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Flunisolide
Overview
Active ingredients
Source: NDC Directory| Ingredient | Strength | RxCUI | Monograph |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flunisolide | .25 mg/mL | 1797863 | — |
Forms, strengths and routes
Source: NDC DirectoryPharmacologic classes are listed in the class section below.
Pharmacologic class
Source: NDC Directory| Class | Type | Browse |
|---|---|---|
| Corticosteroid Hormone Receptor Agonists [MoA] | MoA | All 215 members |
| Corticosteroid [EPC] | EPC | All 215 members |
Regulatory status
Source: Drugs@FDANDC Directory| Product | Trade name | Form | Strength | Ingredient | Status | TE | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 074805-001 | FLUNISOLIDE | SPRAY, METERED | FLUNISOLIDE | Prescription | AB | RS |
Therapeutic equivalence
Source: Orange BookWhat this rating means: Therapeutically equivalent — bioequivalence demonstrated by in vivo or in vitro testing
Codes beginning with “A” indicate products the FDA considers therapeutically equivalent. Codes beginning with “B” indicate bioequivalence has not been established. See methodology.
Approval history
Source: Drugs@FDA| Type | No. | Action | Status | Date | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supplement | 22 | Manufacturing (CMC) | Approved | December 12, 2024 | Unknown |
| Supplement | 3 | Labeling | Approved | May 18, 2004 | — |
| Original application | 1 | Approved | February 20, 2002 | — |
Review documents
- 0 · Original application · April 9, 2003
Prescribing information
Source: openFDA Drug LabelingReproduced verbatim from the Structured Product Labeling submitted to the FDA (effective 20250502). This is the manufacturer's labelling text, not a summary and not advice.
Indications and Usage
openFDA Drug LabelingINDICATIONS AND USAGE Flunisolide nasal solution is indicated for the treatment of the nasal symptoms of seasonal or perennial rhinitis. Flunisolide nasal solution should not be used in the presence of untreated localized infection involving nasal mucosa.
Dosage and Administration
openFDA Drug LabelingDOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Adults: The recommended starting dose of Flunisolide Nasal Solution is 2 sprays (50 mcg) in each nostril 2 times a day (total dose 200 mcg/day). If needed, this dose may be increased to 2 sprays in each nostril 3 times a day (total dose 300 mcg/day). Pediatric Patients 6 to 14 years: The recommended starting dose of Flunisolide Nasal Solution is 1 spray (25 mcg) in each nostril 3 times a day or 2 sprays (50 mcg) in each nostril 2 times a day (total dose 150 to 200 mcg/day). Flunisolide Nasal Solution is not recommended for use in pediatric patients less than 6 years of age as safety and efficacy studies, including possible adverse effects on growth, have not been conducted. Maximum total daily doses should not exceed 8 sprays in each nostril for adults (total dose 400 mcg/day) and 4 sprays in each nostril for pediatric patients under 14 years of age (total dose 200 mcg/day). Since there is no evidence that exceeding the maximum recommended dosage is more effective and increased systemic absorption would occur, higher doses should be avoided. After the desired clinical effect is obtained, the maintenance dose should be reduced to the smallest amount necessary to control the symptoms. Approximately 15% of patients with perennial rhinitis may be maintained on as little as 1 spray in each nostril per day. For priming and repriming the nasal spray unit after storage: The patient should remove the dust cover. Put two fingers on “shoulders” of pump unit, and place thumb on bottom of bottle. Push bottle with thumb FIRMLY and QUICKLY 5-6 times or until fine spray appears. Now your pump is primed. The patient must prime the pump unit again if it has not been used for 5 days or more, or if it has been disassembled for cleaning. Directions for Use: A patient leaflet of instructions accompanies each package of Flunisolide Nasal Solution. WARNING: Do not spray in eyes.
Contraindications
openFDA Drug LabelingCONTRAINDICATIONS Hypersensitivity to any of the ingredients.
