Urine Color Changes With Some Commonly Used Drugs Flashcards
Alcohol, ethyl
Pale yellow or
colorless (diuresis)
Blue-green
Amitriptyline (Elavil)
Reddish, alkaline; yellow-brown, acid
Anthraquinone laxatives (senna, cascara)
Red
Chlorzoxazone (Paraflex) (muscle relaxant)
Deferoxamine mesylate (Desferal)
(chelates iron)
Orange, red
Ethoxazene (Serenium) (urinary analgesic)
Yellow
Fluorescein sodium (given intravenously)
______(Furoxone) (Tricofuron) (an antibacterial, antiprotozoal nitrofuran)
Brown
Furazolidone
_____carmine dye (renal function, cystoscopy)
Indigo
(possibly other iron compounds forming iron sulfide in urine)
Brown on standing
Iron sorbitol (Jectofer)
Red then brown, alkaline
Levodopa (L-dopa) (for parkinsonism)
Yellow
Mepacrine (Atabrine) (antimalarial)
(intestinal worms, Giardia)
Green-brown
Methocarbamol (Robaxin) (muscle
relaxant)
Darkens; if oxidizing agents present, red to brown
Methyldopa (Aldomet)
(antihypertensive)
(used to delineate fistulas)
Blue, blue-green
Methylene blue
Darkens, reddish brown
Metronidazole (Flagyl) (for Trichomonas infection, amebiasis, Giardia)
Brown-yellow
Nitrofurantoin (Furadantin) (antibacterial)
also compounded with sulfonamides (Azo-Gantrisin)
Orange-red, acid pH
Phenazopyridine (Pyridium) (urinary analgesic)
(important to distinguish from hematuria)
Orange, alkaline; color disappears on acidifying
Phenindione (Hedulin) (anticoagulant)
Brown; oxidized to quinones (green)
Phenol poisoning
Red-purple, alkaline pH
Phenolphthalein (purgative)
Phenolsulfonphthalein (PSP, also
bromsulphthalein [BSP])
Pink-red, alkaline pH
Bright orange-red
Rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane)
(tuberculosis therapy)
Bright yellow
Riboflavin (multivitamins)
for ulcerative colitis
Orange-yellow, alkaline pH
Sulfasalazine (Azulfidine)
