Psoriasis is a non-infectious chronic skin disease. It is accompanied by symptoms such as itching and burning of the skin, peeling, the formation of psoriatic plaques, skin inflammation and redness.
The disease develops as a result of aggression of the immune system. Pathological cells formed under its influence multiply, spreading the disease. Various experiences and stress also cause the disease. Symptoms can appear on any part of the body, especially on the head and areas subject to frequent friction.
The disease is incurable, but there are drugs that can relieve symptoms for a long time without frequent relapses.
If the disease is at a severe stage, complex treatment cannot be avoided. Complex treatment includes the use of several forms of drugs, for example, ointments and tablets. Tablets and injections Methotrexate is an effective remedy in the fight against psoriasis, but the tablets are toxic, so they cannot be used for liver and kidney diseases; in this case, injections are more suitable. The article will discuss how the drug affects the body, how and whether it can be used, side effects and analogues.
Methotrexate. Description of the medicine
Initially, Methotrexate was aimed at combating tumors; it was created in the middle of the last century, but began to be sold twenty years later. Despite the similarity with folic acid in composition, its additional and main components, the drug has the opposite direction. Taking folic acid stimulates cell proliferation by increasing metabolism. Methotrexate is manufactured in European and Asian countries, America, and Australia.
Methotrexate is sold in pharmacies in other forms: tablets and ampoules. There are fifty tablets in one package.
A little about the drug
The drug Methotrexate is an antitumor drug from the group of folic acid antagonists. It is prescribed for the treatment of a number of oncological diseases, such as acute leukolymphosis, skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma of various organs, trophoblastic disease, osteogenic and soft cell sarcoma, malignant liver disease, etc.
Methotrexate for psoriasis is taken in a certain course, which makes it possible to suppress excessive division of skin cells and stop the progression of the disease. It is prescribed extremely rarely for the treatment of severe forms of erythrodermic, pustular type of disease and for psoriatic arthritis.
Methotrexate is taken orally, intravenously and intramuscularly, as well as intralumbarally (injection of the drug into the spinal canal). The dosage of the drug and the frequency of use are selected individually by the attending physician, depending on the stage of the disease, the area of the lesion and other important factors.
The drug is metabolized in the liver, residual substances are metabolized in the intestine. The drug is excreted through the urinary organs, and a small part of it is excreted from the body with bile. Taking the product on your own is strictly prohibited, since it has a large number of side effects, especially if the dosage is exceeded even in small quantities.
Methotrexate. Instructions for use
The method of application and dosage depends on the chosen form.
Regardless of the chosen form, the method of application depends on the weight of the patient.
Based on the patient's condition, the dosage can be increased or decreased. The maximum permissible rate has also been established. It must be taken very carefully, strictly following the doctor's instructions.
This drug is best used only by adults, and for children and adolescents, choose milder and non-toxic drugs. It is very important to know the contraindications and side effects of the drug. To do this, you must definitely take tests to check the condition of your liver. The product should not be used for her illnesses. Treatment with the drug without medical supervision is strictly not recommended. You also need to take a general blood test three times a week.
If side effects occur, you should stop taking the drug.
During the course of treatment it is prohibited to drink alcohol.
Composition and pharmacological action
Methotrexate is produced in tablet form for oral use and solution for injection.
The product contains the active ingredient – methotrexate. In tablets its concentrations are as follows:
- 2.5 mg;
- 5 mg;
- 10 mg.
The Methotrexate solution contains 10 mg of the active ingredient per 10 ml, and the injection concentrate contains 100 mg of the active ingredient per 1 ml of liquid.
The medication belongs to the category of antimetabolites and, according to its structure, is an analogue of folic acid. The medicinal composition is characterized by antitumor and immunosuppressive effects on the body.
As part of the treatment of psoriatic disease, Methotrexate affects plaque keratinocytes, which are characterized by an increased growth rate compared to the physiologically normal proliferation of healthy skin cells.
