"Ursosan": side effects, use, reviews and analogues
Do you know the drug Ursosan? Side effects of this medication, indications for its use and instructions for use will be presented in this article. Also you will learn about the form in which such a drug goes on sale, what is included in its composition, whether it has analogues and contraindications.
Form of the medicine and its composition
If you have been prescribed treatment by Ursosan, then to youyou should know in what form it can be purchased. Currently, this drug is sold in stores only in the form of gelatinous hard capsules. They are opaque and have a white color.
What do the capsules that we are considering contain? Their contents are white or almost white powder. It can contain pieces of light mass. Also, the powder can be pressed in a column. When pressed, the tablet breaks up.
Now you know in what form thethe medicine "Ursosan". Side effects of this drug are related to its composition. One capsule of this drug contains ursodeoxycholic acid in a volume of 250 mg. The preparation also includes auxiliary elements in the form of corn starch, magnesium stearate, titanium dioxide, colloidal silicon dioxide and gelatin.
The drug is delivered to the pharmacy in a cardboard box, in which there may be 10, 50 or 100 capsules.
Pharmacological properties of a medical device
What is a medicinal product"Ursosan", whose side effects will be described a little further? It is a hepatoprotector that provides cholelitholitic, choleretic, hypocholesterolemic, hypolipidemic and immunomodulatory effects.
The drug has high polar properties. The active element (ursodeoxycholic acid) forms apolar (toxic) bile acids with mixed non-toxic micelles. As a result, the ability of gastric reflux disease to affect cell membranes is reduced in pathologies such as reflux esophagitis and reflux gastritis (biliary).
One can not help saying that the active substancecan form double molecules that are part of cholangiocytes, cell membranes of hepatocytes, epitheliocytes of the digestive tract, stabilizing them and making them immune to the effects of cytotoxic micelles.
Principle of action of a medicament
How does the medicine work on the body?"Ursosan" (his counterparts)? This medicine lowers the concentration of bile, toxic acids for hepatocytes and stimulates choleresis, rich in bicarbonates. It should be specially noted that the active element of the drug effectively helps in the treatment of intrahepatic cholestasis. It lowers the saturation of bile with cholesterol. This is due to the inhibition of absorption of the substance in the intestine, the suppression of synthesis in the liver, as well as the secretory reduction in bile.
The drug increases the solubility of cholesterol in the bile. It forms liquid crystals with it, and also reduces the lithogenic index of bile.
The result of treatment with this medication is the complete dissolution of gallstones (cholesterol). Also, the drug prevents the formation of new concrements.
Immunomodulating effect of "Ursosan" is due tosuppression of the expression of HLA antigens of the 2nd class on cholangiocytes and HLA of the 1st class on membranes of hepatocytes. In addition, the drug normalizes the natural killer activity of lymphocytes.
Experts have proved that the drugretards the development of fibrosis in patients with cystic fibrosis, biliary cirrhosis (primary) and alcoholic steatohepatitis. In doing so, it reduces the risk of varicose veins of the esophagus.
The active substance of the drug under consideration slows down the processes of premature cell death and aging (cholangiocytes and hepatocytes).
Pharmacokinetics of the drug
Due to passive diffusion (about 90%)ursodeoxycholic acid is absorbed from the small intestine. In the ileum, absorption occurs due to active transport. The concentration of the active ingredient when administered at a dosage of 50 mg in half an hour, 60 minutes and an hour and a half is, respectively: 3.8 mmol per liter, 5.5 mmol per liter and 3.7 mmol per liter. The maximum concentration of the drug is reached after about 1-3 hours.
Binding to plasma proteins from this drugrather high (about 97-99%). The active substance is able to penetrate the placenta. With regular administration of the drug, the active element becomes the main bile acid in the blood.
Metabolized medicine in the liver. About 55-70% of the drug comes out with bile. A small amount of non-sucked acid enters the large intestine, where it undergoes cleavage.
Drug "Ursosan": indications for use
The medicine we are considering is prescribed if the patient has been affected by the following pathologies:
- uncomplicated cholelithiasis (withbiliary sludge, for the dissolution of bile cholesterol stones in the gallbladder, if it is impossible to remove them endoscopically or surgically, as prevention of recurrence of stone formation after cholecystectomy);
- hepatitis chronic active;
- toxic, including medicinal, liver damage;
- non-alcoholic steatohepatitis;
- liver diseases alcoholic;
- sclerosing primary cholangitis;
- hepatitis acute;
- primary cirrhosis of the liver (biliary);
- cystic fibrosis (or so-called cystic fibrosis) of the liver;
- dyskinesia and other bile duct diseases;
- atresia of the bile intrahepatic pathways, including congenital atresia of the bile ducts;
- Dyspeptic biliary syndrome (with dyskinesia and cholecystopathy);
- biliary reflux-esophagitis and reflux-gastritis;
- prevention of liver disease that developed after using cytostatics and hormonal contraceptives.
Contraindications to the use of medicament
Now you know what "Ursosan" is intended for (indications for use have been described above). As for contraindications, then they include the following factors:
- disorders of the gallbladder;
- X-ray positive gallstones (with a high content of calcium);
- gastric, bile or intestinal fistula;
- cholangitis acute;
- cholecystitis acute;
- hypersensitivity to the elements of the drug;
- cirrhosis of the liver in the stage of decompensation;
- kidney failure;
- infectious diseases (often acute) of the bile duct and gall bladder;
- liver failure;
- obturation of bile ducts;
- empyema of the gallbladder.
