The medicine "Arava" is a basic medicine with anti-rheumatic property. The drug has an antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effect. This tool is produced in the form of tablets with a dosage of the active component of 10, 20 or 100 milligrams. In our article, we will consider the instructions for use for the "Arava" preparation, find out what medications can replace it, find out what doctors and patients write about it, who happened to use these pills for treatment.
Release format
According to the instructions to "Arava", tablets with a dosage level of 100 milligrams contain three pieces in each blister, which consists of a foil base with a laminated coating. Each package contains only one blister. Pills with dosages of 10 and 20 milligrams are placed in a bottle of polyethylene. It is placed in a packaging made on the basis of cardboard. Each vial contains thirty tablets.
What is included in the drug
The composition of the presented medicinal product includes various components. The main one is the special substance leflunomide. Additional constituents are corn starch powder, lactose monohydrate, along with polyvidone, silicon dioxide, crospovidone and magnesium stearate. The components of the shell are macrogol, hypromellose, talc and titanium dioxide.
Pharmacology
As indicated by the instructions for the use of "Arava", the active component of the drug (as previously noted) is leflunomide. The principle of action of this active component is directly related to the processes of inhibition of the enzyme dehydroorotate dehydrogenase. According to recent studies, it was found that the metabolite of leflunomide, the formation of which in the human body is carried out during the metabolism, selectively interacts with dehydroorotate dehydrogenase, which as a result leads to the suppression of lymphocyte proliferation.
This principle of exposure to the active component leads to the appearance of an immunosuppressive effect. Lymphocytes provide the launch of the chain of reactions underlying the pathogenesis of arthritis, which helps to suppress cellular immunity. Such suppression has an active effect on the course of the disease in acute form.
This drug causes not only inhibition of proliferation, but also a decrease in the susceptibility of tissue receptors to interleukin. As a result, there is a decrease in sensitivity to the mediator and an anti-inflammatory effect is produced.
This is confirmed by the instruction to "Arava".
This drug is taken orally. Its use is not dependent on food. At the same time, food does not have any effect on the level of bioavailability of the drug. In the intestine, up to ninety percent of the active ingredient can be absorbed. In the liver, a quick metabolism is carried out.
The half-life is usually fourteen days. The positive effect of the drug occurs a month and a half after the start of use. The presented drug is endowed with the properties of cumulation in the tissues. Therefore, its effect can last quite a long time, for example, up to six months.
In what cases is it advisable to use Arava?
If there is any indication, this drug is prescribed
The presented drug is prescribed as a basic medication for the treatment of the following pathologies:
- For the treatment of psoriatic arthritis in active form.
- In the presence of rheumatoid arthritis with an active course, the medication presented is used to reduce the symptoms of the disease and delay the development of damage to the joint tissues.
When the use of this medicine is not recommended for patients
In accordance with the instructions for the drug "Arava", the drug presented is not recommended for use in the presence of the following conditions:
- Against the background of disorders of the liver.
- In the presence of severe immunodeficiency, for example, with AIDS.
- In severe and moderate renal failure.
- Against the background of an uncontrolled infectious lesion in a severe form.
- Against the background of hypoproteinemia and during nephrotic syndrome.
- During a period of conditions of thrombocytopenia, anemia or leukopenia that were caused by other causes (except arthritis with rheumatoid and psoriatic nature), as well as with a disorder associated with bone marrow hematopoiesis.
- In case of excessive sensitivity to the components of the drug.
- It is not recommended to take this drug for pregnant women and when breastfeeding.
- Children under eighteen.
Instruction manual
Arava tablets are taken entirely by the oral route. The tablet is swallowed, while it is washed down with a large amount of liquid. The use of this medicine does not need to be tied to a meal, since food does not have any effect on the absorption of the drug.
In the first few days, you can use a special form of release of this drug in a dosage of 100 milligrams. After this, you can switch to maintenance therapy, during which 20 mg are taken once a day. The instruction to “Arava” must be strictly observed. The positive effect of treatment with this drug appears, as a rule, after a month. In the future, the therapeutic effect will last for four to six months.
Overdose
According to the instructions and reviews about "Arava", during the use of this medicine in excess of the prescribed dose, overdose symptoms may occur. Against the background of an increase in adverse reactions, symptomatic therapy should be carried out. First, take activated charcoal, as well as "Colestyramine", which is used in a dose of 8 grams three times. Activated carbon is taken orally or through a probe of 50 grams every six hours for a day.
Side effects
According to the instructions to "Arava", the following conditions may occur during the period of use of the product:
- High blood pressure.
- Rarely there are disturbances in the functioning of the lungs of an interstitial nature, which can carry a risk of death.
