Patient leaflet - Procyclidine 5 mg tablets
1. What Procyclidine Tablets is and what it is used for
Procyclidine belongs to a group of medicines called antimuscarinics (anticholinergics). It is most commonly used for Parkinson's disease or symptoms (parkinsonism) due to other causes, including drug induced parkinsonism. These drugs block the action of a particular chemical called acetylcholine, which allows nerve impulses to be sentYou must talk to a doctor if you do not feel better or if you feel worse.
These symptoms include tremor, shaky movements and rigid limbs. Symptoms such as restlessness caused by drugs such as antipsychotics (neuroleptics)
2. What you need to know before you take Procyclidine Tablets
Do not take Procyclidine Tablets if you:
- Are hypersensitive (allergic) to procyclidine or any of the other ingredients in Procyclidine Tablets (listed in section 6).
- Have an obstruction of the intestine and/or stomach
- Have difficulty urinating because of an enlarged prostate gland
- have ever suffered from “closed angle glaucoma” (loss of vision due to abnormally high pressure in the eye)
- suffer from urinary retention (have difficulty in passing urine), that is untreated
- have rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, the Lapp lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption.
Warnings and precautions:
If you have had any of the following you should tell your doctor before taking this medicine:
- Pregnant or may become pregnant, or breast-feeding
- Chronic kidney or liver disease
- Difficulty passing water, which in some men may be due to an enlarged prostate.
- Suffer from a movement disorder called tardive dyskinesia, in which movements (especially of the limbs, face mouth and tongue) are slow or difficult, or uncontrolled and jerky. This condition may be made worse if you are given procyclidine whilst being treated with neuroleptic drugs
- If you are elderly, your dose may need to be carefully monitored to prevent any side effects.
- suffer from cardiac disorders or from cardiovascular disease (disease of the heart)
- suffer from stomach cramps, abdominal pains or constipation
- have ever suffered from glaucoma or may be predisposed to glaucoma or obstructive disease of the stomach or intestines (e.g. you may have been told in the past that you are more at risk of these conditions, or have a family history of them)
- suffer from psychotic episodes (experience delusions, hallucinations, speech difficulty or unusual behaviour)
- have a history of alcohol or drug abuse.
Other medicines and Procyclidine Tablets:
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.
If taken with some other medicines the effects of Procyclidine Tablets or the effects of other medicines may be changed. Please check with your doctor if you are taking any of the following:
- Antihistamines to relieve allergies such as hay fever (e.g. cetirizine, loratadine)
- Antidepressants e.g. amitriptyline, paroxetine) or monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) (e.g. moclobemide)
- Phenothiazines (for mental illness)
- Antipsychotics (e.g. thioridazine – for severe anxiety of schizophrenia)
- Amantadine or levodopa (used in Parkinson's disease or some viral infections)
- Ketoconazole (used for fungal infections such as athlete's foot or thrush)
- disopyramide (to control heart rhythm)
- quinidine (to treat irregular heartbeat)
- Tacrine ‘memantine’ (for treating symptoms of Alzheimer's disease).
- cisapride, metoclopramide or domperidone (to treat feeling sick or being sick)
- sublingual nitrates for angina (e.g. glyceryl trinitrate, isosorbide dinitrate)
- clozapine, to treat schizophrenia
- nefopam, used to treat pain.
Procyclidine Tablets with food and drink:
Swallow the tablets with a little water after meals.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding:
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicine if you are pregnant, planning on becoming pregnant or are breast-feeding.
Driving and using machinery:
Do not drive or operate machinery as Procyclidine Tablets may make you feel dizzy, confused, disorientated or affect your eyesight (blurred vision). Impaired thinking and memory and hallucinations
Procyclidine Tablets contain lactose:
If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicinal product.
3. How to take Procyclidine Tablets
Always take Procyclidine Tablets exactly as your doctor has told you to. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
Adults:
The usual dose is between 2 and 6 tablets a day, depending on your condition and how you respond. The tablets should be taken in 3 or 4 divided doses, after meals with a little water. Your doctor will usually start you on a low dose and increase it slowly (every day or every few days) to the best dose for you.
