Everyone knows about antibiotics that are used to combat bacterial infections, including intestinal infections. However, not everyone knows that there is another category of medications - intestinal antiseptics. One of these tools, which we will consider in this article, is Enterofuril. The instructions for the use of this drug, whether it has side effects and what are the patient reviews, read on.
Enterofuril is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial drug that can destroy pathogenic microflora in a few steps. Compared to antibiotics, it is safer. In acute intestinal infections, as a rule, it is not used due to insufficient antibacterial activity.
In what form is produced
You can buy this tool in the form of capsules or syrup. By the name of the drug on the package, it is easy to guess about the dosage variability - depending on age, weight, individual characteristics, patients are prescribed Enterofuril 100 or Enterofuril 200. The main active ingredient is nifuroxazide. It is present in the solution for internal administration, and in capsules.
The contents of the capsules is a homogeneous powdery mass of yellow color with small grains. Sometimes the medicine is compressed into a solid formation, but when pressed easily crumbles. The instructions for use of Enterofuril in capsules indicate the harmlessness of their gelatin shell and excipients. Meanwhile, in case of an allergic reaction to any of the components, you can not take the medicine.
Enterofuril suspension is sold in 90 ml dark glass vials. This is a thick syrup of dense consistency, having a yellow color. According to reviews, the antiseptic solution is drunk without discomfort and is easily tolerated even by children, because it has a banana flavor and aroma.
How does this tool work?
Often, Enterofuril is prescribed for the first symptoms of diarrhea. Nifuroxazide as part of this drug is an antimicrobial substance that acts on pathogens of intestinal infectious diseases. This component is particularly active in suppressing:
- staphylococcus;
- streptococci;
- clostridium;
- Klebsiella;
- Proteus;
- shigella.
The instructions for use of Enterofuril in case of diarrhea or other dyspeptic disorders provoked by the activity of pathogenic microorganisms, it is recommended to use it for both adults and children.
In addition, experts explain the effectiveness of nifuroxazide by the fact that microbes are not able to adapt to it. Unlike antibiotics, Enterofuril does not suppress healthy microflora, so the use of this agent does not provoke the development of intestinal dysbiosis. On the contrary, a course of treatment with this drug helps to restore the normal balance of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract.
Another advantage of capsules and suspensions is the action of nifuroxazide exclusively in the intestinal lumen. The substance is practically not absorbed into the bloodstream and does not affect other systems and internal organs. At the same time, Enterofuril does not interact with other medicines and chemical compounds. Despite this, taking the drug with sorbents is undesirable, since the latter partially neutralize the therapeutic effect.
What diseases is Enterofuril prescribed for?
Suspension and capsules are prescribed for the treatment of patients who are diagnosed with any of the following pathologies:
- intestinal infection with a prolonged sluggish course;
- recurrent diarrhea of an infectious origin, with the exception of helminthiasis;
- chronic gastrointestinal disease, accompanied by flatulence, belching, bloating.
At the same time, it is important to understand that the effect of the drug is aimed exclusively at combating pathogens. In addition to destroying bacteria, it is also important to replenish the reserves of fluid and electrolytes in the body, and for this you need to use not only Enterofuril 100. Such information cannot be found in the instructions for use of this medicine - patients will learn about it from a doctor who, in combination with nifuroxazide, will prescribe Regidron, Trisol or other drugs.
Route of administration: before food or after?
The undeniable advantage of the drug is that it does not depend on meals. Drinking Enterofuril 200 syrup or capsules, according to the instructions for use, is not prohibited either before, during or after meals. Here the patient is given complete freedom of choice how to take the medicine. In reviews, patients often mention this nuance and consider this a huge advantage of the drug.
And if combining treatment with meals is not difficult, then if it is necessary to take enterosorbents (activated carbon, "Filtrum", "Enterosgel", "Smecta", "Polyphepene), it is necessary to take a suspension or capsules with nifuroxazide separately from them. Enterofuril should be drunk either one hour before taking the sorbents, or two hours after.
Suspension
If any medicine is available in liquid or tablet form, syrup is made primarily for treating children, and capsules for adults. The instructions for use "Enterofuril" noted that the suspension can be treated not only babies, but it is important to correctly calculate the dosage.