- The appearance of an attack of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, as well as the occurrence of anorexia and damage to the oral mucosa. The appearance of various ulcers and stomatitis is possible.
- The occurrence of pain in the abdomen.
- Rarely, taste impairment and pancreatitis may occur.
- Dizziness, headaches, paresthesia, anxiety.
- Sometimes causeless tendon rupture and the state of tendosynovitis occur.
- The occurrence of itching, eczema, excessive dryness of the skin structure and hair loss.
- Symptoms of Stevens-Johnson disease, erythema multiforme, toxic epidermal necrolysis rarely occur .
- All kinds of allergic reactions.
- The occurrence of leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, eosinophilia, anemia, or pancytopenia is likely.
- Perhaps the development of hyperbilirubinemia, as well as an increase in the activity of liver enzymes. Jaundice, hepatitis, liver necrosis, and kidney failure rarely occur.
- Perhaps the development of asthenia.
- In men, there may be a decrease in sperm concentration and a suppression of sperm activity.
- During the use of immunosuppressive drugs, the risks of malignancy and lymphoproliferative pathology increase.
- At times, a decrease in the patient's weight and a slight increase in the level of creatine phosphokinase can be observed.
- Rarely, mild hyperlipidemia, slight hypophosphatemia, hypokalemia, and hyporekemia occur.
- Sometimes sepsis and various serious conditions can occur with the threat of death.
This is also confirmed by the instructions for use and reviews about "Arava".
special instructions
Be sure to pay attention to the features of the medication:
- This medicine can be prescribed to patients only after a medical examination.
- Considering that the active component of this medicine has the ability to accumulate in various organs and has a long elimination period, after taking it, the body is cleansed using Colisteramine. You can also use activated carbon for this purpose.
- The presented medicinal product can have a harmful effect on the liver, in this regard, during its use, the amount of liver enzymes should be monitored.
- Men undergoing treatment with this agent should be aware of the need for reliable contraception, as well as the likelihood of the fetotoxic effect of Arava, which is directly related to the effect of its components on sperm.
- Women who are of childbearing age must undergo a gynecological examination for pregnancy before treatment with Arava. Patients should be informed of the possible consequences.
- If a woman wants to become pregnant, then after completing the course of treatment with this tool, she should conduct a preliminary course of cleansing the body with activated carbon for a month and a half.
Interesting and useful information can be found if you study the medical reviews of the drug "Arava", as well as read the comments of patients who have already taken this medicine in order to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
Opinions of medical specialists
Doctors in the reviews called "Arava" an effective tool for the treatment of rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis. Doctors write that the active component of this medication can have a direct effect on the foci of inflammation, preventing the subsequent spread of the lesion.
Specialists report that all patients who have been prescribed this drug respond about it only on the positive side. Despite the large number of side effects, according to experts, these are extremely rare.
However (as doctors say), patients may experience nausea, dizziness, and headache. For women and men who are of childbearing age, experts advise protecting themselves during the period of treatment with this tool. Immediately after a course of therapy, it is required to carry out a mandatory cleansing of the body with activated carbon. Doctors in their reviews emphasize that you need to use this medicine only for medical purposes.
Next, we will consider the reviews of patients.
Patient Reviews
People who have been treated with this remedy, in reviews of Arava, report that, with the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, quite often doctors prescribe this particular drug. Patients report that after the first course, their condition improved significantly, and the pain and inflammation in the joints disappeared.
Also, patients report that this medicine helps relieve depression. True, also in consumer reviews there is information that at the first time of taking these pills, unpleasant side effects in the form of nausea and hair loss can be noted, but after a few days everything goes away. People are happy that thanks to Arava they can move quietly without any joint pain.
Also, some patients report that when taking the drug on an empty stomach, nausea occurs that lasts all day. Despite some adverse reactions and complaints, most people in the reviews write that their condition has improved much while taking this medication. Patients are happy that they are no longer bothered by pain and severe swelling, which makes them feel great.
Cost
The cost of a bottle containing thirty tablets with a dosage of 10 milligrams starts from three thousand three hundred rubles. For a bottle with the same number of pills, but with a dosage of 20 milligrams, four thousand rubles will have to be paid.
A drug with a dosage of 100 mg (3 tablets) costs from 3220 rubles per package, but it is very difficult to find it in ordinary pharmacies.
Analogs
Other drugs that are analogues of Arava, which are less expensive, are available for purchase and treatment today. For example, these are Leflunomide, Sellsept, Prograf, Leflutab and Lefno. It is worth emphasizing that it is not recommended to replace the presented drug with a similar medical product on its own.
We reviewed the instructions for use and analogues of "Arava".