Weakened immunity can cause many health problems. After all, an unprotected organism is an easy “catch” for pathogenic microorganisms. As a result, the development of ailments that are difficult to treat, which can cause irreparable harm to health, and sometimes cause death. To restore the immune system and take control of the situation, immunomodulating agents, such as Ingaron, are used. The doctors' opinions about this drug are quite contradictory, so let's try to form our opinion by studying the information about the drug in more detail.
Pharmacological action
The basis of this immunomodulating medication is gamma interferon, consisting of 144 amino acids, more precisely, of their residues. Moreover, the first three (Cys-Tyr-Cys) of them are replaced by Met. Gamma-interferon itself is one of the most important compounds involved in the body's immune responses. Natural killer cells, macrophages, T-lymphocytes and neutrophils have receptors for it. At the same time, the amino acid compound (gamma-interferon) contributes to the activation process of such effector functions of the above cells as bactericidal activity, cytotoxicity, and the synthesis of superoxide and nitrooxide radicals and cytokines with anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effects. The instructions included in the packaging of the drug “Ingaron” also indicate that the main active substance has a direct antiviral effect. It is achieved due to the fact that the amino acid compound blocks the replication of RNA and DNA of viruses and their mature particles. In addition, gamma interferon has a pronounced cytotoxic effect on cells that are infected with the virus. It is also worth noting that the drug inhibits the synthesis of inflammatory proteins due to increased expression of C2 and C4 genes.
Release form and composition of the drug
The medicine is available in only two forms. The first is a lyophilisate, which is used to prepare a solution for subcutaneous and intramuscular administration. In addition to interferon gamma, the preparation includes an auxiliary substance mannitol. This form of medicine is available in bottles that are packed in cardboard packs of 1, 5, 10 and 20 pcs. A medication is dispensed without a prescription.
As for the second form of the medication, its composition is identical to the first. But this lyophilisate, which is also packaged in bottles, is used to prepare drops for intranasal administration. Each cardboard pack in combination with the main drug contains water for injection in an ampoule or vial with a volume of 5 ml. This additional component is a solvent for the preparation of the solution.
To date, there are no other forms of drug release, so do not look in pharmacies for other types of the drug "Ingaron". Tablets are not manufactured by the pharmaceutical industry.
Who is prescribed the medicine in the form of a solution for subcutaneous and intramuscular injections?
Before considering the indications for taking this form of medication, it should be said that it should be used only as directed by the attending physician. After all, the route of administration and dosage of the drug depend on the disease and the nature of its course.
Immunomodulating drug “Ingaron” is one of the components of complex therapy for chronic forms of viral hepatitis B and C, pulmonary tuberculosis, cancer, HIV / AIDS infections. Quite often, the drug is prescribed for patients suffering from urogenic chlamydia, chronic prostatitis, genital herpesvirus infection and shingles. Found the drug "Ingaron" application in the treatment and prevention of human papillomavirus, as well as infectious complications in chronic granulomatous disease.
The use of a solution for intranasal administration
This form of medicine is often used in various areas of medicine. However, most often it is recommended as a prophylaxis and treatment of various strains of influenza, including H5N1 and H1N1, which is known as bird flu. During periods of epidemic, this medicine helps the immune system fight the causative agents of the disease.
When using the drug in combination with the main therapy, recovery occurs many times faster. In addition, in patients taking the drug "Ingaron", complications from influenza develop only in isolated cases.
Injection preparation and dosing system
As mentioned above, the dose should be prescribed by the attending physician, guided by the diagnosis and severity of the disease. In addition, the specialist focuses on the patient’s method of administration and the duration of the course of treatment.
And since the medication is available in only the form of a lyophilisate, a solution for injection should be prepared from it correctly before use. To do this, the contents of one bottle are diluted in 2 ml of water for injection.
As part of complex therapy for chronic forms of viral hepatitis C or B, as well as HIV / AIDS infections and pulmonary tuberculosis for adult patients, the daily dose is 450-500 thousand IU. Injection is done 1 time per day, every other day or every day. Depending on the severity of the disease, the course of treatment can be from 30 to 90 days, and if necessary, it can be repeated as prescribed by the doctor after a couple of months.
