In infectious diseases, doctors often prescribe a new generation antibiotic, Unidox. The instruction recommends the use of this tool in inflammatory processes caused by various microorganisms. The drug belongs to the group of tetracyclines and is able to affect a wide range of pathogens. The medicine not only destroys the bacteria, but also prevents their further reproduction.
What is a pill?
The active component of the drug "Unidox" is a tetracycline antibiotic doxycycline. Each tablet contains 100 mg of this substance, and it has an antibacterial effect on the body.
The medicine also contains additional components: magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, hyprolose, lactose monohydrate, colloidal silicon dioxide. These substances do not have a therapeutic effect, but contribute to better absorption of doxycycline.
The medicine is released only in tablet form. In the pharmacy network you can find the preparations "Unidox" and "Unidox solutab". The only difference is that Unidox Solutab tablets can be crushed, dissolved in water and a suspension prepared. This form is convenient in the treatment of children. In all other respects, these drugs are absolutely identical.
The medication looks like round tablets, convex on both sides. The number 173 is engraved on them - this is the drug code.
How does an antibiotic work?
The medicine acts on microorganisms at the cellular level. Doxycycline affects the RNA of harmful bacteria and inhibits the formation of microbial proteins. It is effective against many gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria: streptococci, staphylococci, treponema, salmonella, pathogens of many intestinal and genitourinary infections. In addition, it is able to destroy some of the simplest microorganisms - dysentery amoeba and plasmodium (the causative agent of malaria).
However, with some infections there will be no effect from the use of the Unidox medication. The instruction says that doxycycline does not affect all types of viral and fungal microorganisms, as well as protea, enterococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
"Unidox" does not adversely affect the natural microflora of the digestive system and does not reduce immunity.
What diseases are prescribed?
If the patient is diagnosed with an infectious disease, the causative agent of which is susceptible to doxycycline, then the doctor may prescribe the use of Unidox tablets. The use of an antibiotic is indicated for the following pathologies:
- otolaryngic infectious diseases (otitis media, sinusitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis, nasopharyngitis);
- pathologies of the respiratory system caused by bacteria: bronchitis, pneumonia, tracheitis, lung abscess;
- gastrointestinal infections: gastroenteritis, cholecystitis, cholangitis, bacterial and amoebic dysentery, yersiniosis;
- sexually transmitted diseases: syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, inguinal and venereal granuloma;
- chlamydial infection of the eyes (trachoma);
- tick-borne borreliosis (Lyme disease) ;
- whooping cough;
- sepsis;
- osteomyelitis;
- brucellosis;
- skin infections, acne;
- after surgery to prevent purulent infection;
- genitourinary diseases caused by bacteria: cystitis, urethritis, endometritis, prostatitis, cervicitis, salpingo-oophoritis.
These are the most common indications for the administration of the Unidox antibiotic. In addition, the drug is effective against especially dangerous infections and imported tropical diseases, such as:
- cholera;
- typhoid (abdominal, rash and relapsing);
- plague;
- malaria;
- legionellosis;
- Q fever;
- yaws;
- leptospirosis;
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
In some cases, it is possible to use Unidox tablets for prophylactic purposes. The instruction recommends prescribing the drug to people traveling to tropical countries in order to prevent infection with malaria and leptospirosis.
When is the medicine contraindicated?
However, such an effective antibiotic as Unidox is not suitable for all groups of patients. First of all, it can not be taken to people with hypersensitivity to doxycycline and auxiliary components of tablets. It should not be used in those patients who have previously been allergic to tetracycline drugs.
There are other cases when the drug is strictly contraindicated. Unidox tablets should not be taken by pregnant and lactating mothers. Doxycycline is able to cross the placental barrier, as well as penetrate into breast milk. If a woman needs to undergo treatment during lactation, then breastfeeding must be stopped. This antibiotic is not prescribed for children under 8 years of age. Contraindications are related to the fact that doxycycline can accumulate in the bones and lead to calcium deposits in the skeleton of the fetus and young child. In addition, the drug can adversely affect the formation of teeth in children under 8 years of age.
