Mexidol is an effective complex-action drug that is used for various purposes. It is prescribed to protect against free radical oxidation, eliminate seizures, and improve memory. Such a medicine is allowed to be used strictly after the recommendation of a doctor. To achieve a positive effect, you must follow the instructions for use.
Material Content:
Composition and release forms
The composition of the drug includes a chemical compound ethylmethylhydroxypyridine succinate. It is this that provides the action declared by the manufacturer.
The medicine is available in two forms. The first of these is pills. They are intended for oral administration. These are white round tablets, which are coated. Each tablet contains 125 mg of active substance. The remaining compounds in the composition form the basis of the dragee and its shell.
The second form of drug release is an injection. It is a clear liquid with a slightly yellowish tint. 1 mg of the solution accounts for 50 mg of the active component. The tool can be used for intravenous and intramuscular administration.
Pharmacological action and pharmacokinetics
The medicine “Mexidol” can be safely called a universal assistant in the treatment of various pathologies associated with blood circulation, the functioning of the heart, brain, and the entire central nervous system.
The drug allows you to:
- protect cells and tissues from free radicals;
- normalize the work of cell membranes;
- eliminate hypoxia;
- lower the concentration of low density lipoproteins;
- get rid of cramps;
- improve memory and concentration.
Another advantage of the medication is the ability to increase the patient's resistance to stress factors. A person after a course of treatment becomes calmer, ceases to react sharply to many situations, which favorably affects his condition.
The active chemical compound of the drug is included in the class of 3-hydroxypyridines. It is a transparent crystal that dissolves well in organic solvents. This substance, entering the body, works as a powerful antioxidant. It is able to slow down the course of chemical processes associated with free radical oxidation. In some cases, the compound completely blocks such reactions. In this case, all dangerous forms of oxygen are neutralized.
Following treatment with the drug, the following positive changes are observed:
- fluidity of cell membranes increases;
- increased activity of the enzyme SOD;
- transportation of neurotransmitters is restored;
- synapse transmission rates return to normal.
Doctors also note many other positive effects from the use of the medicine.
These include:
- increased dopamine concentration;
- slowing down too much gluing of platelets;
- restoration of blood cell membranes;
- normalization of blood supply to brain cells;
- stabilization of cholesterol;
- reduction of manifestations of intoxication with pancreatitis;
- increase in the content of ATP - the main energy unit;
- activation of cellular energy synthesis in mitochondria;
- restoration of electrical activity of the heart.
Using the drug allows you to improve the well-being of the patient with prolonged stress. Against the background of therapy, nervousness decreases, memory improves, sleep normalizes.
The active substance penetrates the bloodstream of the patient and maintains a high concentration for 4 hours after administration. The fastest connection starts working if it is administered intravenously. If the drug is used orally or intramuscularly, it will take some time for the active substance to enter the systemic circulation.
The metabolism of the drug is carried out in the tissues of the liver with the participation of glucuronic acid. As a result, 5 metabolic products are formed, some of which exhibit a therapeutic effect. Metabolites are excreted in the urine.
What is Mexidol prescribed for?
Mexidol is prescribed in various situations.
Indications for use of tablets are:
- circulatory disorders in the tissues of the brain;
- TBI;
- encephalopathy;
- asthenic syndrome;
- ischemia;
- ethyl alcohol poisoning;
- drug intoxication.
Mexidol injections are recommended for:
- purulent-inflammatory processes;
- glaucoma
- alcohol withdrawal;
- myocardial infarction;
- neurotic conditions;
- discirculatory encephalopathy;
- vegetovascular dystonia.
In order for the medicine to work, the instructions for its use must be followed.
Instructions for use of the drug
Patients can receive medication in the form of tablets or injections. Each form has its own nuances of use.
Mexidol tablets
The drug is taken orally, as a rule, three times a day. The maximum dose per day is 6 tablets. This is 800 mg of active substance. Usually the number of tablets is selected individually. The daily requirement for Mexidol can vary from 375 to 750 mg of the active compound.
The duration of pill therapy is always determined individually. So, with coronary disease, it is required to take the medicine for two months, and with alcohol intoxication, 5-7 days are enough.
Important! The medication can neither be administered nor canceled abruptly.
Start therapy with minimal doses, gradually, over 2 to 3 days, increasing the amount of the drug to the recommended. Similarly, they complete the course of treatment.
Mexidol in ampoules for injections
In some cases, the patient is required to do intramuscular injections. This method of administration allows you to quickly achieve a therapeutic effect, since the active substance penetrates the bloodstream almost immediately, bypassing the digestive tract.
The course of treatment with most indications should begin with infusions, and only from the fifth day they switch to injections. They are put on for 5 - 9 days, watching the dynamics.