Before taking the medicine, the bottle must be shaken thoroughly to mix its homogeneous contents. For ease of dispensing, it is advisable to use the supplied tool - a plastic spoon with divisions. If not, you can use a regular syringe. Having measured the required amount of the drug, it is poured into a tablespoon and drunk. It is not necessary to drink Enterofuril, according to the instructions for use.
The optimal treatment for diarrhea provoked by an intestinal infection is about a week. If after 5-7 days there is no positive dynamics, it is necessary to stop taking the drug and consult a doctor. Based on the instructions for use for adults, Enterofuril (200 mg of nifuroxazide is contained in 5 ml of suspension) should be stopped if diarrhea has not returned within at least 12 hours. In turn, the dosage and number of syrup receptions are determined by the age of the patient:
- You can take medicine even to babies. Children aged one to six months are recommended to give 2.5 ml of the drug 2-3 times a day.
- Crumbs older than six months and under two years of age are prescribed the same dosage, but the frequency of administration increases - 4 times a day.
- Children over 7 years old and adults - 5 ml of syrup four times a day.
- Preschoolers aged 3 to 7 years are prescribed one full measuring spoon (5 ml) of the suspension three times a day. At this age, the suspension can be replaced with Enterofuril 200 capsules.
In the instructions for use, the manufacturer advises taking the medicine at regular intervals. For example, if a medicine is taken 2-3 times a day, then the interval between doses should be 8-12 hours. It should be remembered that an open suspension, in contrast to an opened package with capsules, can be stored for no more than two weeks. If the drug has not been used completely, then after the expiration date it is discarded.
How to take capsules
As already noted, the instructions for use of Enterofuril capsules indicate the possibility of prescribing them to children older than three years. Only by this age, babies are already able to swallow a tablet without biting.
The capsule must be consumed whole. It is not necessary to open it and pour out the contents. It is advisable to drink the medicine with water, but children can be given juice or compote. Treatment for diarrhea caused by an intestinal infection usually lasts at least two days. Stopping capsules is recommended if there are no more episodes of loose stool during the last 12 hours. Despite the fact that the drug is dispensed without a prescription, which is allowed in the instructions for use of Enterofuril capsules, it is advisable for adults to consult a doctor before using it. You should also contact specialists if the proper therapeutic effect does not occur after a week-long intake of Enterofuril.
As for the dosage, it is calculated according to the following principles:
- children from 3 to 7 years old need to take 200 mg of nifuroxazide three times a day (according to the instructions for use of Enterofuril, 100 mg capsules can also replace one with 200 mg if you take two at once);
- adults and children over the age of seven need to take 200 mg 4 times a day.
As with suspension treatment, it is important to observe certain time intervals from 6 to 8 hours between capsule administration.
Can I use the drug for vomiting?
The instructions for use of Enterofuril say nothing about the advisability of using this drug for vomiting, but pediatricians quite often prescribe this remedy for babies. Parents' concerns are related to the fact that only intestinal infection and diarrhea are officially referred to as indications. Or maybe there is incompetence of specialists?
In fact, doctors are doing everything right. Sometimes the first manifestation of an intestinal disorder is often not diarrhea, but vomiting. If the human body reacts to the pathogenic microflora in this way, it is urgent to begin antimicrobial therapy. All qualified therapists are aware of this physiological feature, therefore, they prescribe nifuroxazide-based drugs immediately, without waiting for the appearance of diarrhea.
At the same time, Enterofuril itself is not an antiemetic. To suppress severe vomiting, you need to drink Motilium, Tserukal or Haloperidol, and only when it is possible to tame the vomiting, take Enterofuril and other drugs to replenish the level of electrolytes in the body.
With rotavirus infection, this tool is useless. In the instructions for use of Enterofuril; there is not the slightest mention of such a testimony. Despite the similarity of symptoms of intestinal and rotavirus infection, in the case of the latter, the drug will be meaningless. He will not cause any harm, however, just as he will not bring benefits. This disease is caused by a virus, and Enterofuril can only affect microbes. For rotavirus infections, it is advisable to use bacteriophages and probiotics in combination with enterosorbents.
Side effects and contraindications
There are scant amounts of information about negative reactions in the instructions for use of Enterofuril for children or adults. Allergic manifestations are possible as adverse reactions (skin rash, urticaria, Quincke's edema, up to anaphylactic shock). But if you believe the reviews of patients, both suspension and capsules can cause nausea, especially with prolonged use.