Initially 2.5 mg three times a day after meals. Your doctor will increase this dose by 2.5 mg to 5 mg a day every 2 to 3 days until he or she finds a dose which works best for you. The maximum dose is usually 20 mg a day if you are taking your tablets to control symptoms caused by other drugs. The maximum dose may be higher, 30 to 60 mg a day if your Parkinsonism is not caused by drugs.
Children:
Procyclidine Tablets are not recommended for use in children.
Elderly:
A reduced dose may be required.
If you take more Procyclidine Tablets than you should:
An overdose is likely to cause mood disturbance, mental confusion, restlessness, agitation, hallucinations and sleeplessness lasting up to twenty-four hours.
An overdose of this medicine may be harmful. If you or someone else, have taken too much of your medicine tell your doctor or pharmacist, or go to the nearest hospital casualty department immediately.
Please take this leaflet, any remaining tablets, and the container with you to the hospital or doctor so that they know which tablets were consumed.
If you forget to take Procyclidine Tablets:
If you forget to take a dose at the right time, take it as soon as you remember, then go on as before. Do not take a double dose to make up for the forgotten dose. If you stop taking Procyclidine Tablets:
You should finish all the tablets your doctor has prescribed even if you feel better. You should still take all the tablets you have been given, it may be dangerous to stop taking the medicine without your doctor's advice.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. If you are also taking medicines for schizophrenia, mania or mental conditions, you may experience uncontrolled jerky movements of your limbs when you first start to take procyclidine tablets. If this happens talk to your doctor immediately - it may be necessary for your doctor to reduce the dose of your other medicine.
Stop taking the tablets and tell your doctor immediately or go to the casualty department at your nearest hospital if the following happens:
- an allergic reaction (swelling of the lips, face or neck leading to severe difficulty in breathing; skin rash or hives).
If you are taking a medicine for mental illness (called a neuroleptic) at the same time as Procyclidine:
- you can develop uncontrolled movements of your face and tongue (tardive dyskinesia). The dose of either of the medicines may need to be adjusted
- unusual body movements, particularly of your hands, arms and legs which may have previously been occurring with the medicine for your mental illness can be made worse by addition of Procyclidine.
If either of these happen, tell your doctor straight away. These are very serious but rare side effects. You may need urgent medical attention.
Other unwanted side effects may include the following:
Commonly occurring side effects include (affecting less than one person in 10 but more than one person in 100):
- Dry mouth
- Blurred vision
- Constipation
- Urinary retention.
Other side effects which occur less frequently include:
- rapid heart beats (tachycardia).
Uncommon (affecting less than one person in 100 but more than one person in 1,000)
- agitation (feeling irritable)
- anxiety
- nervousness
- feeling confused
- disorientation
- you lose touch with what's real and what's not, seeing, hearing or feeling things that aren't there (Hallucinations)
- dizziness
- impaired thinking or memory
- nausea (feeling sick) or vomiting (being sick)
- gingivitis (inflammation of the gum)
- skin rash.
Side effects that have been reported on rare occasions (affecting less than one person in 1,000 but more than one person in 10,000):
- psychotic symptoms occurring together such as dizziness, mental confusion, excitement, reduced concentration or memory, disorientation, you lose touch with what's real and what's not, seeing, hearing or feeling things that aren't there (Hallucinations), anxiety, agitation (feeling irritable insomnia (difficulty sleeping).
Higher doses of procyclidine may cause disorientation, anxiety, agitation, dizziness, confusion or hallucinations and may affect your mental processes or memory. Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.
By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store Procyclidine Tablets
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not store these tablets above 25°C.
Do not use Procyclidine Tablets after the expiry date which is stated on the carton. The expiry date refers to the last day of the month.
Store them in the original container to protect from light.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.
6. Contents of the pack and other information
What Procyclidine Tablets contain:
These tablets contain 5mg of the active ingredient Procyclidine Hydrochloride. The tablets also contain maize starch, magnesium stearate and anhydrous lactose. What Procyclidine Tablets look like and the contents of the pack:
The tablets are white, with 'PR5' on one side and a breakline on the other. Procyclidine Tablets are available in packs of 28, 84, 100, 500, 2000 and 5000 tablets. Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorisation Holder:
RxFarma, Colonial Way, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD24 4YR
Manufacturer:
Rx Farma Limited, Unit 3, Colonial Way, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD24 4YR, United Kingdom This leaflet was last revised in 07/2026.