The dosage of the drug is calculated depending on body weight. For every kilogram you need to take 6 - 9 mg of the active substance. This is true for injection and infusion. The indicated volume is divided into three equal doses. Accordingly, the patient is given injections three times a day. It is advisable to maintain approximately the same time interval between procedures.
Important! Before intravenous administration, the drug is diluted in saline or glucose solution (5%).
During pregnancy and lactation
Full-scale studies to study the effect of the active substance on the body of a pregnant woman and the developing fetus have not been conducted, so it is impossible to predict the outcome of the use of the drug during gestation. This means that you should refuse to use the medication. Do not prescribe it with breastfeeding.
Drug interaction
Mexidol can serve as one of the elements of complex therapy. In addition, often the patient who is prescribed this medicine is already taking any medication. It is necessary to inform the doctor about this in order to avoid possible negative consequences from the drug interaction of Mexidol with other means.
However, more often than not, Mexidol only enhances the effect of the medications prescribed with it, which reduces their daily dosages.
In particular, this drug interacts well with:
- agents against Parkinson's disease;
- benzodiazepine derivatives;
- antipsychotics;
- antidepressant drugs;
- anticonvulsants.
When used together, the effect will be achieved faster, therefore, doctors prescribe Mexidol as an addition to other drugs used in the treatment of somatic diseases.
Mexidol Compatibility with Alcohol
Indications for taking the drug are not limited to various pathologies of the central nervous system or blood vessels. This tool is allowed to be used for alcohol withdrawal after the cancellation of alcohol-containing drinks.
Signs of this condition are:
- headache;
- tachycardia;
- digestive upsets;
- edema;
- tremor.
The use of "Mexidol" can improve well-being, since the active substance of the drug fights against poisons that enter the body. Doctors say a moderate hepatoprotective effect, but the remedy will not save from severe liver damage.
The medicine helps to easily tolerate withdrawal symptoms, which appears against the background of refusal of alcohol, but it is not worth taking the drug together with alcohol.
This is due to the negative effects on the kidneys and liver, which will participate in the processes of transformation of the active substance of the drug and ethyl alcohol to their metabolites, as well as the removal of the resulting compounds from the body.
Contraindications, side effects and overdose
The drug, as a rule, is well tolerated by patients. Side effects develop in rare cases.
It can be:
- excessive dryness of the mucous membranes;
- nausea;
- signs of allergies - skin itching, redness, swelling;
- drowsiness.
With long-term use of tablets, some patients notice the appearance of not only typical side effects, such as nausea and vomiting, but also other signs of a digestive disorder - bloating, flatulence, heartburn.
Strict adherence to the instructions for the drug will help to avoid the development of side effects. It states that against the background of excess dosage, the development of additional undesirable symptoms, in particular, increased drowsiness, is possible. When this symptom appears, it is required to reduce the dosage and consult a doctor.
The drug is prescribed quite often, since it has practically no contraindications.
It can not be used with:
- pregnancy
- breastfeeding;
- renal failure;
- severe liver pathologies;
- individual intolerance.
In addition, the drug is not prescribed for children and adolescents under 18 years of age. In all other cases, after agreement with the doctor, you can safely use a solution or tablets.
Analogs
Mexidol is an effective drug, but in some situations it can be replaced with other drugs with similar properties. Analogs of Mexidol can be produced in various forms. If necessary, the doctor will pick up tablets or solution.
The list of effective similar medications in the form of tablets includes:
- "Cytoflavin";
- "Polyneurin";
- Cerebronorm;
- "Hypoxene";
- Mexi B6;
- "Glycine".
In some cases, drops can also be used, for example, Memoria. They include extracts from medicinal plants - ginseng, arnica, St. John's wort and others. Such a homeopathic preparation has a pronounced nootropic effect and protects the internal structures from a lack of oxygen.
To eliminate hypoxia, the drug "Actovegin" is often prescribed. It can hardly be called a full-fledged analogue of Mexidol, since it is used to improve tissue trophism, as well as normalize metabolic processes. Doctors often recommend using two medicines at the same time, but it is important to observe the interval between doses. Mixing drugs with intravenous or intramuscular administration is prohibited.
Mexidol has analogues in liquid form.
So, for the introduction of intramuscularly used:
- Vitagamma
- "Combilipen";
- Compligam B;
- "Trigamma";
- "Ethoxidol".
Suitable for intravenous use:
- Gepoxen;
- "Cytoflavin";
- "Ethoxidol";
- Emoxibel.
The final decision on the use of any drug or combination of a complex of several drugs is always made by the doctor. If necessary, he will direct the patient to additional examinations, which will allow him to assess his condition as accurately as possible and make the right, effective appointments.
