At a time when human immunity is weakened, various infections are actively attacked from all sides, from the ENT organs and up to the genitourinary system. In the fight against pathogenic microorganisms, help with antimicrobial action is needed. An excellent assistant here is the combined antimicrobial drug Biseptol.
Details on the composition, form of release
Active substances: sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim. The basic composition of Biseptol includes excipients such as potato starch, talc, propylene glycol, magnesium stearate, polyvinyl alcohol, methyl parahydroxybenzoate, propyl parahydroxybenzoate.
The release of the drug is allowed both in tablet form and in the form of a suspension.
Biseptol tablets are round, flat, with a bevel; have a white color (a slight yellow tint is allowed). On one side is engraved with the Latin letters Bs. Available in cardboard packages, twenty pieces per blister. Depending on the amount of active substances, 1 tablet of Biseptol has a dosage of 120 or 480 mg. The active ingredients are sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, used in proportions of 5: 1, respectively.
Especially for oral use, there is a suspension of Biseptolum. It has a liquid, slightly thick structure and cream or white color, with the aroma of strawberries, sweet to the taste. The liquid is released in a bottle of dark glass. The volume of the drug is 80 ml. The composition also includes active substances: trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole. Auxiliary components include: water, hydrogen phosphate, propyl / methyl parahydroxy benzoate, macrogol, carmellose, citric acid, propylene glycol and aluminosilicate. In order to achieve a sweet aroma and taste of the medicine, strawberry flavoring, maltitol and saccharinate are added to the composition.
For one hundred milligrams of Biseptol in liquid form, 4 g of sulfamethoxazole and 0.8 g of trimethoprim are produced.
There is also the release of Biseptol in liquid form for parenteral administration. In a pack of ten ampoules (dark glass), five milliliters of concentrate. One ampoule contains 480 mg of active substances: 80 mg - trimethoprim, 400 mg - sulfamethoxazole.
Additional components of the composition: sodium metabisulfite, ethanol, propylene glycol, benzyl alcohol, sodium hydroxide. An injection is also needed.
The drug liquid is colorless and has a pronounced alcohol smell.
pharmachologic effect
The drug is a combination antibacterial drug. The active substances that make up Biseptol can destroy the synthesis of acid in infected cells, block the function of acid recovery, as well as the division of microbial cells. That is, due to the destructive effect on the protein of infected cells, their death occurs. So the bactericidal effect of the drug is achieved.
A broad-spectrum bactericidal agent is able to suppress gram-positive and gram-negative aerobic bacteria, chlamydia, gram-positive anaerobes, pathogenic fungi, Escherichia coli and even protozoa.
Pharmacokinetic effect
After you have taken "Biseptolum" inside, the absorption of the active components will begin to occur in the digestive tract. The concentration reaches its maximum in the blood 1-4 hours after administration.
Substances of the drug actively penetrate into the tissues and are evenly distributed in body fluids such as saliva, sputum, lungs, bile, kidneys, and even penetrate into the cerebrospinal fluid.
Active substances are excreted through the kidneys and at different intervals. For example, sulfamethoxazole will be released faster (about 9-11 hours), but the withdrawal of trimethoprim can reach 17 hours.
Indications "Biseptolum"
An antimicrobial drug is usually prescribed for infections that can affect the biological environment of the human body:
- otitis media, sinusitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis;
- bronchitis, pneumonia, lung abscesses, pleural empyema;
- urethritis, prostatitis, pyelonephritis, salpingitis, gonorrhea, etc.
- diarrhea, typhoid fever, bacterial dysentery, cholera, cholecystitis and others;
- damage to the skin (furunculosis, pyoderma, acne and others);
- other infectious diseases - sepsis, whooping cough, malaria and others.
Also, "Biseptolum" is prescribed for patients with HIV infection, with the aim of primary prevention of pneumocystosis (lung disease).
Despite the fact that the indications for Biseptol have a wide spectrum, it is absolutely useless with angina, which is provoked by beta-hemolytic streptococcus, due to the fact that this bacterial infection is resistant to sulfonamide.
