Many people often lead not quite the right way of life - they often drink, eat fatty and spicy foods, move a little. These habits can lead to serious liver problems over time. To restore her work, doctors prescribe a considerable amount of drugs. One such remedy is Karsil tablets. Instructions, analogues and reviews about this drug we will consider in detail in our article.
Release form and composition
First of all, it is worth noting that this drug is a herbal, therefore, it is easily tolerated by all body systems. They release it in the form of dragees and capsules. Judging by the reviews, the medicine has a low cost - about 300-500 rubles per package. The price may vary depending on the number of tablets in one pack, as well as on the region.
The instruction "Karsila" indicates that the main active ingredient in its composition are milk thistle fruits, presented in the form of a dry extract. In one tablet it contains 35 mg. Capsules have a large dosage - 163-225 mg. Dragees are available in the form of biconvex pills, covered with a soluble brown coating. Inside it is white matter. The composition also includes additional components: sodium bicarbonate, magnesium stearate, talc, wheat starch and some others.
Capsules are pills in a hard gelatin shell. Their color is light brown and their size is No. 0. Inside the shell is a yellow (and sometimes tan) powder, which also contains agglomerates. Among the additional components, it is worth highlighting lactose monohydrate, wheat starch, silicon dioxide, microcrystalline lactose and others. The capsule shell itself consists of oxides of black, red and yellow iron, titanium dioxide and, accordingly, gelatin itself.
They produce dragees and capsules in cardboard packages. The tablets themselves, of course, are packed in protective blisters. When you buy the drug in a pharmacy, you will not be required to get a prescription. In addition, the shelf life of dragees is 24 months, and capsules - 3 years.
The main indications for use
As mentioned above, the drug is prescribed for various liver diseases. But which ones? To begin with, we note that it is still not recommended to start taking it spontaneously - only a doctor should prescribe pills. The instructions for the "Karsil" medication indicate that specialists prescribe it if the patient has the following pathologies:
- any toxic damage to the liver, for example, its alcoholic or drug damage, as well as intoxication of the organ with heavy metal compounds;
- acute hepatitis, as well as the drug is taken to restore the liver after this disease;
- chronic hepatitis - the drug supports the proper functioning of the liver for a long time;
- cirrhosis of the liver - at the same time, the medicine is prescribed only as part of complex therapy, since the drug will not be able to cope with this disease on its own;
- fatty liver or dystrophy of the liver;
- lipid metabolism disorders - with the help of a medicine, pathology cannot be cured, but they can be corrected.
As a prophylactic, Karsil can be prescribed to patients who have been taking medications that are difficult for the liver or alcohol for a long time. However, the dosage in this case should be prescribed by the attending physician.
Who should not take this remedy?
Despite the fact that the drug is a herbal medicine, it is impossible for everyone to take it. The “Karsila” instruction for the liver describes a small number of contraindications, however you should not ignore them in order not to aggravate the condition of your liver. First, of course, the drug should not be taken by patients who are hypersensitive to milk thistle extract or any other component that is part of it. Do not prescribe a medicine for acute poisoning.
Capsules are not recommended for patients with lactase deficiency or glucose malabsorption syndrome, since they contain a lot of lactose. With caution and only under the supervision of the attending physician, the drug is taken by patients suffering from any hormonal disorders, for example, from endometriosis.
What side effects may occur when taking it?
Both doctors and patients note that the drug is fairly well tolerated by the body, and side effects rarely occur when taken. However, when unpleasant symptoms appear, it is better to refuse treatment for them. As a rule, symptoms quickly disappear within a few hours, but with a serious deterioration in well-being, it is better to consult a doctor.
The instruction "Karsila" indicates that when taken in a patient, diarrhea can be diagnosed, which occurs due to the increased work of the liver and gall bladder. In individual cases, there is a feeling of nausea, flatulence, dyspepsia, and a steady decrease in appetite is also observed. From the side of the nervous system, disturbances in the functioning of the vestibular apparatus may occur.
