Often, people with allergies have to change medications several times to find one that is suitable for eliminating symptoms and does not cause side effects. This is due to special sensitivity to one of the components of the drug or individual characteristics of the body.
The drug Fenkarol has long been considered a very effective and high-quality anti-allergy drug. But what medications can replace it if something goes wrong, and what do you need to know about the rules for its use?
Release form of Fenkarol
The drug is produced in the form of round tablets of 10 or 25 milligrams. One biconvex tablet contains 10.25 milligrams of hifenadine hydrochloride. Auxiliary components include potato starch, sucrose, calcium stearate.
Fenkarol is also available in the form of a colorless coarse powder. One sachet contains 10 milligrams of hifenadine hydrochloride. Additional components include orange durarom flavoring, citric acid, peach durarom, aspartame, mannitol.
Description of the drug
"Fenkarol" is a drug from the category of antiallergic drugs used to treat the upper respiratory tract (rhinitis, cough, hay fever). The drug is produced in Latvia and is positioned as an original drug that is not a generic. What is the dosage of the medication "Fenkarol"?
The medicine is available in tablets (50 mg, 25 mg, 10 mg), taken orally, and can be sold over-the-counter in pharmacies, but it is still better to consult a doctor before taking the medicine. Especially if you plan to use Fenkarol for children.
Pharmacological action of Fenkarol
Reviews of Fenkarol confirm that the drug has desensitizing, antiallergic, antipruritic, and antiexudative effects. Quifenadine, which is part of the drug, blocks H-1-histamine receptors and significantly reduces the effect of histamine on vascular permeability. In addition, this substance reduces the hypotensive effect of histamine and helps weaken its effect on the bronchi and intestinal smooth muscles.
The drug Fenkarol has a number of advantages compared to other antihistamines. The drug does not have anticholinergic or adrenolytic effects. For this reason, the medication can be prescribed to people who cannot tolerate anticholinergic antihistamines.
Fenkarol does not cause drowsiness in patients (unlike diphenhydramine or diprazine), has low toxicity and almost does not penetrate the blood-brain barrier. The drug not only blocks H-1 receptors, but also reduces the level of histamine, which enhances the activity of diamine oxidase, an enzyme. The enzyme breaks down approximately 30 percent of endogenous histamine.
According to reviews, Fenkarol significantly reduces the manifestations of arrhythmia.
Half an hour after taking the tablet, 45 percent of Fenkarol penetrates the blood plasma and then begins to have an effect in the tissues of the body. The maximum concentration of the drug in the blood plasma is achieved an hour after taking the tablets or powder.
The process of drug breakdown is observed in the liver. Metabolites of Fenkarol are excreted in urine, bile, and through the intestines. The withdrawal time of the drug is approximately 48 hours.
Features of using Fenkarol for children
Fenkarol is actively used in pediatrics for the treatment of allergic inflammation of the eyes, urticaria, hay fever, dermatosis, as well as allergic reactions to medications and pollen in children. Fenkarol is not prescribed to children with phenylketonuria, as well as intolerance to the components of the drug.
Typically, children's bodies tolerate treatment with this antihistamine well. You just need to carefully monitor the dosage of Fenkarol, as exceeding it can cause side effects:
- headache;
- dry mouth;
- digestive disorders.
For children, it is better to purchase Fenkarol in powder form. The dose required for treatment, which is prescribed by the doctor, is diluted with water and given to the child to drink after eating. The duration of treatment with the drug is determined by the doctor.
Directions for use and dosage
According to indications, Fenkarol, as well as Fenkarol analogues, should be taken only after meals.
- According to Fenkarol indications, adults should be prescribed from 25 to 50 milligrams. Take 3-4 times a day. The maximum daily dose of the drug should not exceed 200 milligrams. The course of treatment ranges from 10 to 20 days. If necessary, therapy can be repeated;
- Children aged 2-3 years need to take Fenkarol 5 milligrams. Reception should be carried out 2-3 times a day;
- Children from 3 to 7 years old should take Fenkarol twice a day;
- For children from 7 to 12 years old, the drug is prescribed 10-15 milligrams. Reception is carried out 2-3 times a day;
- Children over 12 years of age should use Fenkarol for 10-15 days, 25 milligrams 3 times a day.
For children, the drug is most often prescribed in powder form. A sachet of the medicine must be diluted in 50 grams of warm drinking water, and then given to the child to drink after eating.