Therefore, before taking "Biseptolum", be sure to consult a doctor. Only a specialist will be able to make the correct diagnosis and, accordingly, prescribe effective therapy.
Dosage and administration
The treatment regimen is prescribed by the doctor in the same way as the dosage of Biseptol, based on the age of the patient, diagnosis of the disease and related syndromes, as well as the parallel use of other drugs. Without a doubt, the product is drunk for 4-5 days. You can extend the course for another 2 days after the disappearance of the symptoms of the disease. Therapy can be a long course for up to three months. A single dose of admission can be increased by 50%, but this is allowed only in cases where a severe course of the disease or the chronic nature of the disease is diagnosed.
For the prevention of HIV-infected patients, administration is prescribed in the amount of two tablets per day. The course can not be interrupted, even if there are side effects.
The standard schedule and dosage of "Biseptolum" involves taking the tablets strictly after eating, every 12 hours in two pieces (960 mg). If the patient's age is from 6 to 12 years, it is recommended to take one tablet twice a day. Well, if the patient is less than 6 years old, then it is best to take tablets with a lower concentration of active substances - 120 mg.
Also, the drug can be prescribed in the form of a solution for administration by drip, intravenously. Ampoules are mixed with a special solution (dextrose 5%, sodium chloride 9%). The mixture is prepared immediately before the procedure, which should take place within 6 hours. The interval of administration of the drug solution should be equal to 1.5 hours (this will be enough to achieve the maximum concentration of the drug in the patient’s blood).
If the prepared solution turned out to be cloudy or has a certain precipitate, then its introduction is prohibited.
Assign "Biseptolum" for adults and children over 12 years old in the amount of 10 ml (2 ampoules) per dropper twice a day. If the patient is under 12 years old, then a dosage is prescribed based on weight. Per day, 1 mg of body weight accounts for sulfamethoxazal - 30 mg, trimethoprim - 6 mg.
In cases when a severe degree of the disease is diagnosed, daily droppers are prescribed 2-3 times a day, 15 ml each (3 ampoules).
The drug is prescribed very carefully for patients who have impaired renal function. Here it is necessary to take into account the indicator characterizing the speed of blood circulation, its passage through the kidneys. If the indicator is more than 30 ml per minute, then therapy is prescribed in usual doses. If the indicator ranges from 15 to 30 ml, then the dose is reduced to half the norm. The drug is forbidden to use with an indicator below 15 ml.
Suspension "Biseptolum" is also drunk after meals, it should be washed down with water. Adults and children over 12 years of age, like tablets, need to take medicine every 12 hours for 960-1440 mg of the active substance (depending on the degree of the disease).
For children, Biseptol syrup is prescribed at about 120-480 mg of active ingredient per day, but the dose can be increased or decreased depending on the disease.
The average course of drug therapy is prescribed from 5 to 10 days. In acute and chronic diseases, the course is usually increased to 14 days. On average, 7 days of using the drug will be enough to see the effectiveness. If no improvement is observed, then the dose is doubled or the drug is replaced.
Side effects
The body's response is always unpredictable for any drug or product. And if it is also a medicine, then you need to carefully listen to the state of your body during therapy. With the upcoming Biseptol treatment, side effects also need to be prepared. They can manifest as:
- failure of the nervous system (depression, apathy, peripheral neuritis, headaches);
- failure of the respiratory system (bronchospasm);
- digestive system failure (nausea, vomiting, cholestasis, stomatitis, diarrhea, gastritis, loss of appetite, hepatitis, abdominal pain, etc.);
- blood regulation disorders (leukopenia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, etc.);
- failure of the urinary system (nephritis, polyuria, crystalluria, etc.);
- disorders of the musculoskeletal system (pain in the joints and muscles);
- allergic reactions from the skin (fever, itching, rash, dermatitis, edema, etc.).
Common symptoms such as insomnia, fatigue, weakness, and candidiasis were also observed.