Warnings
openFDA Drug LabelingWARNINGS The replacement of a systemic corticosteroid with a topical corticoid can be accompanied by signs of adrenal insufficiency, and in addition some patients may experience symptoms of withdrawal, e.g., joint and/or muscular pain, lassitude and/or depression. Patients previously treated for prolonged periods with systemic corticosteroids and transferred to flunisolide should be carefully monitored to avoid acute adrenal insufficiency in response to stress. When transferred to flunisolide, careful attention must be given to patients previously treated for prolonged periods with systemic corticosteroids. This is particularly important in those patients who have associated asthma or other clinical conditions, where too rapid a decrease in systemic corticosteroids may cause a severe exacerbation of their symptoms. The use of flunisolide with alternate-day prednisone systemic treatment could increase the likelihood of HPA suppression compared to a therapeutic dose of either one alone. Therefore, flunisolide treatment should be used with caution in patients already on alternate-day prednisone regimens for any disease. Persons who are on drugs that suppress the immune system are more susceptible to infections than healthy individuals. Chicken pox and measles, for example, can have a more serious or even fatal course in non-immune pediatric patients or adults on corticosteroids. In such pediatric patients or adults who have not had these diseases, particular care should be taken to avoid exposure. How the dose, route and duration of corticosteroid administration affects the risk of developing a disseminated infection is not known. The contribution of the underlying disease and/or prior corticosteroid treatment to the risk is also not known. If a nonimmune patient is exposed to chickenpox, prophylaxis with varicella zoster immune globulin (VZIG) may be indicated. If exposed to measles, prophylaxis with pooled intramuscular immunoglobulin (IG) may be indicated. (See the respective package insert for complete VZIG and IG prescribing information.) If chickenpox develops, treatment with antiviral agents may be considered.
Adverse Reactions
openFDA Drug LabelingADVERSE REACTIONS Adverse reactions reported in controlled clinical trials and long-term open studies in 595 patients treated with flunisolide nasal solution are described below. Of these patients, 409 were treated for 3 months or longer, 323 for 6 months or longer, 259 for 1 year or longer, and 91 for 2 years or longer. In general, side effects elicited in the clinical studies have been primarily associated with the nasal mucous membranes. The most frequent complaints were those of mild transient nasal burning and stinging, which were reported in approximately 45% of the patients treated with flunisolide nasal solution in placebo-controlled and long-term studies. These complaints do not usually interfere with treatment; in only 3% of patients was it necessary to decrease dosage or stop treatment because of these symptoms. Approximately the same incidence of mild transient nasal burning and stinging was reported in patients on placebo as was reported in patients treated with flunisolide nasal solution in controlled studies, implying that these complaints may be related to the vehicle or the delivery system. The incidence of complaints of nasal burning and stinging decreased with increasing duration of treatment. Other side effects reported at a frequency of 5% or less were: nasal congestion, sneezing, epistaxis and/or bloody mucous, nasal irritation, watery eyes, sore throat, nausea and/or vomiting, and headaches. As with other nasally inhaled corticosteroids, nasal septal perforations have been reported in rare instances with the use of flunisolide nasal solutions. Temporary or permanent loss of the sense of smell and taste have also been reported with the use of flunisolide nasal solutions. Systemic corticosteroid side effects were not reported during the controlled clinical trials. If recommended doses are exceeded, or if individuals are particularly sensitive, symptoms of hypercorticism, i.e., Cushing’s syndrome, could occur. Cases of growth suppression have been reported for intranasal corticosteroids (including flunisolide nasal solution) ( see PRECAUTIONS, Pediatric Use ) . To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Ingenus Pharmaceuticals, LLC at 1-877-748-1970 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Description
openFDA Drug LabelingDESCRIPTION Flunisolide Nasal Solution USP, 0.025% is intended for administration as a spray to the nasal mucosa. Flunisolide, the active component of flunisolide nasal solution, is an anti-inflammatory steroid. Flunisolide is represented by the following structural formula: C 24 H 31 FO 6 Mol. Wt. 434.51 Chemical Name: 6α-fluoro-11β, 16α,17,21-tetrahydroxypregna-1,4-di-ene-3,20-dione cyclic 16,17-acetal with acetone (USAN). Flunisolide is a white to creamy white crystalline powder. It is soluble in acetone, sparingly soluble in chloroform, slightly soluble in methanol, and practically insoluble in water. It has a melting point of about 245°C. After initial priming (5 to 6 sprays), each spray of the unit delivers a metered droplet spray of 100 mg formulation containing 25 mcg of flunisolide. The size of the droplets produced by the unit is in excess of 8 microns to facilitate deposition on the nasal mucosa. The contents of one nasal spray bottle delivers 200 sprays. Each 25 mL flunisolide nasal solution spray bottle contains 6.25 mg (0.25 mg/mL). Each mL Contains: ACTIVE : Flunisolide 0.25 mg (0.025%); INACTIVES : Propylene Glycol, Polyethylene Glycol 3350, Butylated Hydroxyanisole, Edetate Disodium, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, and Purified Water. Sodium Hydroxide and/or Hydrochloric Acid may be added to adjust pH (5.1 – 5.4). PRESERVATIVE : Benzalkonium Chloride 0.01%. Flunisolide (Structural formula)
Overdosage
openFDA Drug LabelingOVERDOSAGE Flunisolide, infused intravenously, at doses up to 4 mg/kg in mice, rats and dogs (approximately 45, 300 and 90 times, respectively, the maximum recommended daily intranasal dose in adults and children on a mg/m 2 basis) was without lethality.
