In medical practice, there are cases when instead of the usual antibiotics from the category of ampicillins and cephalosporins, macrolides are prescribed. Josamycin is one such drug. It is considered a backup option and is prescribed quite rarely, only in cases of serious illness or the characteristics of an individual patient.
Structure
According to the instructions for use, josamycin is a macrolide antibiotic. The drug is an antibacterial agent of natural origin, which is a product of the synthesis of actinomycete fungi.
Josamycin contains the active component josamycin, as well as excipients.
The properties
It is a drug with a bacteriostatic effect. The tool inhibits the growth and active reproduction of pathogenic microflora, but does not destroy harmful microorganisms. The effectiveness of josamycin is due to a violation at the cellular level of protein production by bacteria. The drug shows a high degree of activity against pathogenic bacteria such as:
1. Gram - positive - staphylococci, streptococci, anthrax and diphtheria pathogens.
2. Gram - negative - hemophilic bacillus, gonococcus, legionella, bordetella.
3. Atypical microorganisms - mycoplasmas, chlamydia, etc.
As indicated by the instructions for use with Josamycin, after taking the drug, the active component rapidly penetrates the blood plasma and reaches its maximum concentration. The drug has the ability to accumulate in saliva, lungs, sweat and lacrimal glands. The transformation occurs in the liver, after which the drug is excreted in the intestinal lumen with bile. In addition, a small amount of the drug is metabolized by the kidneys and excreted in the urine and feces.
Indications for use
In accordance with the instructions for use, "Josamycin", as an antibiotic, can be prescribed for the treatment of inflammatory diseases localized in different systems and organs, including:
1. Infectious pathologies of ENT organs and upper respiratory tract, such as laryngitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, otitis media, paratonsillar abscess type.
2. As part of complex therapy, an antibiotic is prescribed for the treatment of diphtheria.
3. Infections encountered in childhood, such as scarlet fever and whooping cough.
4. Pathologies of the lower respiratory tract, including pneumonia, bronchitis, provoked by atypical microflora.
5. Infectious pathologies of the skin and subcutaneous tissue - carbuncles, boils, abscesses, lymphangitis, phlegmon, lymphadenitis, etc.
6. Infections of the urinary system - cystitis, urethritis, cervicitis, prostatitis.
7. Peptic ulcer, gastroduodenitis, gastritis, provoked by Helicobacter pylori.
The list of indications of josamycin is quite extensive.
The medication is quite common in the treatment of pathologies provoked by the defeat of Helicobacter pylori. The drug is often included in complex therapy, along with other antibiotics and antisecretory drugs.
Instructions for use "Josamycin"
The standard treatment regimen involves a dosage for children over 14 years old and adult patients at a rate of 1-2 grams per day, taken two or three times. The dosage is selected for each patient, taking into account the severity of the disease and the patient’s body weight.
In the treatment of pathologies of ENT organs of an infectious nature, the following dosages are prescribed:
1. 500 mg of josamycin three times a day or 1000 mg in the morning and evening.
2. In cases of severe disease, the dosage can be increased to 3 g per day.
Tablets are taken after meals and washed down with a little water.
During pregnancy
The instructions do not give direct instructions for the appointment of josamycin during pregnancy. However, manufacturers claim that this is the only antibiotic safe for the fetus and the expectant mother. The drug is also suitable for use during lactation.
Studies of the drug showed that it does not have mutagenic, teratogenic, fetotoxic and embryotoxic effects. However, even studies conducted suggest an assessment of the possible risks before prescribing the drug to a pregnant or lactating woman. Josamycin does not have a cardiotoxic effect, so heart rhythm disturbances can be avoided.
Contraindications
Josamycin is contraindicated in the following situations:
1. Hypersensitivity to macrolide antibiotics.
2. The weight of the child is less than 10 kilograms.
3. Intolerance to the components of the drug.
4. Severe kidney or liver failure.
Adverse reactions
Most often, undesirable reactions arise from the digestive system. Side effects are accompanied by indigestion, bloating, soreness in the abdomen, constipation or diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
Allergic reactions to the drug in the form of urticaria, itching and angioedema are less common. With prolonged use of elevated doses of the drug, pseudomembranous type colitis may develop. However, this pathological process is eliminated independently after the medication is canceled and does not require specific treatment.
Analogues of Josamycin
The domestic pharmaceutical market offers a full-fledged replacement for Josamycin, represented by the preparations Vilprafen and Vilprafen Solutab. Moreover, unlike the original drug, the analogue is produced in the form of a suspension. Josamycin is often asked in pharmacies in this particular form.
Vilprafen tablets are produced in a dosage of 500 and 1000 mg. The difference between conventional tablets and the form of solutab is in the method of delivery of the active component and the prolonged action of the drug.
Josamycin in this case acts as an active component and is produced in acid-resistant shells. Thus, it is possible to achieve dissolution of the membrane in the intestine, which ensures effective absorption of the drug. This applies to Vilprafen in tablet form. If we talk about Wilprafen Solutab, then in it the active component is divided into microparticles, each of which is equipped with a shell. Thus, it is possible to achieve a gradual release of josamycin in the intestinal environment. Therefore, in the solutab form, tablets are taken once a day, while they can be crushed and chewed.
The following drugs are considered to be closest in chemical properties to Josamycin:
1. "Clarithromycin."
2. "Levofloxacin."
The listed analogues of "Josamycin" differ in the spectrum of action and situations in which they are prescribed, therefore, before use, you should consult a specialist and carefully study the instructions.
The original drug costs about 600 rubles per pack with 10 tablets of 500 mg. The average price of Vilprafen is the same.
Reviews
"Josamycin" is often used in practical medicine. This is a potent antibacterial agent that can cope with many pathological processes provoked by the active reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms.
Doctors respond well to the drug, especially emphasizing the extensive list of bacteria against which josamycin is active. The drug has proven itself in the treatment of bronchitis, pneumonia, kidneys and ENT organs.
Another area of application of the drug is the treatment of syphilis and lymphogranulomas of venereal origin. Many experts consider the drug "Josamycin" one of the most effective antibiotics in the modern pharmaceutical market.
Patients respond differently to the use of the drug. However, they confirm the high degree of effectiveness of the drug in the treatment of many bacterial lesions of the body in both adults and children. While taking the drug, many noted a decrease in the severity of symptoms accompanying infectious diseases in the early days of the use of "Josamycin". Also, some patients say that when taken at the initial stage of the development of the pathology, the disease proceeded in a milder form.
Despite the pronounced therapeutic effect of taking "Josamycin", in some cases, adverse reactions of the body were observed in patients. The most common complication when taking an antibiotic is intestinal dysbiosis. For this reason, anyone who takes Josamycin is advised to use probiotics. This will help to avoid unpleasant digestive disorders of a dyspeptic nature. Allergy to the drug is rare, and is most often observed in children.