If any side effects of Biseptol occur, you should immediately contact your doctor to adjust the dosage or dosage regimen. In case of complete intolerance to the drug, the patient’s body should completely cancel it.
Overdose
The active substances that make up Biseptol, with a significant excess of the recommended daily allowance, can cause intoxication of the body. Each component has its own symptoms of overdose. In the case when the poisoning is provoked by trimethoprim, vomiting, nausea and headache, a depressed state will occur, a disorder of consciousness is observed. If the poisoning occurred due to sulfamethoxazole, then it is accompanied by symptoms such as vomiting and nausea, intestinal colic, loss of appetite, loss of consciousness and drowsiness. The appearance of jaundice may indicate a previous intoxication.
In case of drug poisoning, it is necessary to wash the stomach (up to inducing vomiting), drink plenty of water. It is necessary to introduce calcium folinate, which will help neutralize the active substance. The acidic environment of urine will help to remove trimethoprim more likely, but this is permissible if the kidneys are not disturbed.
Contraindications
The drug cannot be prescribed in the absence of the ability to control the blood composition of a patient with impaired renal and hepatic functions. Also, the medication is not prescribed for a lack of folic acid, since this provokes megaloblastic anemia.
It is strictly forbidden to use the drug in any form, even in the form of Biseptol syrup, for children under three months of age.
With individual intolerance to the components that make up the drug, it is also not used.
Use during pregnancy and lactation
The active substances of the drug are able to overcome the placental barrier, adversely affecting the development of the embryo, up to a miscarriage. This is a scientifically proven fact. Therefore, during the period of gestation, treatment with Biseptol is prohibited. If the drug is prescribed at the time of lactation, then it is necessary to stop breastfeeding.
It is better for women during pregnancy to replace Biseptol with similar, but safer drugs:
- "Azithromycin" (also slows down growth and blocks the growth of bacteria);
- "Ampicillin" (an antibacterial agent that suppresses the synthesis of bacterial cells);
- "Amoxicillin" (a semi-synthetic antibiotic with a bactericidal effect);
- "Erythromycin" (capable of disrupting the formation of peptide bonds, also blocks the synthesis of bacterial proteins).
Only the attending physician is entitled to prescribe drugs to a pregnant woman.
Analogs of "Biseptol"
Modern science does not stand still. Constantly issued funds that are in some way improved. This is necessary when choosing a treatment. Here, the key criterion can be anything: price, dosage of active substances, replacement of the allergen component, and so on.
The main thing is that in our time, Biseptol analogues are not limited:
- "Co-trimoxazole." The name speaks for itself. It is completely identical to the original medicine, both in composition and in its intended use and dosage. The release of the drug is predominantly in the same forms: in tablets and suspensions.
- Bactrim Forte. Available in tablet form, with the exact composition of all the substances of the original. But the drug is prescribed strictly from the age of 12, since the dosage is high.
- "Bi-septin." Release in tablets. Allowed to use from 1 year.
- "Sulgin." Tablets can be prescribed from the age of three. The active substance is sulfaguanidine.
- "Sulfadimethoxin" - antimicrobial tablets that can be prescribed from two years.
- "Sulfadimezin" - tablets for treatment, starting from three years.
Drug interaction
The compatibility of Biseptolum and Phenytoinum is undeniable - the effectiveness of the treatment of the first drug is enhanced. Diuretics will help increase platelet count in the blood. Some antidepressants decrease their effectiveness. It is worth refraining from the parallel use of Biseptolum with drugs that inhibit the regulation of blood (including Naproxen, Aspirin). The effectiveness of contraception (oral) is reduced.
Also, when using "Biseptolum" it is worth considering that milk is able to neutralize the drug, therefore it is impossible to drink tablets with this drink. And before taking it, do not eat foods that are predisposed to fast absorption and excretion by the body.
There are foods that you should generally exclude from your diet for the period of therapy: tomatoes, carrots, beans, cabbage, peas and all fatty foods (especially animal origin).
