Inflammatory processes caused by various infections cause people a lot of suffering and inconvenience. They become the cause of serious and dangerous diseases of the ENT organs and urinary system, provoke skin rashes and the occurrence of gynecological ailments. Is there a drug that can overcome all these diseases caused by a bacterial infection? Yes.
Quite often, with the diseases mentioned above, doctors prescribe the drug “Unidox Solutab”. Instructions for use of this tool are of interest to many patients. It is about this medication that will be discussed in this article.
What is the drug? What side effects does it cause? What ailments are justified for its use? This information is detailed in the instructions for use of “Unidox Solutab”. However, before finding out what the medicine is prescribed for and how to take it, let's find out what the medicine consists of.
Briefly about the composition
According to the annotation to the drug, “Unidox Solutab” is a broad-spectrum antibiotic. Its main component is a semi-synthetic substance from the tetracycline group, called doxycycline.
The drug is available in the form of tablets. The pills have a rounded shape and a light yellow color. Each tablet contains one hundred milligrams of doxycycline.
Excipients, according to the instructions for use with Unidox Solutab, are microcrystalline cellulose, low substituted hyprolose, saccharin, colloidal anhydrous silicon dioxide, hypromellose, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate.
How does the drug get into the human body?
Pharmacological possibilities
The effect of the use of “Unidox Solutab” is achieved due to the fact that the active substance of the drug has an inhibitory effect on microorganisms that have caused one or another disease. Doxycycline ribosomal membranes located in the cell of the pathogen, and also interferes with the implementation of the processes of RNA synthesis in some pathogens.
According to the instructions for use, “Unidox Solutab” is able to destroy gram-positive (streptococci, staphylococci, etc.), as well as gram-negative bacteria (treponema, klebsiella, salmonella and so on).
And yet, some microorganisms are resistant to doxycycline. Therefore, only the attending physician should prescribe the drug. It is he, on the basis of analyzes, who knows what bacteria caused the disease.
Pharmacokinetic properties
As written in the instructions for use, “Unidox Solutab” is absorbed from the organs of the gastrointestinal tract quite quickly. Two hours after ingestion, the active substance is found in many tissues of the human body (organs, saliva, teeth). However, the substance practically does not enter the cerebrospinal fluid.
By binding to plasma proteins (about 80-95%), doxycycline is evenly distributed throughout the body, exerting an antibacterial effect on the causative agents of the disease.
According to the annotation, the half-life of “Unidox Solutab 100 mg” varies between 12 and 22 hours. It all depends on the individual characteristics of the patient. The drug is excreted unchanged by the kidneys (approximately forty percent) and the intestines (about sixty percent).
In what cases, the doctor prescribes the reception of "Unidox Solutab"?
What diseases do you take pills for?
According to the instructions for use, “Unidox Solutab” is prescribed for infectious and inflammatory ailments of various localization. For example, with diseases of the ENT organs (such as tonsillitis, sinusitis, otitis media), as well as the respiratory system (for example, bronchitis, pharyngitis, lung abscess, tracheitis).
Diseases of the genitourinary system caused by pathogens are also effectively treated with this antibiotic. Such diseases include cystitis, urethritis, prostatitis, pyelonephritis and others.
Doctors also prescribe Unidox Solutab for ureaplasma and other sexually transmitted infections. Gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis should also be mentioned among them.
It is noteworthy that the drug is able to cope with infectious diseases located in the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, provoking dysentery, cholecystitis, diarrhea, cholera, gastroenterocolitis and others.
Ailments such as typhoid, malaria, plague, osteomyelitis, whooping cough, anthrax, peritonitis, sepsis can be treated with Unidox Solutab. Doxycycline can also be prescribed for severe purulent rash or acne.
In some cases, the attending physician may consider it advisable to prescribe an antibiotic for preventive purposes, for example, after surgery to prevent suppuration, and also before visiting a place where an epidemic of malaria is observed.
As you can see, the spectrum of action of the antibiotic is quite wide. However, does this mean that “Unidox Solutab” can be taken indiscriminately? Of course not. Only the attending physician is entitled to prescribe drug therapy. It determines the duration of the course and the daily dosage of doxycycline.
Moreover, the drug has some limitations in use. Which ones?
When can not be used?
