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Pilocarpine vs. Combigan

Pilocarpine (Salagen) is a cholinergic agonist that's used to help certain adults with dry mouth. It's a tablet that's taken by mouth 3 to 4 times per day. Side effects can include sweating, nausea, and runny nose. It's important to tell your provider and pharmacist about your medical history and your other medications because pilocarpine (Salagen) can sometimes worsen certain medical conditions and interact with many different medications.

• Dry mouth due to radiation therapy for head and neck cancer
• Dry mouth due to Sjögren's syndrome

Treatment of dry mouth from radiation:

• Sweating (up to 68%)
• Nausea (up to 15%)
• Chills (up to 15%)
• Runny nose (up to 14%)
• Flushing (up to 13%)
• Frequent urination (up to 12%)
• Weakness (up to 12%)
• Dizziness (up to 12%)

Treatment of dry mouth from Sjögren's syndrome:

• Sweating (40%)
• Frequent urination (10%)
• Flushing (9%)
• Chills (4%)

• Possible worsening of medical conditions
• Vision changes
• Dose too high

Combigan is a combination eye drop containing brimonidine (an alpha agonist) and timolol (a beta blocker). It's used to lower high pressure inside the eye in adults with conditions like glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Typically, you apply one drop to the affected eye(s) twice daily, about 12 hours apart. Common side effects include eye redness, itching, or dryness. Combigan (brimonidine / timolol) is available as both a brand-name and generic medication.

Treatment of high pressure in the eye in people ages 2 years and older with:

• Ocular hypertension
• Open-angle glaucoma

Reported in up to 15% of people in clinical studies:

• Eye redness
• Eye itching
• Eye burning or stinging

• Only use in the eye
• Allergic reaction of the eye
• Interaction with inhaled beta agonists for asthma or COPD
• Worsening heart problems
• Worsening of other medical conditions
• Masked symptoms of low blood sugar in people with diabetes
• Masked symptoms of high thyroid hormone levels (hyperthyroidism)