Diseases of a viral nature are quite common in the winter. However, these ailments are not always commonplace colds. We can talk about intestinal infections and herpetic pathologies. Most often, in such complex cases, the drug “Arbidol” is prescribed. The reviews of doctors and specialists are almost unanimous - this medication will save you from viral infection in both adults and children.
Is this really so? Let's understand and get acquainted with real reviews about “Arbidol”. Instructions for the use of tablets and other forms of drug release will also be presented in this article.
What is this drug? What are its contraindications and side effects? All this can be found in the information below. The analogs of “Arbidol” will also be described. The reviews of patients and specialists will help determine whether it is worth trusting this remedy or is it better to choose another medicine.
Most importantly, release forms
It is this factor that indicates which category of patients the drug is intended for - for adults or for children. The instructions for use of “Arbidol” and reviews about this drug are unanimous - it is best to use a suspension to treat babies. However, before using it, you must cook it yourself. How to do this will be discussed below. According to reviews, the instructions for use for children's “Arbidol” describe in detail the algorithm of actions for preparing a sweet therapeutic syrup.
So, what is this form of drug release? This is a white granular powder, the weight of which is strictly regulated by the annotation to the drug - 37 grams. The powder is inside a glass bottle whose capacity is 125 milliliters. A label is placed on the wall of the bottle, which indicates a certain level - one hundred milliliters. This is written in the instructions for the children's “Arbidol”. According to reviews, the suspension has a white color with a yellow or cream tint. Its pleasant fruity aroma and sweet enough flavor makes the drug acceptable for young children. In this review, the Arbidol syrup is almost unanimous.
And what about the main form of drug release? Most often it is used to treat adults. According to reviews, “Arbidol” in tablets and capsules can be given to children from the age of six. Does the instructions for use confirm this information? We will find out about this a little later. However, first, let's pay enough attention to the composition of the drug, especially its active component.
The active substance of the drug
Regardless of the form of release, the active component of the drug is umifenovir monohydrate hydrochloride. This is a complex chemical substance developed by scientists of the Soviet Union. According to numerous data, the opinions of specialists about Arbidol are contradictory.
The intrigue around the drug
According to some information, it is not fully understood how umifenovir affects the human body. Moreover, according to various sources, the drug itself was not subjected to the necessary clinical trials that would confirm its effectiveness and safety.
However, in this matter, information about the medication is also contradictory. Officially confirmed that the necessary studies have been carried out. Moreover, the drug is considered an important and necessary drug for life, therefore it is actively used in the treatment of viral ailments not only in the CIS countries, but also in China.
As mentioned above, the medication is available in three forms. You can learn about each of them from the information presented below.
Capsule composition
This form of the drug is available in two dosages - fifty and one hundred milligrams of the active substance. Capsules are painted in two colors - white and yellow, in each of them a mixture of granules and powder of light yellow shades is enclosed.
Excipients are potato starch (about thirty milligrams), microcrystalline cellulose (a little more than 55 milligrams), colloidal silicon dioxide and calcium stearate (two milligrams each), povidone (almost ten milligrams).
What is the capsule shell composed of? This is very important to know, especially for people with allergies. The composition of the hard shell is quinoline dye, gelatin, titanium dioxide. Acetic acid, methyl parahydroxybenzoate and propyl parahydroxybenzoate may also be added.
Composition of the tablets
This form of the drug is also available in a dosage of fifty and one hundred milligrams of umifenovir. The tablets have a rounded biconvex shape and are painted white (with a slight yellowish or greenish tint).
Additional components are titanium dioxide, macrogol 4000, potato starch, hypromellose, croscarmellose sodium, povidone, microcrystalline cellulose, polysorbate 80 and calcium stearate.
Suspension composition
It is clear that many parents are most interested in what is part of Arbidol for children. According to reviews, the product has a pleasant taste and aroma, so the kids use it almost without problems. But is it harmful? Judge for yourself.
The dosage of umifenovir in five milliliters of finished syrup is 25 milligrams. Additional components are sucrose, silicon dioxide, sucralose, sodium chloride, maltodextrin, starch, flavorings and sodium benzoate. Such information is contained in the instructions for the children's “Arbidol”. Reviews of manufacturers about the product assure parents that it is effective for treating small patients. However, there is a condition - the drug should be taken only as directed by the attending physician in accordance with the instructions for use.