Before answering this question, it is necessary to find out what negative effect this antibiotic has. According to studies, doxycycline accumulates in bone tissue, thereby forming insoluble compounds with calcium. Because of this, Unidox Solutab tablets are contraindicated during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Also, they are not recommended for children under eight years of age, when a little man actively develops a skeleton and molars appear.
Also, an antibacterial agent can not be used in treatment if a person is allergic to tetracyclines or any other component that is part of the medication.
In addition, leukopenia, porphyria and serious disorders in the functioning of the kidneys or liver are unequivocal contraindications to the use of the drug.
How should I take an antibiotic to achieve the desired effect?
General rules
Regarding the intake of tablets, the manufacturer recommends using them inside with food. The pill can be swallowed whole or crushed and mixed with a small amount of water. The maximum amount of doxycycline per day for adult patients is 300-600 mg. “Unidox Solutab” is also prescribed for children who have reached the age of eight. In this case, the daily norm of the active substance is calculated as follows: two to four milligrams per kilogram of the child’s weight.
Most often, doctors prescribe two hundred milligrams per day for the treatment of an adult patient. Therapy lasts several days, then the dosage is halved.
Dosage and treatment
First of all, you should know that the individual schedule of taking the drug is determined only by the attending physician. However, the manufacturer, in the annotation to the medication, provided general recommendations regarding the administration of the drug. The schedule of appointments depends on the disease and its severity.
For example, with ureoplasma, chlamydia, endocervicitis and urethritis, a patient is prescribed a drug for seven days, one hundred milligrams twice a day. If a person suffers from gonorrhea or syphilis, then the attending physician can prescribe him the same treatment regimen, however, the course of treatment will be longer - from two to four weeks, depending on the stage of the disease.
With heavy purulent rashes on the skin, the medication is prescribed for one hundred milligrams per day for a long time (from one and a half to three months).
For preventive purposes, “Unidox Solutab” is prescribed one tablet (one hundred milligrams of active substance) two days before departure, during the entire stay in the danger zone and a month after returning home. If a person has surgery, then the drug is taken in the amount of one tablet sixty minutes before the manipulation. After the operation, the patient needs to take two more pills.
Are there any negative reactions when taking the drug? Of course, we will talk about this below.
Overdose
“Unidox Solutab” is a serious antibiotic, therefore it is very important to take it in accordance with the doctor’s prescription. However, through negligence, the patient may take more than necessary.
What symptoms are characteristic of an overdose? First of all, a person will be disturbed by severe nausea, vomiting, headache and diarrhea. The treatment for such an unpleasant condition is gastric lavage. Enterosorbents can also be taken.
And what about the side effects of taking this antibiotic?
Side effects
Taking the drug may be accompanied by unpleasant symptoms. This information is contained in the instructions to Unidox Solutab. Reviews of patients about this tool confirm that antibiotic treatment can be accompanied by unpleasant manifestations.
For example, on the part of the digestive system, negative phenomena such as nausea and even vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, and abdominal pain are possible. More serious diseases are extremely rare and manifest as anorexia, dysphagia, glossitis, increased levels of bilirubin and hepatic transaminases.
The hematopoietic system can also negatively respond to taking an antibiotic by the development of thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, neutropenia.
Many patients, judging by the reviews, have encountered such side effects as a rash on the body, eosinophilia. Very rarely, manifestations of Quincke edema and photosensitization are possible.
Also, many people note that taking Unidox Solutab tablets provoked candidiasis, tinnitus, dizziness, dysbiosis, tachycardia, and lowering blood pressure. Moreover, such unpleasant symptoms as blackening of tooth enamel, brittle bones, hallucinations, difficulty breathing are possible.
As you can see, “Unidox Solutab” is a very serious antibiotic, which only the attending physician has the right to prescribe. In order to avoid overdose and negative consequences, it is necessary to strictly follow the recommendations of a specialist.
Combination with other medicines
It is very important to know about the interaction of the antibiotic with other pharmacological agents. For example, the instructions for use recommend that you do not take doxycycline and medicines based on metal ions at the same time (it can be antacids or iron, calcium or magnesium preparations).
If it is necessary to use the active substance in combination with carbamazepine, barbiturates or phenytoin, it should be borne in mind that such an interaction reduces the antibacterial effect of the drug of interest to us.