According to the instructions, Fenkarol children from 2 to 3 years old should be prescribed 10 milligrams, i.e. 1 packet of powder. You need to take the powder once a day. For children from 3 to 7 years old, experts recommend taking the drug 10 milligrams 2 times a day. For children whose age varies between 7-12 years, Fenkarol is prescribed 2-3 times a day, 10 milligrams. Children over 12 years of age should be prescribed 20 milligrams 2-3 times a day.
Fenkarol and its cheap analogues
Clinical studies have proven that an allergic reaction can be caused by:
- animal hair, house dust;
- dyes, washing powders;
- synthetic materials;
- medications (any);
- food products, pollen of some plants.
Moreover, household allergens often provoke the development of respiratory tract pathology in the form of allergic rhinitis, cough, and suffocation. If a person notices symptoms that he has never experienced before, for example, a whistling sound when breathing or a runny nose that appears during the flowering period of certain plants, he should definitely consult a doctor.
The specialist will prescribe the necessary antihistamines for treatment, with the help of which you can quickly get rid of unpleasant symptoms. Thus, among the well-proven antiallergic drugs is Fenkarol, which is cheap in comparison with identical drugs. As well as its analogues, they are very effective in the treatment of allergic conditions in adults and children. Among them are Russian-made drugs Diazolin, Clarisens, Ketotifen, Gifast and Claridol tablets (manufactured by Shreya, India).
Main characteristics of Fenkarol, cost of tablets
Fenkarol belongs to drugs for the treatment of diseases of the respiratory system and is an antiallergic agent. Manufacturer of the medicine : Olainfarm (Latvia). The instructions for the drug indicate that Fenkarol is an Original, not a Generic.
The drug is intended for oral administration. Available in the form of tablets with dosages of 50 mg, 25 mg, 10 mg. According to the instructions, to purchase Fenkarol you must have a prescription written by a doctor.
The difference between Fenkarol and other antihistamines is a special mechanism of action that blocks H - 1 receptors (histamine) in peripheral tissues and at the same time activates the enzyme diamine oxidase. As a result, the concentration of histamine in tissues decreases (due to its breakdown). This makes it possible to effectively treat allergies even in those patients for whom other antihistamines do not help well.
The drug is characterized by rapid absorption from the stomach, therefore, after the patient takes the tablet (after 60 minutes), a maximum of the active substance accumulates in the blood plasma. And after 48 hours, the spent components of the drug are excreted from the body with urine and bile.
The list of diseases for the treatment of which Fenkarol is indicated includes:
- hay fever;
- allergic rhinitis, acute and chronic urticaria;
- angioedema angioedema;
- hay fever;
- skin disorders (itching, eczema, psoriasis, neurodermatitis, etc.).
When determining a treatment regimen for an adult or child, the doctor takes into account the degree of allergy manifestation, the patient’s condition, as well as possible risks if side effects occur. For this reason, some patients after taking Fenkarol may experience symptoms of digestive system disorders, as well as drowsiness or headache.
For diseases of the liver, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract, it is prescribed with caution. And children under three years of age , women (pregnant and breastfeeding), patients with hypersensitivity to the components of the drug for the treatment of allergies are recommended to use other medications.
Patients who are recommended therapy with Fenkarol should take the tablets after meals, in the doses prescribed by the doctor. For adults, the daily dose (maximum) is 200 mg. The drug is taken 25−50 mg 3 or 4 times a day. The duration of taking Fenkarol is from 10 to 15 days.
The price for a package of tablets (10 mg, 20 pcs.) is from 251 rubles.
Description of cheap analogues of Fenkarol, cost of tablets
When buying a medicine at a pharmacy, I can offer you a Generic instead of the original drug. In other words, its analogue, with a similar composition , but cheaper in cost. The low price of medicinal products, called Generics, is explained by the fact that their production costs significantly less money than the production of original products.
All cheap analogues of Fenkarol belong to the general pharmacological group of antiallergic drugs - H1-histamine receptor blockers, intended for the treatment of diseases of the respiratory system.
1. Diazolin . One tablet contains the active substance - Diazolin in an amount of 0.1 g and additional components. The medicine is available in dosages of 50 mg, 100 mg. The action of Diazolin allows us to weaken the spasmogenic effect of histamine on the smooth muscles of the bronchi, intestines and on vascular permeability.
The tablets are prescribed for internal use by adults, and for children from the age of six. In adults, as well as older children, the daily dose is 0.1-0.2 g. The drug should be taken one to two times a day.