Regarding contraindications, Enterofuril is banned for newborn babies. Suspension can be taken from the second month of life, and capsules - only from three years. Doctors do not recommend the use of Enterofuril (this is indicated in the instructions for use) for patients with individual hypersensitivity to one or more components of the drug. Intestinal antiseptic is not suitable for people suffering from fructose intolerance and glucose-galactose malabsorption syndrome. It is undesirable to take the drug with sucrose and isomaltase deficiency.
Popular analogues
On the domestic pharmaceutical market there are many intestinal antiseptics, not only having a similar principle of action, but also containing the same active substance. So, on the basis of nifuroxazide the following analogues of Enterofuril are created:
- "Nifuroxazide."
- "Nifuroxazide Richter."
- Ersefuril.
- Ecofuril.
- Stopdiar.
Some probiotics and bacteriophages act similarly to nifuroxazide. These include "Bactisubtil" in capsules, tabletted "Phthalazole", "Enterol" powder. The cost of all these drugs in Russian pharmacies does not exceed 400 rubles.
Opinions of pediatricians
The instructions for use of Enterofuril for children indicate clear limitations. It is possible to give a suspension to a child after the first month of life, since the drug is very effective in combating pathogens, but it does not affect the internal organs and does not change the composition of beneficial bacteria. The advantage of the tool is that it is not absorbed into the blood and does not have a systemic effect. In this sense, Enterofuril is completely safe for infants.
However, in foreign practice, this tool is not used to treat intestinal infections in children under two years of age. It is known that in Western countries the refusal to use Enterofuril for children (in the instructions, we recall, the restrictions apply to babies of the first month) is not due to the toxicity of the drug. The alternative drugs based on nifuroxazide there are the probiotics Enterol, Bactisubtil and others. It is believed that these drugs are more effective and able to bring real benefits to the intestinal tract of the child. Therefore, the non-use of Enterofuril in early childhood is due to the emergence of modern, less harmful medications.
However, this does not mean that Enterofuril is forbidden to use for the treatment of intestinal infection at an early age. In the CIS countries, this drug is still used for children. The instructions for use of Enterofuril indicate which dosage is considered safe for the child. In addition, probiotics have a higher cost or are completely absent in pharmacies. Therefore, the use of Enterofuril is the only rational treatment option.
What patients say, reviews
In almost all cases of use, patients leave positive reviews about this tool. Experts believe that this is due to the high effectiveness of Enterofuril, its excellent tolerance and the almost complete absence of side effects, including dysbiosis. In reviews of the drug, patients note that it is very convenient to drink, regardless of the form of release. The suspension has a pleasant banana flavor, which is liked not only by children, but also by adults. Most users who treated diarrhea with nifuroxazide had symptoms of the disorder after the first doses of the medicine.
Before using Enterofuril capsules for children, the instructions for use should be carefully studied for possible side effects. Despite isolated cases of allergic reactions, the possibility of their occurrence cannot be completely excluded. If parents have never given a child nifuroxazide-based drugs and don’t know how the child’s body will react to this substance, it is advisable to start treatment with Enterofuril 100 capsules. This is especially true for kids 3-4 years old. The drug quickly stops diarrhea and destroys the infection.
Although capsules may be given to children at this age, a suspension is the preferred form of release for infants. Its consistency and aroma do not cause disgust in children, which is very important. In the reviews, many parents often refer to "Enterofuril", call it "real salvation" and "lifesaver" for poisoning and diarrhea.
Analysis of negative reviews about this drug shows that they are usually caused by the development of allergies and the lack of effectiveness of the drug. In their responses, dissatisfied patients indicate that it took 3-5 days to take the diarrhea to stop the diarrhea, and this is a very long time, in their opinion. Also, users do not like the fact that after opening the bottle, use the suspension for two weeks, after which the remainder of the drug should be discarded. People with individual intolerance to Enterofuril components experienced negative reactions from the body, which subsequently forced them to abandon further intake and leave a negative response about their experience with this drug.
How much is the drug in pharmacies
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200 «» ( , , ) :
- 90 – 400 600 .;
- 200 (16 ) – 300-400 .;
- 30 « 100».
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