Doxycycline is best avoided with other antibiotics (penicillins or cephalosporins). Also, the interaction of the component with colestyramine and colestipol is undesirable, since they reduce its absorption. If joint treatment is necessary, an interval of three hours should be observed between taking the drugs.
When using oral contraceptives containing estrogen, their reliability decreases due to the complex administration with doxycycline. With the joint therapy of the component and anticoagulants, it is necessary to adjust the dosage of the latter. It should also be borne in mind that the simultaneous administration of an antibiotic and retinol increases intracranial pressure.
Is Unidox Solutab compatible with alcohol? Like any antibiotic, it is better not to combine this drug with alcohol-containing drinks. This is very important, since such an interaction can not only reduce the therapeutic effect of taking medications, but also provoke the occurrence of side effects and unpredictable reactions.
Storage Tips
Regarding the storage of the antibiotic, it should be mentioned that it must be preserved at 15-25 degrees Celsius for five years from the date of manufacture of the medication. The drug is best stored in a darkened place inaccessible to children and animals.
What patients say
Many patients note the effectiveness of tablets in the treatment of serious diseases such as ureaplasma, chlamydia, tonsillitis, pneumonia, cystitis and even purulent acne. However, very often consumers in their reviews note that they suffered from side effects of the antibiotic. For example, patients were concerned about nausea, headaches, intestinal problems, and other problems that could be resolved.
It is very rare to find reviews that the drug did not fit the patients, or that it turned out to be generally ineffective. Although such cases are also possible, because Unidox Solutab is not a universal remedy that is fully suitable for treating all people without exception.
Regarding the rules for taking the drug, patients are advised to take it strictly according to the instructions and in accordance with the recommendations of the doctors. Also, people recommend combining this antibiotic with probiotics so as not to cause irreparable harm to the intestines. Moreover, patients are strongly advised to take pills after eating, and not on an empty stomach, as this can provoke severe attacks of nausea and vomiting. Also, many have noticed that the antibiotic of interest to us lowers immunity. Moreover, there is an opinion that it is an outdated medication and, in addition, is capable of causing temporary infertility.
Therefore, accepting “Unidox Solutab” or not is up to you. When making a decision, you can not pay attention only to consumer reviews. It is important to listen to the opinion of a doctor who has experience and inspires confidence, and follow the recommendations of a specialist.
What are the analogues
Due to the fact that the drug has a wide range of contraindications and side effects, it may be necessary to cancel it and switch to other drugs.
What medicines can serve as analogues of Unidox Solutab?
If we talk about a full-fledged analogue, then it acts as “Vibramycin”, the active substance of which is also doxycycline. The drug is available in the form of capsules and has the same indications and contraindications as Unidox Solutab.
Also, one hundred percent analogue of the antibiotic we are interested in is Doxycycline, a drug produced in the form of capsules, tablets, and lyophilisate, which is used to prepare the solution for injection. This tool is used for infectious and inflammatory processes of the respiratory system and ENT organs, such as bronchitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, tracheitis, otitis media and so on. Also, the tool is actively used in the pathology of the genitourinary system (ureaplasma, urethritis, prostatitis, gonorrhea). Infectious diseases of the eyes, skin and soft tissues, gastrointestinal tract and biliary system are also effectively treated with this antibiotic. Often it is used for typhoid, malaria, dysentery, cholera, and so on.
As you can see, “Doxycycline” is a full-fledged substitute for “Unidox Solutab”. However, many patients note that it is tolerated worse than the medication we are interested in.
Among the inexpensive analogues of Unidox Solutab, Oletetrin tablets are distinguished, the active components of which are aleandomycin and tetracycline. Additional substances are magnesium carbonate, calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate, calcium stearate. This antibiotic is prescribed for the same ailments as the drug of interest to us. These medicines have not only a similar spectrum of action, but also the same contraindications and side effects.
“Tigacil” is another antibiotic analogue of “Unidox Solutab”. Its active substance is tigecycline. The drug is an orange powder for the preparation of a solution for injection and infusion. The medication can be prescribed for complicated infections of soft tissues and skin, community-acquired pneumonia, and complicated intra-abdominal infections.
We have reviewed the instructions for the use of Unidox Solutab. Patient reviews and analogues of the drug were also presented to your attention.