In today's world, many people are familiar with a condition like depression. This is a kind of mental disorder, which is characterized by a decrease in mood, loss of ability to rejoice, as well as impaired thinking (in the negative direction) and motor inhibition.
During depression, a person's self-esteem is significantly reduced, and there is also a loss of interest in habitual activities and life in general. In some cases, the patient begins to abuse alcohol or some psychotropic substances. In addition, a person who has long been suffering from depression is prone to suicides. Therefore, it is necessary to leave this state. To do this, contact an experienced doctor.
A large number of pharmacological companies specialize in the release of so-called antidepressants. These are psychotropic drugs that have a direct effect on the level of neurotransmitters, including dopamine and serotonin. In a depressed person, such remedies improve mood, reduce lethargy, relieve anguish, and eliminate anxiety, apathy, and emotional stress.
One of the most popular antidepressants is the drug “Melitor”. Instructions for use, reviews of the drug will be presented below.
Description, release form, composition, packaging
The medicine "Melitor", the instructions for use of which are enclosed in a cardboard package, are available in the form of tablets. They have an oblong shape and orange-yellow color. Also, the drug is film-coated. On one side of the tablet is a print of the logo of the manufacturer.
The tablets are on sale in blisters of 14 pieces.
What substances does the Melitor medicine contain? Instructions for use claims that its active ingredient is agomelatine. The tablets also include additional elements in the form of stearic acid, lactose monohydrate, povidone, corn starch, sodium starch glycolate (type A), anhydrous colloidal silicon dioxide and magnesium stearate.
Pharmacology
Melitor tablets (instructions for use are described below) are an antidepressant drug that acts on the nervous system and effectively manifests itself in various forms of depression. In addition, this drug is often taken with desynchronization of circadian rhythms, anxiety and stress.
The active substance of the drug in question is a melatonergic agonist of MT2 and MT1 receptors, as well as an antagonist of 5-HT2c receptors. This agent has no affinity for choline, histamine, dopaminergic, beta and alpha adrenergic and benzodiazepine receptors, and also does not change the degree of monoamine uptake. This drug synchronizes circadian rhythms, normalizes the structure of sleep, stimulates the formation of melatonin and facilitates falling asleep.
When using the medication to treat people with depression, there is an elongation of the phase of slow-wave sleep. As for the REM sleep phase, it does not undergo any changes.
It should also be noted that this tool is able to stimulate the release of norepinephrine and dopamine in the cortex of the frontal lobe of the brain. At the same time, agomelatine does not change the level of extracellular serotonin.
Drug properties
What features are inherent in the medicine "Melitor"? Instructions and reviews state that in healthy volunteers it did not adversely affect memory, body weight, ability to concentrate, blood pressure, sexual function and heart rate. In addition, agomelatine was not addictive. After treatment, withdrawal was not developed.
Kinetics
What kinetic properties does the medication under consideration have? What does the instruction say about this? "Melitor" is well absorbed from the digestive tract. Its absolute bioavailability is 3%. But depending on the characteristics of the person, significant fluctuations are possible. For example, in women, the bioavailability of the drug is higher than in men. Moreover, smoking reduces the aforementioned indicator, while taking oral contraceptives, on the contrary, increases it.
The peak concentration of the active component in the blood is observed after 70-100 minutes after oral administration. Antidepressant is characterized by a high degree of connection with plasma proteins (up to 95%).
The metabolism of the drug occurs in the liver with the formation of inactive compounds. The medicine is excreted by the kidneys (about 80%) within two hours.
Indications
Why is the Melitor medicine needed? The instruction reports that this drug is intended for the treatment of people with depressive episodes.
Contraindications
When should we not prescribe an antidepressant in question? What does the instruction say about this? "Melitor" is contraindicated in:
- increased individual sensitivity to the drug;
- lactase deficiency;
- severe violations of the liver;
- glucose / galactose malabsorption;
- in old age;
- congenital intolerance to galactose;
- pregnancy
- at a minor age;
- breastfeeding.