Diazolin is not prescribed to children under 6 years of age. The dose for children aged 6 years is 0.05 g (take once or twice).
The duration of treatment is determined by the doctor.
Diazolin has contraindications and side effects, which are detailed in the instructions. The drug is not prescribed to patients with closed-angle glaucoma, epilepsy, heart rhythm disorders, prostate adenoma and pyloric stenosis.
The price of Diazolin (50 mg, 10 pcs.) is from 53 rubles.
2. Ketotifen . Systemic antiallergic agent. Has the ability to reduce the concentration of eosinophils accumulated in the respiratory tract. May suppress early and late asthmatic responses to allergens. Effective in preventing bronchospasm.
It differs in its interaction with other substances, enhancing their effect. Among the main indications for the use of Ketotifen is the prevention of allergic manifestations such as atopic bronchial asthma, allergic bronchitis, and allergic conjunctivitis.
Adult patients take 1 tablet (1 mg) 2 times a day. Children are prescribed medicine in syrup form:
- up to six months - 0.05 mg/kg (taking into account the child’s weight);
- from six months to 3 years - 0.05 mg (in 2 doses at equal intervals);
- from 3 years - 1 mg (two doses during the day).
Treatment takes 3 months. Contraindications and side effects of Ketotifen should be carefully read according to the instructions before starting treatment.
The drug is discontinued gradually (from 2 to 4 weeks).
Price of Ketotifen (1 mg, 30 pcs.): from 75 rubles.
3. Claridol . One tablet contains 10 mg of the active substance - loratadine. The antihistamine is available in tablets and also in the form of Claridol syrup (1 ml), which has a sweet taste and a pleasant aroma. The remedy significantly reduces the manifestation of allergy symptoms and also helps prevent them. It has antipruritic, antiallergic, antiexudative effects.
Adult patients, including the elderly, can take 10 mg Claridol tablets or syrup orally, which is the daily dose.
Doses of medication for children are calculated based on the body weight of small patients. Treatment with Claridol is not recommended for children under two years of age. The positive effect of taking the medicine occurs after half an hour, and the maximum is achieved after about eight hours. The drug is valid for 24 hours. The main indications for treatment with Claridol include:
- allergic rhinitis (seasonal and year-round), conjunctivitis;
- hay fever, urticaria;
- pseudoallergic reactions;
- allergies to insect bites;
- itching of various origins;
- Quincke's edema.
Claridol is prescribed to patients with liver failure with caution, and it is contraindicated for pregnant women.
Price Claridol (10 mg, 7 pcs.) - from 96 rubles.
4. Hyphast . Tablets for the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis, chronic urticaria. The active ingredient is fexofenadine. Dosage - 120 and 180 mg. The drug begins to act 1 hour after administration, and after 6 hours it reaches its maximum antiallergic effect, which lasts for 24 hours.
A special feature of Hyphast is the absence of a decrease in attention, which is important when performing some work.
The drug has contraindications, as well as side effects, which should be read according to the instructions before starting treatment.
Adults and children suffering from seasonal allergic rhinitis take Gifast once a day - 120 mg of the drug. For the treatment of chronic urticaria, the patient is prescribed a dose of 180 mg (single dose).
Price Gifasta (120 mg, 10 pcs.) - from 155 rubles.
5. Clarisens . White flat-cylindrical tablets are intended for the treatment of seasonal and year-round rhinitis/conjunctivitis, Quincke's edema, urticaria, both chronic and without established causes. As well as allergies to insect bites, chronic eczema, contact dermatitis.
The peculiarity of Clarisens is that it is not addictive. The antiallergic effect is observed after 30 minutes have passed from the moment of taking the tablet and persists throughout the day.
The drug has contraindications for use in women (pregnancy and breastfeeding), with phenylketonuria (a rare hereditary disease). Clarisens is also not used to treat allergic reactions in children under two years of age.
The dose and duration of therapy with Clarisens is determined by the doctor. Usually this is one tablet per day. In exceptional cases, the medicine is taken every other day. During treatment with Clarisens, the patient should exclude alcohol from the diet.
Price Clarisens (10 mg, 30 pcs.) - from 132 rubles.
Analogs
Analogue drugs differ in price, quality, country of origin, but at the same time they have a similar mechanism of action and composition.
- The drug "Dezal". The medicine is aimed at eliminating allergic rhinitis, itching, urticaria, rashes and other manifestations of allergies. It should not be used on children under 12 years of age; therefore, they should not be used on children under one year of age.
