Not all drugs that are prescribed to adults are allowed to be used by young children and adolescents. This is due, first of all, to the fact that the child’s body has not yet fully matured, and drugs can adversely affect his health.
Today we will tell you about the Ingavirin medicine. Is it a child's drug or not? You will also find out what is part of the mentioned medicine, how it should be taken, what properties it has, etc.
Description, composition, packaging and form of release of the medication
The drug "Ingavirin" is made in the form of capsules of size No. 2. They have a blue (30 mg) and red (90 mg) color, as well as a gelatin shell. The contents of this product are powder and granules of white or cream color.
The active component of the drug in question is pentanedioic imidazolylethanamide. The following ingredients are also included in the composition of the powder and granules: lactose, colloidal silicon dioxide, potato starch and magnesium stearate. As for the capsule shell, it consists of azorubine, titanium dioxide, dyes and gelatin.
Ingavirin tablets go on sale in blisters and in cardboard packaging, respectively.
Pharmacological characteristics
What is the medicine "Ingavirin"? Is this child's medicine or not? You will find answers to these questions in the materials of this article.
According to the instructions, the drug in question is antiviral. It adversely affects influenza viruses of type B and A, as well as parainfluenza, adenovirus and respiratory syncytial infections.
What is the antiviral principle of the drug “Ingavirin” related to? Children's medication and medicines for adults can suppress virus reproduction during the nuclear phase. This effect is due to a delay in migration from the cytoplasm to the nucleus of the synthesized NP virus.
The agent under consideration is able to exert a modulating effect on the activity of the interferon system, as a result of which its content in the blood rises to a physiological level. Also, this medication normalizes and stimulates the reduced alpha and gamma interferon-producing abilities of blood leukocytes.
One cannot but say that the Ingavirin preparation (60 mg) is capable of causing the generation of cytotoxic lymphocytes and increasing the content of NK-T cells, which have high killer and antiviral activity against cells transformed by viruses.
As for the anti-inflammatory effect of the drug in question, it is due to the ability of the drug to suppress the production of key pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, TNF-a and IL-6, as well as reduce the activity of myeloperoxidase.
Drug features
What is the therapeutic effectiveness of Ingavirin? The composition of this tool is such that with influenza, as well as other acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI), it helps to shorten the period of the fever and reduce toxic effects such as headaches, weakness and dizziness.
Also, the medication in question reduces catarrhal phenomena, reduces the number of complications and the duration of the disease.
Kinetic parameters of the drug
Is the drug Ingavirin absorbed into the bloodstream? The instruction (the price of this medicine is not very high) states that when using the drug in the doses recommended by the doctor, it is absorbed quite quickly.
The active ingredient of the drug quickly enters the systemic circulation from the digestive tract, and then is evenly distributed throughout all organs.
The maximum concentration of the drug in the blood is noted 35 minutes after taking it.
This drug is not metabolized in the body and is excreted from it unchanged for 24 hours (along with feces and urine).
Indications for use of oral capsules
What diseases prescribe a drug such as Ingavirin? The use of this antiviral drug is indicated for:
- prevention and treatment of influenza type B and A;
- other acute respiratory viral infections (e.g., parainfluenza, respiratory syncytial infections, adenovirus infections).
Contraindications to taking the medication
Is there a drug like Ingavirin Children's? The instruction says that this tool is forbidden to give to young children, as well as adolescents under the age of 18 years. Therefore, it is impossible to find such a medicine in a pharmacy.
It should also be noted that the medication in question is forbidden to take with:
- the presence of allergies to any ingredient in the drug;
- pregnancy.
The drug "Ingavirin": instructions
The price of this medication is presented at the end of the article. It should be taken only inside, regardless of food intake.
For the treatment of influenza and SARS, the drug "Ingavirin" in a dosage of 90 mg must be taken for 6-7 days once a day. To achieve a better therapeutic result, as well as a speedy recovery, it is advisable to start therapy immediately when the first symptoms of the disease appear (no later than 1.5 days after the onset of the disease).
If this drug was prescribed for the prevention of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza, then it should be used in the same dose and with the same multiplicity, that is, 90 mg once a week for a week.
Before starting treatment with Ingavirin, you should definitely consult a doctor. The doctor will tell you how to take it correctly in certain cases.
According to the instructions, the course of therapy with such a drug should not be less than five days.
Side effects
The drug "Ingavirin", the composition of which was presented above, very rarely causes unwanted effects. In some cases, it can contribute to the development of an allergic reaction. This effect of the drug does not require its abolition.
Drug interaction
Is it possible to combine the drug "Ingavirin" with other medicines? The instructions say that this medicine should not be combined with other antiviral agents. The same goes for antibiotics.
Special recommendations
Due to the fact that the drug in question does not have a sedative effect, its use does not affect the patient’s ability to drive vehicles, as well as perform work that requires increased attention.
When taking capsules, it is forbidden to open or chew them.
Similar funds and the cost of the drug "Ingavirin"
Children's antiviral medication "Arbidol" may well serve as a substitute for the medication we are considering. He also has the following analogues: Amizon, Amiksin, Kagocel, Lavomax.
Many patients think about which of the following drugs is better? Compared with Arbidol, people taking Ingavirin had a much faster decrease in body temperature, as well as symptoms of intoxication.
Amiksin can be taken to children from 7 years. Moreover, it is compatible with antibiotics and other medicines. Also, this medication has a wider spectrum of action.
"Kagocel" is also a children's drug. It is allowed to give babies from 3 years. In addition to flu, this medicine is also used for herpes. It can also be combined with other drugs and antibiotics.
Like Ingaverin, Lavomax is prescribed only from the age of 18. However, it has a wider spectrum of action and many contraindications. This medicine is compatible with antibiotics and other medicines.
As you can see, there are a lot of analogues for the drug we are considering. However, they all have their own characteristics. Therefore, before taking them, we recommend that you read the instructions and consult a doctor.
The price of Ingaverina is 400-500 rubles per package. As for its analogues, their cost is much lower. In this regard, many patients prefer to replace it with cheaper means. Although experts do not recommend this. Indeed, "Ingaverin" has virtually no contraindications and does not cause side effects.
Antiviral drug reviews
Evaluation of the effectiveness of this tool, patients put an average. Many of them note that after taking this medication, an elevated body temperature decreases quite quickly, and the symptoms of a viral disease are eliminated. However, there are people who leave only negative reviews about Ingaverin. Such reports say that this drug not only does not improve the patient's condition, but also exacerbates it.
By the way, pregnant women often speak about the effectiveness of the drug. Although, when carrying a child, this medication is contraindicated.
Thus, having analyzed all the responses, we can safely conclude that Ingavirin can manifest itself in completely different ways. Therefore, to take it for viral diseases or not should be determined only by the attending physician.
By the way, some patients are interested in the question of whether this medication is an antibiotic. Experts say this is a common antiviral drug, not an antibiotic.