Is Biseptol an antibiotic or not? If you carefully study the composition and its components, then the question itself will disappear, since the drug definitely belongs to the category of antibiotics. Therefore, alcohol should be forgotten for the treatment period, since when used together, the load on the liver increases and dysbiosis occurs, in addition to the fact that the reaction of the antibiotic with alcohol is an unpredictable thing.
We answered the question, what is Biseptolum - an antibiotic or not?
Antibiotics are those medicines that can destroy pathogens and their environmental conditions. If literally, then translated from lat. the name of these drugs means "against life."
So, what does Biseptol help from? Based on the prescription, the drug is intended to suppress and block the growth of harmful bacteria. It has an antibacterial effect (here a huge clue is that with ARVI, the drug is meaningless). Like other antibiotics, Biseptol is passive in the fight against viruses.
special instructions
During the period of therapy with Biseptol, doctors strongly recommend that you refrain from prolonged exposure to the sun, and it is also important to completely exclude exposure to UV rays.
Urine excretion should be monitored. If the filtering ability of the kidneys decreases, then this indicates the occurrence of crystalluria (deposition of salt crystals in the urine).
If tonsillitis / pharyngitis obtained during infection with category A streptococcus is diagnosed, the drug cannot be prescribed for treatment.
HIV-infected patients will constantly experience side effects during therapy. Therefore, before taking "Biseptolum", you should be prepared for this turn of events.
Shelf life and storage conditions
Shelf life - three years from the production date, which is indicated on the package.
The drug should be out of the reach of children, and also stored in a dry place, away from light, at a temperature of no higher than 25 degrees.
If the preparation is in the form of a solution, then in no case should it be supercooled / frozen.
Reviews
What helps Biseptol, it seems, is well known to everyone. But you need to consider that in some ways the drug will be useless or even dangerous. For example, ARVI, tonsillitis and other viruses cannot be defeated by this medicine. Cases of suffocation and even clinical death due to the use of a medication have been noted. Based on the reviews of "Biseptolum", we can conclude that it does not help at all at the first manifestations of colds. In principle, like any other antibiotic. But if you think about it, it’s logical! After all, the drug is intended for the treatment of completely different conditions, since it has an antibacterial effect.
Negative reviews about Biseptolum are most likely expressed by those people who like to self-medicate. However, they make a terrible mistake, thinking that the drug does not belong to the group of antibiotics. And instead of a high-quality and effective treatment for colds, such patients earn intestinal dysbiosis (at best). No one knows what kind of reaction the human body will give to such "self-therapy."
Positive feedback on Biseptol can be heard from people who seek treatment from specialists. Only experienced doctors can comprehensively see the whole picture: diagnose the disease, its degree of progression, recognize the accompanying symptoms, take into account the patient’s age and physique, predisposition to allergic reactions and other disorders in the body. After all these manipulations, only a specialist will be able to draw up an individual therapy regimen or, if necessary, replace the drug with a more modern analogue, which is abundant in our time.
Reviews about the "Biseptolum" are often positive. Firstly, many confirm the effectiveness of the drug with a cough, which was provoked precisely by bacteria. Improvement is noted already on the second or third day, a more lasting result is felt after a 5-7-day course.
Many women were able to get rid of cystitis, having suffered for several years with unsuccessful courses of treatment of various drugs.
There are cases when patients treat tonsillitis and to no avail. Arriving at a consultation with a doctor, it turns out that this is a respiratory infection that proceeds according to similar symptoms with a sore throat. In this case, the course of "Biseptolum" literally in 3 days will cure the disease.
Conclusion: the drug is very effective, but under the supervision of a specialist. If "Biseptol" has already been prescribed, then you should not take the drug on your own again without a repeated recommendation of the doctor, even with similar symptoms. Only a qualified specialist can determine if the disease is caused by viruses or bacteria. And of course, given the effect of the antibiotic, the necessary prebiotics will be prescribed to preserve the intestinal microflora.