The possible occurrence of allergic reactions should not be ruled out. Often it is a skin itch or rash that disappears after taking it. In isolated cases, anaphylactic shock was diagnosed - with extremely strong hypersensitivity to milk thistle extract.
The drug "Karsil": instructions for use
You need to use the drug at the dosage prescribed by your doctor. The tablets are taken orally, washed down with a substantial amount of clean and cool water. At the same time, it is previously forbidden to bite or chew them. Capsules are also taken whole with the shell, without opening it before administration. Many patients also wonder when to use Carsil. Before or after a meal? The instructions for use indicate that it is preferable to do this before eating, that is, on an empty stomach.
Depending on the disease, the dosage of the drug also changes. For the treatment of severe liver pathologies, for example, cirrhosis, appointments of four tablets 3 times a day. Capsules need to be taken less, since the active substance in them contains more. With similar symptoms, 1 capsule is prescribed 3 times a day. In the treatment of milder diseases, the dose can be reduced to 1-2 capsules per day. The number of dragees in this case is also reduced. The instruction "Karsila" recommends drinking 1-2 tablets 3 times a day. The entire course of treatment usually lasts for three months. As a prophylaxis, sometimes they take 1-2 tablets per day.
Consequences of an overdose
The instructions of “Karsila” indicate that serious consequences in case of an overdose are usually not observed. However, if you inadvertently took an increased dose, doctors recommend immediately inducing vomiting to clear the stomach. After this, you can take activated carbon. If the patient's health after these actions still worsens, it is better to immediately contact your doctor. As a rule, they prescribe symptomatic therapy until the drug is independently excreted from the body.
The use of the drug during pregnancy and in childhood
It is worth noting that a softer and safer option for the drug is the dragee. It can be used for children over 5 years old. But it is better for pregnant women to refuse to take any form of the drug, since it has not yet been fully studied how its composition affects the fetus developing in the womb. Sometimes he is still prescribed if the doctor is sure that his benefit to the mother will exceed the possible risk to the embryo. The same goes for lactating women.
Capsules "Karsila" instruction does not recommend taking children under 12 years old. Pregnant and lactating women are not allowed to prescribe them at all.
Can I use the drug in conjunction with other medicines?
The drug is quite easily tolerated by the body, so doctors often allow it to be taken along with other medications. "Karsil" does not affect the nervous system, so it can be used by car drivers and people engaged in mental work. However, while taking it with oral contraceptives, it can reduce their effectiveness.
The main analogues of the drug
Spotted milk thistle extract is a fairly common liver treatment. Therefore, there are many analogues of "Karsil". The instruction for its use still does not recommend arbitrarily changing one drug to another without consulting a doctor. It is better to choose the right remedy together, taking into account all the possible contraindications. The most popular analogues of "Karsil" are the following drugs:
- Hepalex
- Legalon;
- Darsil
- Heparsil
- Silimar and others.
Positive drug reviews
As a rule, both patients and their doctors respond very positively about this remedy. They note its effectiveness, affordability and low cost. In reviews, people write that the drug is well tolerated, practically does not cause side effects. And with regular admission, after a few days, a relief is felt. At the same time, doctors note that non-serious diseases of the liver can be restored in 1 course of taking pills. Also an advantage is the fact that the drug can be used for prevention. Judging by the reviews, it almost does not adversely affect the state of other body systems.
Negative reviews
However, of course, this was not without drawbacks. Some patients nevertheless noted the appearance of unpleasant side effects after starting treatment, for example, bitterness in the mouth, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain. People also did not like that, due to the small size of the tablets, they have to take several at a time, which is not very convenient and economical. Doctors in the reviews mention that this drug is now considered obsolete, since there are many more modern and effective hepatoprotectors on the drug market. In addition, they include the long course of treatment among the disadvantages of Karsila. Other drugs, in their opinion, are able to cope with similar problems in a shorter time.
Thus, we can say that the drug is an effective and safe tool that helps to cope with many liver diseases. The instructions and reviews about “Karsil” presented in the article will help you learn more about this medicine, but you need to remember that only your doctor should prescribe it anyway.