- Fenistil suppresses hay fever and allergy symptoms: swelling due to allergies, itching, runny nose. Fenistil is used from infancy and is used to relieve itching from chickenpox, smallpox, rubella, and after mosquito bites. Doctors carry out a course of Fenistil and preventive measures to combat allergies.
- The drug "Reactin". Nasal spray is used for allergic rhinitis. Cannot be used by pregnant and elderly people.
- Well-known analogue drugs with a composition similar to fenkarol: Hifenadine and Fenkarol-Olaine.
Contraindications and side effects
Treatment with fenkarol occurs in compliance with the exact dosage prescribed by the doctor. Otherwise, in case of an overdose, the side effects of the drug increase.
The medicine has a negative effect in two directions: the central nervous system and the digestive system. When treated with medication, children complain of:
- Migraine;
- Drowsiness;
- Depression;
- Apathy;
- Urge to vomit and nausea;
- Dry mouth.
The side effects of the drug are similar to the negative manifestations from the use of a drug called Suprastin.
If parents reduce the dosage of medication for the child, this helps eliminate negative manifestations after taking antihistamines (Tavegil, Suprastin and others).
If parents have exceeded the dose of medication, they should immediately consult a doctor to examine the child. Allergists do not recommend using the medicine in tablet form for children under 3 years of age, and fencarol powder is used to treat younger children after the drug is recommended by a pediatrician. Fenkarol 10 mg and 25 mg are not recommended for use by allergy sufferers with sucrose deficiency or phenylketonuria.
Parents are advised to be careful when applying the medicine to children with diseases of the stomach and intestines, heart and vascular diseases, and kidney pathologies.
First of all, parents are advised to read the instructions for use; if the medicine contains components intolerable to the child, then the drug is replaced with analogues, for example, suprastin.
In case of overdose, it is recommended to give the child activated carbon to quickly absorb harmful substances and remove them from the body.
If you read reviews from parents, you can conclude that side effects of the drug are rare.
Indications for use
The instructions for Fenkarol indicate that this drug, as well as all its analogues, should be prescribed for the following types of allergic diseases:
- Allergic conjunctivitis;
- Allergic rhinitis;
- Hay fever;
- Various manifestations of food and drug allergies;
- Angioedema of Quincke;
- Hay fever;
- Dermatoses – itchy skin, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema.
- Urticaria (chronic or acute);
Fenkarol: instructions for use for children
Neither adults nor children are immune from allergies, and they can arise from anything: from household chemicals to pet fur. Today, there are a lot of allergy remedies on the domestic pharmaceutical market, among which the drug Fenkarol takes pride of place.
What is the medicine Fenkarol, is it acceptable for use for children (including babies under one year old), what is stated in its instructions for use and whether there are analogues of this drug - read on.
Composition, release form
Fenkarol is available in the form:
- round white tablets placed in blisters of 10 pieces each;
- white powder placed in portioned sachets, which must be diluted with water before use.
The main active component of this drug is the substance of the same name, fenkarol (another name is hifenadine hydrochloride). Tablets with different dosages of this active substance are available for sale: 10, 25 and 50 mg. The powder is mainly used in pediatrics, therefore it has the smallest dosage of 10 mg. Auxiliary components include:
- for tablets: potato starch, sugar, calcium stearate;
- for powder: aspartame, mannitol, flavorings, citric acid.
Operating principle
Fenkarol reduces the influence of histamine (the main mediator of allergic reactions) and eliminates its harmful effects on the body:
- relieves swelling of bronchial tissues;
- eliminates spasm of intestinal smooth muscles;
- weakens its effect on blood pressure (for example, histamine has a hypotensive effect, that is, lowers blood pressure), etc.
Also this drug:
- reduces vascular permeability;
- activates the production of diamine oxidase, an enzyme that inhibits histamine;
- has an antipruritic effect.
The big advantage of Fenkarol is that it does not affect the functioning of the central nervous system and does not cause drowsiness, like many other antihistamines.
From what age can it be used?
The instructions say that this drug is suitable for use in children over 2 years of age. However, due to the fact that fenkarol, in principle, does not have any negative effect on the functioning of the baby’s organs, in pediatric practice it is used at an earlier age, but only as prescribed by a doctor.
Directions for use and dosage
The drug must be taken orally, preferably after meals. As for the powder, before use it must be dissolved in a small amount of warm boiled water.