To prevent the development of complications in patients suffering from chronic granulosa disease, they are prescribed 500 thousand IU of the drug “Ingaron” every other day or every day. Reviews of doctors indicate that positive dynamics when using the medication is already observed for 2-3 days. But the course of treatment for this ailment should be at least 5 injections. As for patients with cancer problems, depending on the severity of the disease, the average daily dose can vary from 400 to 600 thousand IU. But the duration of treatment is set individually, and is adjusted already in the treatment process in accordance with the results of clinical studies.
People who have been diagnosed with diseases such as herpevirus infection, urogenital chlamydia, or shingles are prescribed 5 subcutaneous injections every other day. The average daily dose of the drug for the above diseases for adults should be 500 thousand IU.
To support the immune system and help it cope with chronic prostatitis, patients are advised to inject the drug “Ingaron” every two days. The course of treatment is 10 injections of 100 thousand IU.
With anogenital warts, the drug is administered subcutaneously every other day for 100 thousand IU. The duration of therapy depends on the complexity of the disease, but at least 5 injections.
Intranasal solution dosing system
Before applying this form of the drug, the lyophilisate should be dissolved in 5 ml of water, which is already enclosed in the package of the drug. The resulting solution was pipetted into the nose.
When the first symptoms of influenza or acute respiratory viral infections appear, the Ingaron preparation recommends using 2 drops in each nasal passage 5-8 times a day. The duration of treatment, as a rule, is 5-7 days.
It is worth recalling that for the prevention of bacterial and viral ailments of the respiratory tract, the drug is also used. So, after contact with a sick person or with hypothermia, the medicine is instilled in the nose for 2 to 3 drops every 10 days. This procedure should be performed after cleaning the nasal passages at least 30 minutes before eating. If contact with a sick person was single, it is sufficient to instill the drug “Ingaron” in the nose as a prophylaxis only once.
In order for the medication to be evenly distributed, it is advisable to massage the wings of the nose for several minutes after instillation.
Intramuscular administration of the drug to children
Interferon gamma is often part of the complex treatment of many ailments in children. So, it is prescribed to small patients after removal of papillomas with respiratory papillomatosis.
Intramuscular administration of the drug is recommended for patients with acute hepatitis B. In this case, the daily dose of the drug is calculated in each case based on the fact that for every kilogram of the weight of a small patient, 10 thousand IU is needed. Injection is done 1 time per day for 7-10 days, after the specified period, the dose is halved. The course of treatment is continued for another 3 weeks, and the injection is done once every two days.
We apply “Ingaron” for children with chronic active and acute prolonged hepatitis B. In this disease, small patients are prescribed intramuscular injections of 10 thousand IU per 1 kg of body weight twice a week. The course of such treatment is from 1 to 2 months, but with advanced forms or severe course of the disease, it can be extended up to 6 months.
If a child is diagnosed with chronic active hepatitis D (HDV), and there are no signs of liver cirrhosis, the drug is prescribed at 5 thousand IU per 1 kg of patient body weight. The drug is administered twice a week. The course of treatment is 8 injections, and it can be repeated after 1-6 months.
But if signs of cirrhosis are still present with a chronic active form of hepatitis, then a drug is administered twice a week at the rate of 5 thousand IU per kilogram of the child’s weight. Injections are done within 30 days, and if signs of decompensation subsequently appear, the course is repeated after 2 months.
Children suffering from such chronic bacterial infections as bronchitis, enteritis, laryngitis or pharyngitis are prescribed 10,000 IU per kilogram of body weight. Moreover, for one month, the child should receive 2-3 injections weekly. Repeated courses of treatment as prescribed by the doctor can be carried out no earlier than 3 months later.
Perifocal administration of medication to children
If keratoacanthoma, squamous or basal cell carcinoma is diagnosed in small patients, gamma interferon will necessarily be included in the complex therapy. It is administered daily directly under the focus of the inflammatory process of 100-250 thousand IU for 10 days. When local inflammatory reactions, pronounced injections are carried out after 1-2 days. After the end of the course of treatment with the drug "Ingaron", reviews of doctors recommend cryodestruction to consolidate the therapeutic effect.
In what cases are children prescribed subconjunctival administration of the drug?
Quite often, the medicine is used in ophthalmology to treat patients from 7 years old. So, with keratoiridocyclitis and stromal keratitis, the doctor may recommend subconjunctival injections of gamma interferon. The dosage and frequency of the procedure depends entirely on the severity of the development of the disease. The introduction of the drug is carried out under local anesthesia, and as an anesthetic, as a rule, 0.5% dicaine solution is used. The amount may be from 10 to 20 injections.