So, we familiarized ourselves with the release form of Arbidol. Information will be presented below regarding the pharmacological characteristics of the main component of the drug.
Impact on diseases
What effect does the active substance get into the human body? Since Arbidol is an antiviral agent, it is able to suppress viruses that cause diseases such as influenza, SARS and others. First of all, these are the causative agents of influenza B and A, as well as rhinovirus, coronavirus, adenovirus and so on. This information is contained in the instructions for Arbidol. Reviews about the drug will be presented below.
The antiviral effect is achieved due to the fact that umifenovir binds to special pathogen proteins called hemagglutinins, thereby preventing the fusion of the virus with the cells of the human body. As a result of this merger, the inflammatory process manifests itself. However, thanks to Arbidol, the interaction between the virus and cellular structures does not occur. The causative agent simply circulates through the circulatory system, and after some time it dies.
However, these are not all the pharmacological properties of Arbidol. Reviews of doctors indicate another feature of the drug. It is able to stimulate the body's immune system, thereby increasing its protective function. This is due to the fact that umifenovir activates phagocytosis and promotes the accelerated production of interferon protein, which is known to be responsible for the development of immune responses and the destruction of harmful microorganisms.
Reviews about “Arbidol” (tablets, capsules and suspensions) are rather controversial regarding its pharmacological effect on the body. According to one source, the drug does not reduce the duration of the course of the disease. However, a number of studies prove that umifenovir can not only reduce symptoms and prevent the development of complications, but also shorten the recovery period and even prevent the development of a viral infection if the drug is used in the early stages of the onset of the inflammatory process.
One more feature of the drug should also be mentioned - it is able to have a detoxifying effect due to the blocking of the damage process that viruses have on healthy cells. Due to this, the decay products that occur at the site of damaged cells are significantly reduced in quantity.
Pharmacokinetic properties of the drug
Umifenovir is rapidly absorbed into the blood from the organs of the gastrointestinal tract. After one and a half hours, its maximum concentration in plasma is reached. Thanks to this, the substance is actively distributed throughout the tissues and cells of the body, achieving a fairly quick effect.
Umifenovir breaks down in the liver. Its half-life is twenty hours. Most of the drug is excreted through bile and very small - through the kidneys. During the first days after taking the medication, ninety percent of its active substance leaves the body.
At what ailments is the use of Arbidol justified? The reviews of patients and specialists will help us identify a specific list of diseases for the treatment of which this antiviral drug is used.
In which cases a remedy is prescribed
What are the indications for the use of the medication? First of all, the drug is prescribed as a prophylaxis of influenza, as well as SARS. However, to achieve the effect, it is necessary to start taking the drug as soon as possible, preferably before the first symptoms of the disease appear. This is confirmed by numerous reviews of patients who managed to prevent the disease due to the timely initiation of antiviral therapy.
The drug is also used for the complex treatment of rotavirus (or acute intestinal infections). In combination with other medicines, it can be taken to treat pneumonia, bronchitis, herpes.
Of no small importance is the fact that “Arbidol” is prescribed for prophylactic purposes after surgical interventions to prevent possible infections.
How to use the drug to achieve maximum effect? Instructions for use "Arbidol" explains that the dosage depends, first of all, on the form of the disease and the age of the patient.
How is the treatment of adults
First, let's talk about how to help adult patients overcome various ailments with the help of a medication. Most often, a dosage of “Arbidol” of 100 mg is used to treat patients over twelve years of age. Reviews show that for the treatment of children from two to twelve years old, it is better to use a suspension.
So, how to take the drug according to the instructions? For more accurate recommendations regarding the schedule of administration and dosage, it is better to consult your doctor who, based on the clinical picture, will be able to prescribe the most accurate treatment regimen.
However, general information about the use of the drug can be found by carefully studying the annotation to the tool.