The drug Fenkarol, according to the instructions for use, is prescribed for children in the following dosage:
- Tablets: for children 2-3 years old - half a tablet with a dosage of 10 mg 2 or 3 times a day, 3 - 7 years old - 1 tablet with a dosage of 10 mg 2 times a day, 7 - 12 years old - 1-1.5 tablets dosage of 10 mg 2 or 3 times a day, from 12 years - 1 tablet with a dosage of 25 mg 2 or 3 times a day.
- Powder: 2-3 years – 1 sachet 1 r/d, 3 – 7 years – 1 sachet 2 r/d, 7 – 12 years – 1 sachet 2 or 3 r/d, over 12 years – 2 sachets 2 or 3 r/d /d.
The duration of therapy with this drug is from 10 to 15 days.
Drug interactions
Since the drug we are considering reduces intestinal activity, this helps accelerate the absorption of slowly absorbed drugs, for example, digoxin, coumarins, etc.
Analogs
Similarly, active medications, which, if necessary, can replace Fenkarol, are:
- Fenistil (approved for use from 1 month);
- Claritin (approved for use from 1 month);
- Erolin (approved for use from 2 years);
- Alergomax (approved for use from 6 months);
- Eden (approved for use from 6 months);
- —Diazolin— (approved for use from 2 years);
- —Ketotifen— (approved for use from 3 years).
Reviews
Ellina:
My son is often allergic to various foods, so I always keep Fenkarol in my medicine cabinet. It works flawlessly: it quickly relieves itching and rashes. And his price is reasonable.
Valeria:
My daughter is an allergy sufferer, but recently she developed bronchial spasms in addition to all other allergy symptoms. Since then, we have been saving ourselves with Fenkarol, since Fenistil, which we took before, is ineffective for bronchial spasms.
Sergey:
I am allergic to many irritants: citrus fruits, cat hair, etc. Doctors often prescribed this drug to me, and it never worked. It’s strange, because there are so many positive reviews about it on the Internet, but it’s a fact.
Varvara:
An ENT doctor prescribed this remedy to my child when he had pharyngitis and the laryngeal mucosa was severely swollen. Fenkarol relieved the swelling quite quickly. Therefore, I can judge that this is a good drug.
Tatiana:
My baby was prescribed Fenkarol when he was only 1 month old. I was breastfeeding him then, but I didn’t follow a special diet, and the allergy didn’t take long to appear. The doctor said that this is a fairly weak and harmless antihistamine. After taking Fenkarol, the baby’s allergy went away.
Use of the drug
Parents sometimes use fenkarol from the first year of birth. In their opinion, it does not have a negative effect on the child’s body, because the harm of the drug has not been proven by doctors and medical research. The instructions state that children are treated with this drug only from the second year of life. Therefore, the doctor decides whether or not to give these tablets from infancy after examining the child and consulting.
Parents use 25 mg tablets for the following symptoms:
- Urticaria;
- Eczema;
- Psoriasis;
- Allergic rhinitis in children.
Moms and dads of babies leave positive reviews, noting the positive results of treatment:
- Hay fever;
- Neurodermatitis;
- Allergies with suffocation and Quincke's edema.
10 mg tablets are used for:
- Atopic dermatitis (neurodermatitis);
- Edema of an allergic nature;
- Itching of the skin;
- Pollinosis.
If the child does not have an allergy, then it is not recommended to give him suprastin or fenkarol before vaccination. And if the child is susceptible to allergic reactions with rashes, then before vaccination they take a course of medication.
The dosage of fenkarol during treatment is calculated based on the patient’s age and is half or a quarter of a tablet. This reduces the risk of allergies, swelling and rashes. Doctors use 25 mg tablets, easily relieving itching in case of allergies with the help of quifenadine, which blocks receptors and reduces the perception of blood vessels to the irritant. Powder in concentrations of 10 and 25 mg strengthens the walls of the intestines and bronchi. Advantages of the drug: low toxicity, positive effect on heart vessels and arrhythmia (according to medical studies).
Interaction with other drugs
The drug has a weak M-anticholinergic property, but with reduced gastrointestinal motility, the absorption of slowly absorbed medications may increase (for example, indirect anticoagulants - coumarins). The instructions for the drug "Fenkarol" indicate that the described drug, when ingested into the body, helps accelerate the absorption of drugs that have weakly expressed absorption properties, in addition, its use does not increase the inhibitory properties of sleeping pills and alcoholic beverages on the central nervous system.
Drug price
Fenkarol tablets do not belong to the category of expensive drugs; its cost in pharmacy chains ranges from 250 to 350 rubles.