In addition, this remedy is prescribed with caution in patients with a history of hypomania or mania, impaired renal function, and alcoholism (if a person receives hepatotoxic drug therapy).
Instruction manual
"Melitor" is intended for oral administration. The tablet is swallowed whole without crushing or chewing. It is taken regardless of the use of food. With the development of side effects from the gastrointestinal tract, the medication can also be used during a meal.
The daily dose should be taken once a day, at bedtime.
The duration of treatment and the dose of the medicine are determined by the doctor individually.
Typically, an adult is prescribed 25 mg of the drug per day. With an insufficiently expressed therapeutic effect, 2 weeks after the start of treatment, the dosage is increased to 50 mg per day.
People receiving this therapy should constantly monitor their liver function.
The duration of the course in patients with depression should not be less than six months.
Side effects
Is the drug we are considering well tolerated by patients? What does the instruction report about this? "Melitor" only in some cases causes the development of side effects. However, for most people they pass after 2 weeks.
So, in patients receiving this drug, patients may experience:
- nausea, gastralgia, stool disorder, elevated liver transaminases and hepatitis;
- dizziness, migraine, headache, visual impairment, disturbance of the wakefulness and sleep regimen, paresthesia, suicidal thoughts, causeless feeling of anxiety;
- skin rash, urticaria, pruritus, erythematous rash, and eczema;
- myalgia, asthenia, back pain.
Drug overdose
What are the symptoms of an overdose of Melitor tablets? The instruction informs that at the given time such messages from patients have not been received. When taking medications in high doses, gastric lavage and enterosorbents are indicated. Symptomatic therapy is also performed.
Drug interaction
The kinetics of the drug in question can change when it is combined with drugs whose metabolism occurs with the participation of CYP 2C9 / 19 and P450 1A2 cytochrome system enzymes. In particular, it is not recommended to prescribe this medication with Ciprofloxacin and Fluvoxamine.
As for Propanolol, Enoxacin, and Grepafloxacin, they should be used with extreme caution to those who are already receiving Melitor therapy.
Feeding and pregnancy
Is it possible to take the drug “Melitor” during the period of gestation? The instruction reports that such a remedy can be prescribed to pregnant women, but only for health reasons. Animal experiments have revealed that agomelatine does not negatively affect fetal development. Although data on the safety of this drug in pregnant women is not enough.
If the drug must be taken during lactation, it is necessary to consult with your doctor and decide whether to interrupt breastfeeding.
Special recommendations for taking the medicine
What should I know before taking the Melitor medication (25 mg)? Instructions, reviews report that this tool is not recommended for elderly patients.
With the development of manic symptoms, treatment should be interrupted.
In some cases, improvement after taking the tablets does not occur in the first few weeks. Therefore, the patient's condition requires constant monitoring. In the early stages of recovery, the development of suicidal thoughts may increase.
In all patients taking "Melitor", it is necessary to monitor the liver. With a high content of transaminases in the blood, the tests must be repeated within two days. With an increase of 3 times, therapy is stopped.
Treatment with the drug in question should be carried out with extreme caution if the patient has risk factors for liver damage, including obesity, non-alcoholic fatty disease, as well as with significant alcohol consumption or the simultaneous use of drugs that have hepatotoxic effects.
Analogs and cost
The price of the antidepressant "Melitor" is 850 rubles. If necessary, this remedy can be replaced with such drugs as Lotusonik, Azafen, Neurol, Adepress, Tsetol, Sevpram, Zaloks, Trittiko, etc.
Patient Reviews
Now you know the properties of an antidepressant such as Melitor. Instructions for use of this medication have been described above.
Many patients claim that this tool is effective in deep depression. It eliminates longing, reduces lethargy and restores interest in life. However, it should be noted that only an experienced specialist should prescribe this drug. It is he who will be able to determine the safe dosage of the drug and the duration of treatment.
Also, the advantages of this remedy include a low probability of side effects, a small number of contraindications and ease of use (a tablet should be taken once a day).
As for the shortcomings, they include only the high cost of the drug.