Topical application
Also, the tool "Ingaron" (reviews of doctors confirm this information) accelerates the recovery of patients suffering from superficial keratitis and conjunctivitis. A medicine is used for such ailments locally.
To prepare the solution, the contents of one ampoule are diluted in 5 ml of sodium chloride and stored in the refrigerator for the next 12 hours. Apply the prepared "Ingaron" (drops) 6-8 times a day. As the symptoms of the inflammatory process disappear, the frequency of application is reduced to 3-4 times. The duration of such therapy should not exceed 14 days.
Who is contraindicated for?
Regardless of the form, the medication is not recommended for use by people with individual intolerance to gamma-interferon or any of the auxiliary components of the drug. Do not take the drug and pregnant women.
It is strictly forbidden to use “Ingaron” solution for subcutaneous and intramuscular injections for diabetes mellitus and autoimmune diseases. Drops in the nose are not prescribed to patients under 7 years of age.
Side effects of the drug and overdose
Like any drug, the tool "Ingaron" (drops and injections) has a number of side effects. So, with subcutaneous or intramuscular administration of the drug, a local allergic reaction may appear. In most cases, it manifests itself in the form of hyperemia of the skin, accompanied by a weak pain syndrome. In some patients, therapy may cause muscle pain and hyperthermia.
In cases where the drug is used in doses exceeding 1,000,000 IU, the risk of developing flu-like symptoms such as headache, weakness, arthralgia, and hyperthermia is increased. And if the degree of manifestation of the described symptoms is small, then symptomatic therapy is not necessary. In cases where the symptoms are pronounced, it is recommended that you take Paracetamol.
What do doctors think about the drug "Ingaron"?
Back in 1957, thanks to the work of scientists, interferon was discovered and studied in detail. Since that time, a lot of scientific papers have been written about the importance of using this multicomponent biological compound in various areas of medicine. And if the use of interferon for such ailments as hepatitis or oncological neoplasms is fully proven by a large number of clinical studies, then the feasibility of taking it for colds is still a topic of debate. Let's try to understand why the luminaries of medicine in different countries have been discussing this for many decades.
Most doctors in the post-Soviet space without fail recommend at the first signs of acute respiratory viral infections to instill the drug "Ingaron" in the nose. At the same time, reviews of doctors indicate a rapid onset of a therapeutic effect and an increase in the body's defenses.
Western luminaries of medicine have completely opposite opinions on this issue. They do not deny the benefit of interferon in acute respiratory viral infections, but focus on adverse reactions that can cause "Ingaron" - spray or drops. Indeed, the long-term use of a prophylactic agent in many cases is the cause of irritation and erosion of the nasal mucosa, the appearance of spotting and sneezing, and also cause a sharp decrease in the number of leukocytes and blood (leukopenia).
In addition, the tool "Ingaron" (drops) - the instruction also informs about this - can cause reactions that are not distinguishable from the symptoms of a cold. Western doctors refer to this fact and do not use gamma interferon in the treatment of patients with colds and SARS.
Based on such conflicting reviews by doctors, it is very difficult to talk about the advisability of using the “Ingaron” remedy.
Analogues of the drug
To date, there are a lot of drugs based on interferon. This diversity can be explained by the fact that more than half a century has passed since the discovery of this amino acid compound. And all this time, pharmacists worked on the creation of new, more advanced drugs.
Like the medication "Ingaron", analogues contain interferon. The most famous of them are such means as Laferobion, Ingaron A, Human Interferon, Avonex, Alfaferon, etc.
All medicines listed above contain an amino acid compound, interferon. They are widely used in various fields of medicine in our country for the treatment of complex ailments of viral and bacterial etiology. But it is worth noting that, despite the biological origin of the drugs, it is not worth using them yourself. After all, each of them has its own contraindications and can harm the condition of a sick person. The advisability of using this or that medication based on interferon should be determined exclusively by a specialist. The duties of the attending physician also include calculating the dosage of the drug and choosing the method of its administration. In the course of treatment, regardless of whether the drug “Ingaron” was prescribed, analogues based on gamma-interferon, or drugs containing alpha-interferon, the specialist will monitor the dynamics of the disease and individually adjust the duration of the course of treatment.