How Supplied / Storage and Handling
openFDA Drug LabelingHOW SUPPLIED Flunisolide Nasal Solution USP, 0.025% is supplied in a nasal pump dispenser with dust cover and with patient instructions in the following size: NDC 68682-344-25 25 mL bottle Each 25 mL Flunisolide Nasal Solution spray bottle contains 6.25 mg (0.25 mg/mL), 200 metered sprays of flunisolide. Storage: Store between 15°C to 25oC (59°F to 77°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Keep out of reach of children Distributed by: Oceanside Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC Bridgewater, NJ 08807 USA Manufactured by: Bausch Health Companies Inc. Laval, Quebec H7L 4A8, Canada © 2025 Bausch Health Companies Inc. or its affiliates Revised: 05/2025 90006200
Adverse event reports
Source: openFDA FAERSAttributed to this product's most-reported active ingredient: FLUNISOLIDE. Combination products with more than six active ingredients are not attributed, because a report count summed across a long ingredient list measures the list, not the medicine.
Recalls
Source: FDA Enforcement| Classification | Reported | Firm | Reason | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class II | October 26, 2022 | Ingenus Pharmaceuticals Llc | Out of specification for related substances (impurities). | Completed |
Packaging and NDCs
Source: NDC Directory| Package NDC | Product NDC | Labeler | Description | Marketing start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24208-344-25 | 24208-344 | Bausch & Lomb Incorporated | 1 BOTTLE, PUMP in 1 CARTON (24208-344-25) / 25 mL in 1 BOTTLE, PUMP | February 20, 2002 |
| 50742-317-25 | 50742-317 | Ingenus Pharmaceuticals, LLC | 1 BOTTLE, PUMP in 1 CARTON (50742-317-25) / 25 mL in 1 BOTTLE, PUMP | June 23, 2022 |
| 68682-344-25 | 68682-344 | Oceanside Pharmaceuticals | 1 BOTTLE, PUMP in 1 CARTON (68682-344-25) / 25 mL in 1 BOTTLE, PUMP | June 1, 2025 |
| 24208-344 | 24208-344 | Bausch & Lomb Incorporated | — | February 20, 2002 |
| 50742-317 | 50742-317 | Ingenus Pharmaceuticals, LLC | — | June 23, 2022 |
| 68682-344 | 68682-344 | Oceanside Pharmaceuticals | — | June 1, 2025 |
Sources for this page
| Dataset | Agency | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| NDC Directory | FDA | Identity, ingredients, strengths, forms, routes, labelers, packages |
| Drugs@FDA | FDA | Application, sponsor, submissions, review documents, marketing status |
| Orange Book | FDA | Therapeutic equivalence codes, reference drug flags, patents, exclusivity |
| Drug Labeling | FDA / NLM | Prescribing information reproduced above |
| FAERS | FDA | Adverse event report counts |
| Enforcement | FDA | Recall records |
Generated September 25, 2026 · 12 sections on this page.