Careful use of the medicinal product
When to use cautionto use the drug "Ursosan"? Indication for the use of this remedy states that taking medication for children between 2 and 4 years old is allowed only under the supervision of adults. This is due to the fact that there is a possibility of difficulty swallowing the capsules. In general, the active element of the drug has no age limitations in use.
Drug "Ursosan": application
Reviews about this drug, we will describe at the very end of the article. Now let's talk about how it should be taken.
Capsules of the drug must be swallowed whole, washed down with plain water.
How to take "Ursosan" for any deviations? The instruction for its use contains the following information on this account:
- With cholelithiasis and diffuse pathologiesliver drug prescribed for a long time (continuously) in a daily dosage of 2-5 capsules (depending on body weight). With diffuse deviations, the daily volume of the drug should be divided into 3 doses. When to take capsules "Ursosan": before meals or after? The medicine must be used during consumption of food.
- In cholelithiasis, the daily dosage is taken once before bedtime. The duration of therapy (for dissolution of stones) is 3 months, and then a few more weeks to prevent relapse.
- With such deviations as reflux esophagitis andbiliary reflux-gastritis, medication prescribed one capsule at night. The course of treatment can be as long as 15 days, and 7 months (if necessary, 2 years).
- After the cholecystectomy, the recommended dosage is 250 mg twice a day for several months.
- With medicinal and toxic lesionsliver, as well as atresia of the biliary tract and alcoholic disease, the drug is prescribed at the rate of 10-15 mg per 1 kg of body weight, drink in 3 divided doses. The duration of therapy is 6-12 months and longer.
- With biliary cirrhosis (primary), medicationtake at the rate of 10-15 mg per 1 kg of the patient's weight per day (but not more than 20 mg per kg) in 3 divided doses. Duration of treatment is from 6 months to several years.
- With sclerosing cholangitis (primary), the drug is taken in a dosage of 12-15 mg per 1 kg of body weight per day (up to 20 mg per kg) in 3 divided doses. Duration of treatment is from 6 months to several years.
- With steatohepatitis non-alcoholic - 13-15 mg per 1 kg of weight per day (in 3 divided doses). The duration of therapy is from 6 months to several years.
- In cystic fibrosis, the dosage is given at a rate of 20-30 mg per 1 kg of body weight (on day 3 of the dose). Duration of treatment is from 6 months to several years.
- For children from 2 years, the amount of medication consumed is set individually (but not more than 10-20 mg per 1 kg of body weight per day).
Adverse Events
Can the drug "Ursosan" have a negative impact on the body? There are indeed side effects of this medicine. Let us consider them in more detail.
- The digestive tract: vomiting, diarrhea, calcification of gallstones, nausea, constipation, increased activity of hepatic transaminases.
- Other: exacerbation of psoriasis, back pain, allergy, alopecia.
Lactation and pregnancy
Is it possible to use the fetus during gestationthe drug Ursosan? Application (reviews about the drug will be presented below) of ursodeoxycholic acid during pregnancy are only allowed if the expected benefit for the expectant mother is significantly higher than the risk for the fetus.
There is no information on the isolation of the active substance of the drug with breast milk.
Instructions for the use of the medicine
The drug "Ursosan" (medicine analogues in particular) should be used only for the purpose of dissolution of gallstones (cholesterol), the size of which does not exceed 15-20 mm.
With prolonged intake of the drug (longer than one month), a blood test (biochemical) should be performed every five weeks.
How long after dissolution of stones should I take medicine "Ursosan"? The responses of patients and doctors say that after curing it should be used for about another three months.
The cost of a medicine and its analogs
Many are interested in how much the drug coststhe drug Ursosan? Analogues will be cheaper to be presented further, as for the mentioned means, it can hardly be called budgetary. In pharmacies for 10 capsules you will have to pay about 200 rubles. Given the duration of therapy with this medication (several months or even years), it can be concluded that treating patients is expensive.
What can replace the drug Ursosan? Analogues are cheaper in every pharmacy. But before buying them, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
Among the analogues of the drug we are consideringI would like to allocate the following funds: Livevox, Ursodeoxycholic acid, Urdox (50 tablets 600 rubles), Ursodez (50 tablets 500 rubles), Ursoliv (50 tablets 500 rubles). The remaining analogs are more expensive: Ursofalk, Ursolit, Ursoron Romparm, Holudexan, Ursodex, Exxol, and so on.
Patient Reviews
What do they say about the drug Ursosan? The patients' testimonies state that, in general, this medication copes with the task set. It dissolves the stones well and prevents the disease from developing again. Typically, this occurs after three months after the start of therapy (sometimes it takes a longer reception).
Also, the preparation we are considering has andnegative feedback. Very often they are associated with side effects (nausea, diarrhea) that occur after taking the medication. In addition, quite a lot of patients are dissatisfied with the price of the drug. Due to the fact that it takes a long time to drink the medicine, the treatment is too expensive. However, experts argue that this drug is very effective in the treatment of cholelithiasis. If you look at the problem from this point of view, its price is completely justified.