Medications with doxycycline are contraindicated in patients with severe liver and kidney pathologies and in patients diagnosed with porphyria.
Undesirable effects of the medicine
The body of some patients may negatively respond to taking the drug "Unidox". Side effects can occur from the following organs and systems:
- Central nervous system. Headache, intracranial hypertension, dizziness may bother.
- Gastrointestinal tract. Sometimes dyspeptic symptoms appear: nausea, vomiting, bowel disorders, loss of appetite, in some patients anorexia symptoms appear.
- The skin. Dermatitis, rashes, hyperemia occur. The photosensitivity of the skin increases.
- Hematopoiesis: a decrease in platelets and red blood cells, an increase in the number of eosinophils.
- Other body systems. Candidiasis of the mouth or genitals may occur.
If such manifestations occur, it is necessary to inform the attending physician about them. After a dose reduction or discontinuation of the antibiotic, all side effects disappear.
How to take pills?
The attending physician, depending on the nature of the disease, determines the necessary dose of the antibiotic. Reception of "Unidox" is recommended with meals. The tablets are washed down with water. If the Unidox Solutab dosage form is used, then the tablets can be pre-crushed and dissolved in 20 ml of water.
The following antibiotic treatment regimen is usually used:
- For adult patients: on the first day, 200 mg of the drug (2 tablets) is used, divided into 2 doses. On the following days of treatment, take 100 mg (1 tablet) of the drug per day. In severe infectious diseases, 200 mg of an antibiotic per day is prescribed throughout the course of therapy.
- For children over 8 years old and weighing more than 50 kg, the treatment regimen is the same as in adults.
- For children over 8 years old weighing less than 50 kg, the dose is calculated based on body weight. On the first day, take 4 mg of the drug per 1 kg of weight. In the following days of treatment, 2 mg of the drug is used per 1 kg of body weight (in 2 divided doses). In severe cases, a dosage of 4 mg / kg is maintained throughout the course of treatment.
Drug treatment usually lasts from 5 to 10 days. In some diseases, the duration of the course of therapy and the dosage of "Unidox" has its own characteristics:
- When infected with pyogenic streptococcus, the course of treatment should last at least 10 days.
- With syphilis, 2 tablets are prescribed (200 mg per day) for 14-28 days.
- In the treatment of gonorrhea, chlamydia and ureaplasmosis of the genitourinary organs, it is recommended to take 2 tablets per day. The duration of therapy is about 7 days. In severe gonococcal infection, the dose may increase to the maximum allowable - 300-600 mg per day, the course is 5 days.
- In the treatment of acne on the skin, the drug is taken for a long time, from 6 to 12 weeks at a dosage of 100 mg per day.
- For the treatment of leptospirosis, an antibiotic is taken at a dosage of 200 mg per day for a week. To prevent this disease, the drug is consumed 200 mg 1 time per week while in areas unsuccessful for leptospirosis. Then take another 200 mg before leaving.
- To prevent malaria, take 100 mg of the drug 1 day before the trip, and then the same dose every day during the trip. After returning home, antibiotics must continue to be consumed at the same dosage for another 4 weeks.
- 1 hour before a medical abortion, women take 1 tablet of Unidox, and immediately after the intervention they take 2 more tablets. This helps prevent infection.
It must be remembered that doxycycline greatly increases the sensitivity of the skin to ultraviolet light. Therefore, during the course of treatment should abandon the tan or use creams with a high degree of protection.
Compatibility with other medicines and alcohol
Some drugs may interfere with the absorption of doxycycline. These include antacids, iron preparations, laxatives with magnesium. Therefore, you need to maintain an interval of 3 hours between taking Unidox and these medicines.
It is not advisable to take vitamin A (retinol) during antibiotic treatment. This can cause a headache due to increased intracranial pressure. And you should not combine the treatment of "Unidox" with the use of penicillin and cephalosporin antibiotics. These medicines will decrease the effects of doxycycline.
