium glutamate | monosodium glutamate monohydrate |
| Neopentyl glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate | neopentyl glycol dioctanoate/didecanoate |
| Paraffin - soft yellow | yellow soft paraffin |
| Pentaerythrityl tetraoctanoate | pentaerythrityl tetralaurate |
| Polystyrene sulfonate | polystyrene sulfonate hydrogen |
| polystyrene sulfonate - hydrogen | polystyrene sulfonate hydrogen |
| Potassium acid tartrate | potassium hydrogen tartrate |
| Propylene glycol dicaprate | propylene glycol didecanoate |
| Propylene glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate | propylene glycol dioctanoate/didecanoate |
| PVP/VA Copolymer | copovidone |
| Sodium calciumedetate | sodium calcium edetate |
| Sodium citrate | sodium citrate dihydrate |
| Sodium phosphate - monobasic anhydrous | monobasic sodium phosphate |
| Sodium stearyl 2-lactylate | sodium stearoyl lactylate |
| Sodium sulfite anhydrous | sodium sulfite |
| TEA-lauryl sulfate | trolamine lauril sulfate |
| Triethanolamine | trolamine |
Version history
| Version | Description of change | Author | Effective date |
|---|---|---|---|
| V1.0 | Original publication | Medicines Regulation Division | 23/11/2015 |
| V1.1 | Added two changes: diatrizoate meglumine to amidotrizoate meglumine and thyroxine sodium to levothyroxine sodium | Medicines Regulation Division | 28/11/2016 |