Drotin is a familiar name on Indian prescriptions for cramping abdominal and period pain, and the suffixes cause genuine confusion at the counter. People reasonably assume DS and M are just bigger and smaller versions of the same tablet. They are not: one changes the dose, the other changes the ingredients list — and adds a drug class with its own risks. Here is what each actually contains, written so you can follow your prescription rather than choose between them.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Balaji Krishnan, MBBS · Updated September 2026
Our verdict
These are not two strengths of one medicine, which is the confusion worth clearing up. Drotin DS is double-strength drotaverine — an antispasmodic that relaxes smooth muscle and nothing else. Drotin M is drotaverine plus mefenamic acid, which adds an anti-inflammatory painkiller on top. So DS targets cramping spasm; M targets spasm plus pain and inflammation, and inherits every NSAID caution that mefenamic acid carries. Both are prescription medicines and which one is appropriate is a prescribing decision, not a shelf choice.
Written by the PingMeDoc™ doctor team. We stock the products below — the verdict above doesn't change based on what earns us more.
Pick Drotin DS if…
Your prescriber is treating colicky, cramping spasm and wants the antispasmodic effect without adding an NSAID — including where an NSAID is unsuitable.
Shop Drotin DSPick Drotin M if…
Your prescriber wants spasm relief and pain-and-inflammation cover in one tablet, and has judged that mefenamic acid is safe for you.
Shop Drotin M| Drotin DS | Drotin M | |
|---|---|---|
| What DS / M means | Double Strength — more drotaverine | M — mefenamic acid added |
| Antispasmodic action | Yes, higher dose | Yes |
| Anti-inflammatory painkiller | No | Yes — mefenamic acid |
| NSAID cautions apply | No | Yes — stomach, kidney, asthma |
| Safe to combine with ibuprofen or diclofenac | Ask your prescriber | No — do not stack NSAIDs |
| Prescription needed | Yes | Yes |
Varies by pack — a prescription item, priced per strip
Double-strength drotaverine — antispasmodic only
Where it loses: It relaxes spasm; it is not an anti-inflammatory, so pain driven by inflammation may not settle on it alone. Drotaverine can cause dizziness and low blood pressure in some people. Prescription-only.
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Varies by pack — a prescription item, priced per strip
Drotaverine + mefenamic acid — spasm plus NSAID pain cover
Where it loses: The mefenamic acid half is an NSAID and brings NSAID risks: stomach irritation and bleeding, kidney strain, caution in asthma, and it should not be stacked with other NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or diclofenac. It is not a stronger Drotin DS — it is a different medicine with a wider risk profile. Prescription-only.