Women taking hormonal contraceptives need to remember that doxycycline reduces the contraceptive effect of these drugs and increases the likelihood of out-of-cycle uterine bleeding.
Patients should be aware that Unidox and alcohol are incompatible. Drinking alcohol enhances the metabolism of the drug, as a result, the concentration of the antibiotic in the blood plasma decreases, and the therapeutic effect is reduced to zero. At the same time, a double load lays on the liver, which manifests itself in nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dizziness.
Barbiturates, Carbamazepine, Phenytoin, Rifampicin can also reduce the therapeutic effect of an antibiotic.
Pharmacy leave conditions and storage rules
The drug is dispensed by prescription. It is impossible to carry out independent treatment with the Unidox antibiotic.
The instruction recommends storing tablets at a temperature of +15 to +25 degrees. In order to avoid poisoning, the medicine should be kept in a place where children can not find it. Subject to storage rules, the drug is suitable for use for 5 years. After this period, tablets should not be taken.
Price of pills
The price of Unidox in pharmacies in Moscow is from 280 to 370 rubles. Currently on sale you can find mainly Unidox solutab tablets, which are a soluble form of the drug.
Analogues of the drug
Patients are often interested in Unidox analogues. You can choose drugs with the same active substance - doxycycline. The following medicines belong to this category:
- Doxycycline.
- Vibramycin.
- Doxybene.
- Xedocin.
- Dovitsin.
- Doxylan.
- "Monoclin".
- Bassado
Of these drugs, Doxycycline is the most common Unidox analogue. Its price is very low - from 12 to 32 rubles.
Can Doxycycline be considered a complete replacement for the soluble tablets of Unidox Solutab? If we consider the chemical composition of these drugs, they contain different modifications of the same medicinal substance. Doxycycline is produced on the basis of hydrochloride, and Unidox solutab is based on monohydrate. They have the same therapeutic effect, but there are slight differences:
- Soluble tablets (solutab) are better absorbed by the body.
- Solutab tablets have fewer side effects, as they dissolve and absorb well in the intestines. "Doxycycline" begins its action while in the stomach, which often causes cramping and pain.
- Unidox Solutab undergoes several stages of purification during production and is a safer medicine.
We can conclude that "Doxycycline" is a cheap analogue of "Unidox" and is somewhat more difficult to tolerate by the body.
Drug Reviews
You can find positive reviews from doctors of different specialties about the drug "Unidox". Dermatologists note the effectiveness of the antibiotic in the treatment of juvenile acne, demadecosis, rosacea. Venereologists, gynecologists and urologists believe that the use of this medication quickly stops the signs of genitourinary infections. Gastroenterologists testify to the good results of Unidox treatment of such ailments as chronic cholecystitis, duodenostasis, and the syndrome of excessive bacterial growth in the intestines.
Doctors believe that Unidox Solutab soluble tablets have fewer side effects and are better tolerated than regular Doxycycline. The drawbacks of the drug are doctors only its ability to cause photosensitivity of the skin, because of this, patients have to limit exposure to the sun.
Patients' opinion about the drug is mostly positive. For many women and men, the antibiotic has helped cure genitourinary infections. Some patients write that the drug even helped them get rid of infertility caused by inflammatory processes in the pelvis.
People have reported good antibiotic treatment for acne and inflammatory dermatological diseases. After completing the course of Unidox therapy in combination with other drugs, the condition of the skin improved significantly.
Negative reviews about the drug are associated with the occurrence of side effects after taking it. Patients mainly had dyspeptic symptoms, in some cases thrush.
Sometimes patients write that the drug did not help. But in these cases, the antibiotic was not always taken as directed. For example, Unidox tablets tried to treat ARVI. But we must remember that this drug is not a panacea for all possible infections. Viral colds are not included in the number of indications for its use. Such a potent antibiotic can be taken only on the recommendation of a doctor.