According to the manufacturer’s recommendations, for preventive purposes, “Arbidol” should be taken depending on the situation. For example, with regular contact with a patient suffering from influenza or respiratory diseases, the drug should be taken once a day for two hundred milligrams (that is, two tablets with a dosage of one hundred milligrams). The course of preventive therapy is two weeks. If we are talking about inconsistent contact with people infected with a viral infection, for example, during a mass epidemic of acute respiratory infections or influenza, you should use the same amount of medication once a day. However, this must be done not every day, but after two to a third. The duration of the drug is three weeks. According to the same scheme, the development of bronchitis and herpetic infection should be prevented.
If it is a question of preventing the development of postoperative infection, then the attending physician may prescribe Arbidol in the amount of two hundred milligrams two days before the intended intervention, as well as two and five days after the manipulation.
And what about the treatment of adult patients and adolescents from twelve years old? With a mild course of influenza, acute respiratory infections, or acute respiratory viral infections, you must take two hundred milligrams of umifenovir every six hours (that is, four times a day). The duration of therapy is at least five days.
With bronchitis, pneumonia, laryngitis and other viral infections of a cold nature, treatment should be carried out according to the above scheme. However, on the sixth day, the drug is not canceled, but the number of doses is simply reduced. From now on, two hundred milligrams of “Arbidol” should be taken once every seven days and so on for four weeks.
If the patient is worried about the development of chronic bronchitis or herpes infection, then the first seven days it will be necessary to take the drug two hundred milligrams every six hours. Then the same dosage should be taken once a day every two days. The course will last four weeks. Treatment with Arbidol in this case should be comprehensive.
In the acute course of rotavirus infection in the intestine, the medication is taken according to the scheme corresponding to the treatment of mild influenza and SARS.
Small patients and tablet formulations
It has already been mentioned above, for the treatment of children under twelve years of age, Arbidol in suspension is best suited. Reviews show that it is easiest for babies to swallow a liquid drug than its solid tablet counterpart.
And yet, children from six to twelve years old can well take "Arbidol" in capsules or tablets. What dosage should be followed in this case? It all depends on the disease. The attending physician will write to your child the best treatment regimen that would suit him in all respects. Instructions for use of the medication contain only general information regarding the treatment of children.
So, as a prophylaxis of influenza or acute respiratory infections, when a child is in close contact with a sick person, one hundred milligrams of Arbidol is prescribed once a day for two weeks. As a prevention of respiratory ailments during the period of mass epidemics, as well as in order to prevent the development of herpes or chronic bronchitis, this drug can be prescribed to the baby one hundred milligrams every two days.
If the child needs surgical intervention, then “Arbidol” can be prescribed for preventive purposes two days before the manipulation, as well as two days later, and then another three days later. A single dose of umifenovir is one hundred milligrams.
If we are talking about the treatment of viral ailments, then the drug is prescribed for children, depending on the type of disease:
- Influenza, ARI or ARVI - one hundred milligrams every six hours (that is, four times a day) for five days.
- Pneumonia, bronchitis or laryngitis - one hundred milligrams four times a day. the course of therapy is five days. starting from the sixth day - one hundred milligrams once a week.
- Exacerbation of chronic bronchitis or herpes. In this case, “Arbidol” is administered in a complex manner, one tablet per hundred milligrams four times a day. The duration of treatment is about a week. Then the drug is taken one hundred milligrams per day every two days. And so for four weeks.
- Severe rotavirus infections - one hundred milligrams every six hours. The course lasts five days.
Small patients and the liquid form of the drug
The manufacturer recommends that children from two to six years old take a suspension. The dosage and treatment regimen is usually prescribed by the pediatrician, however, in the instructions for use of the drug, you can find general recommendations regarding the administration of the drug.
A single dose of umifenovir for babies two to six years old is fifty milligrams, that is, ten milliliters of the finished suspension. Children from six to twelve years of age at one time are prescribed one hundred milligrams of the active substance (i.e. twenty milliliters of syrup).
The dosage regimen depends primarily on the disease itself. For the prevention of seasonal epidemics of SARS or influenza, the course of treatment lasts three weeks (twice a day). A similar treatment regimen can also be recommended if the child is in direct contact with the patient.
With influenza and other respiratory ailments, treatment with Arbidol is supposed four times a day for five days. This treatment regimen should be followed in the treatment of complex rotavirus infections.
