In modern conditions, very often, to restore the patient’s liver condition, the appointment of an effective and affordable hepatoprotector, a substance that promotes the regeneration of hepatocytes (liver parenchyma cells), is required. Despite the fact that some experts believe that the ideal hepatoprotector is as unattainable as the philosopher’s stone, there are real advances in scientific research and, at present, heptral is indeed the most popular drug of this kind. But when prescribing this drug in most patients, the question arises - is it possible to find an analog of heptral on the pharmaceutical market, comparable with it in terms of its mechanism of action and clinical effects and more affordable.
Heptral - clinical effects and comparison with other hepatoprotectors
The active ingredient of heptral is ademethionine - an amino acid of the human body that has a direct effect on the metabolism in the liver and brain cells, and the introduction of this drug not only introduces an additional amount of amino acid into the body, but also stimulates its production by the liver cells, due to which it detoxifies. regenerating, antioxidant, neuroprotective and antifibrinizing action. In the pharmacy network, the drug is in two dosage forms - heptral injections for intramuscular or intravenous administration and heptral tablets for oral administration.
The domestic heptral analog is heptor, but this drug is presented on the pharmaceutical market only in the form of tablets for oral administration. Its cost is much lower than the cost of the original drug, but this drug can not even be attributed to heptral generics - in it the chemical formula of the original substance is not fully reproduced. The heptral contains a more active levorotatory isomer of ademethionine, while the heptor contains the levorotatory isomer, the activity of which is somewhat less. In a sense, methionine itself can be considered as an analog of heptral, but taking this drug for patients with impaired liver function is generally useless - an effective metabolism of methionine in liver failure is impossible, and this is often used only by novice bodybuilders. In the treatment of patients with damage to liver cells of any origin, if possible, it is necessary to use not the heptral analog, but the original drug.
Recommended application
In any case, especially if the patient is in a serious condition, treatment with this medicine should be started with the use of the Heptral preparation intramuscularly or intravenously - the solution of the drug decomposes very quickly in the light, therefore, it is prepared by mixing two components (dry powder and a special solvent) immediately before use. Simultaneously with the parenteral administration of this drug, it is necessary to start taking adenomethionine inside - if possible, use the original drug or an analog of heptral, for which there is no form for injection. The patient himself can choose which medicine he will use for treatment, but the duty of the doctor and the pharmacist is to explain that the difference in the clinical effects of heptral and heptor is noticeable, especially in the treatment of severe liver lesions.
The duration of treatment with the drug largely depends on at what stage of the disease treatment was started - you must always remember that this drug has the maximum effect at the early start of treatment. In this case, a complete restoration of liver function is possible, but treatment must be repeated to maintain the achieved result. In the treatment of severe forms of liver failure, it is not necessary to expect a complete restoration of liver functions, but the general condition of the patient is significantly improved.