If the child has coronavirus (the so-called SARS syndrome), the drug is recommended to be taken once a day for two weeks.
General rules for taking the drug
When is the best time to take the medicine? The manufacturer recommends taking the medicine immediately before eating. The tablets should be swallowed without chewing, washed down with a small amount of water (about a half glass). It is not necessary to wash down the suspension.
How to prepare a liquid preparation
Everything is very simple. The water should be boiled and cooled to room temperature. , . ( , ). , .
, . , .
. .
. – . , , , .
Caution in use
. , . , . , .
, . , , , “” .
, , .
Adverse reactions
, “” . , – , , , , , . - , .
, “” , .
Regarding an overdose of Arbidol, we can say with confidence that no such cases have been recorded. If you exceeded the norm of umifenovir and felt unwell, you should rinse your stomach, take activated charcoal and, possibly, call an ambulance.
Can I take the drug to those who engage in activities that require increased attention and speed of reaction? Yes. According to the instructions, the medication does not affect the nervous or mental system of a person.
Useful storage tips
Regarding the storage of the product by the manufacturer, the following recommendations are given:
- expiration date - three years;
- temperature - not higher than 25 degrees;
- a place inaccessible to children and protected from sunlight.
Important information - the cost of funds
What can we say about the price of the antiviral medicine that interests us? The average price of “Arbidol” in a dosage of fifty milligrams varies within 150 rubles per ten tablets. A drug with a dosage of the active substance in one hundred milligrams will cost more - up to 250 rubles for ten tablets. And what about the powder for the preparation of syrup? Its average cost does not exceed three hundred rubles per package.
Drug Substitutes
If this drug does not suit you for some reason, you can use its analogues. Reviews about “Arbidol” indicate that the drug quite often caused negative reactions from the body, so patients had to replace it with another.
Before discussing analogues of the drug, it is necessary to mention another form of its release. This is Arbidol Maximum. Reviews of this tool show that it differs from the product of interest to us only in dosage. The amount of active substance in the composition of each capsule is two hundred milligrams. Many patients claim that it is very convenient to use this drug in treatment. Since to take a booster dose of umifenovir, only one capsule should be swallowed, and not two, as is the case with simple “Arbidol”.
So, what is the replacement of the drug if its composition is not suitable for the patient? You can use the following recommendations:
- Kagocel tablets.
- Amizon tablets.
- The drug "Groprinosin."
- Oxolinic ointment.
- Gel, suppository or Panovir injection.
- The drug "Proteflazit."
- Tilaxin tablets.
- The drug “Remantidine.
The medicines mentioned above differ from each other in the composition and form of release. Therefore, they have various contraindications and side effects, as well as recommendations regarding their use. It is clear that only the attending physician is entitled to prescribe these drugs as a substitute for Arbidol.
Real reviews
So we moved on to the most interesting. What do real patients who have been prescribed “Arbidol” say? In short, not everyone is delighted with this tool. Although there are many positive and even enthusiastic reviews about the drug, unfortunately, it does not help everyone. Yes, a medication can help prevent the development of an ailment or it can contribute to a speedy recovery, but this does not always happen and not with everyone.
Many people admit that the course of treatment with Arbidol turned out to be a waste of money and valuable time for them, when it was possible to take another antiviral medication with a more effective effect.
Moreover, some people share that the remedy not only did not bring them benefits, but even caused harm in the form of side effects. Among them, patients list fever, rash, and more.
Unfortunately, people call the drug a dummy or a placebo drug. Others are scared of information flying over the Internet about allegedly negative experimental studies of this medication.
And yet, against the backdrop of this negative, there are real cases when the drug helped someone to overcome an unpleasant disease and recover. Also, real cases were noted when the medication showed its effectiveness as a prophylactic.
As you can see, “Arbidol”, despite the assurances of manufacturers and some experts, has rather controversial reviews. Therefore, to use it with a viral infection or not - it's up to you! Do not trust the advice of friends and the Internet. See a doctor. And then your recovery will come quickly and without complications.
We examined the instructions for use of the drug for adults and for children. Reviews on Arbidol have also been reviewed.