Methotrexate in the treatment of psoriasis
Psoriasis is a chronic disease caused by the aggressive influence of the immune system on cells, as a result of which they become pathological. There is a type of drug that fights the disease by reducing immunity, that is, it has an immunosuppressive effect. Methotrexate has the opposite effect of folic acid, which is aimed at improving the immune system.
The drug is able to cope with the symptoms of the disease by stopping the influence of the immune system on cells and the proliferation of pathology, which is the root cause of the disease.
Methotrexate is not used at the onset of the disease. This is a toxic substance, so it should be used carefully, only in severe cases of psoriasis. It is impossible for less than a fifth of the skin to be affected when taking it.
Methotrexate is used not only for psoriasis, but also for other skin diseases caused by the proliferation of pathological cells, including some types of tumors.
Side effects
Side effects depend on how long the medicine is taken and in what dosage. The range of undesirable consequences is quite large, which makes it necessary to limit the use of the drug among some patients. Side effects include the following symptoms:
- black stool;
- vomiting;
- stool disorder;
- dry cough;
- chills;
- hyperemia of the skin;
- formation of ulcers and aphthae on the tongue and oral mucosa;
- pain in the abdomen, intestines, back;
- disturbance of normal urination;
- blood in the urine;
- disturbance of consciousness;
- convulsive syndrome;
- swelling of the legs;
- drowsiness, loss of ability to work;
- damage to the dermis, allergic rashes.
On the forums you can find responses from patients that during treatment with Methotrexate they developed severe disorders of the nervous system, apathy, depression and other manifestations.
In case of poor tolerance, the drug is replaced with analogues. Only a doctor should select substitutes and prescribe them.
Brief overview of analogues
There are many analogues of Methotrexate. Analogs include drugs such as Metotab, Metortrit, Methoject and many others. All these drugs are prohibited for pregnant women, breastfeeding women and people with liver disease. Let's take a closer look at some of them.
- Methotab. The main direction of action is the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis; the drug can also cope with a serious form of psoriasis. It is difficult to find the product in Russian pharmacies; it is sold in Ukrainian ones, the price starts from 380 rubles. Its cost is higher than that of Methotrexate.
- Methorthrit. The composition of this antitumor drug is very similar to Methotrexate. Like its previous analogue, it is included in the list of drugs in complexes for the treatment of rheumatoid and other types of arthritis, as well as severe psoriasis, in which most of the skin is affected. It, like Methotrexate, cannot be used for liver problems, HIV, and other infectious diseases. It also has many contraindications, the price starts from 500 rubles, and is available in the form of ampoules.
- Methodject - the principle of operation is absolutely similar to Methotrexate. This drug also suppresses the functioning of the immune system, is sold in pharmacies quite expensively - from 750 rubles per package of solution, the drug is an excellent reliever of symptoms. Indications for use are the same as for previous drugs.
- Zeksat is mainly aimed at combating cancer. It treats tumors such as breast, ovarian, cervical and other cancers. In addition, it is used in the treatment of chronic dermatological diseases. Psoriasis is treated only in severe stages. Like Methotrexate, it is available in the form of tablets and ampoules. It is difficult to find in Russia and has a number of side effects.
- Trexan is very similar in indications for use and composition to the previous drug. Prescribed in the form of tablets and ampoules. Also prohibited for liver and kidney diseases.
In any case, treatment with this drug or its analogues should be strictly under the supervision of an experienced dermatologist. Since after taking strong medications, complications in the course of the disease and increased symptoms may occur, you should take the medicine very carefully. The attending physician must independently prescribe to the patient the method of administration, dose and duration of treatment.
Reviews
You can find both positive and negative reviews about the treatment of psoriasis with Methotrexate. The opinions of patients differ: for some, the drug is ideal, removing psoriatic rashes without a trace and without complications, while others note poor tolerability of the drug, deterioration in well-being and an abundance of side effects.
Anna
“I discovered Methotrexate in 2007. I have psoriatic arthritis and have been taking this medication continuously since then. After reading the instructions, I was horrified by the number of side effects caused by this drug - they cannot but alert me.
Related article:
Reviews of Psoricap treatment
However, I still take it. Only once there was a break of 1 year. The only side effect I note is that my hair began to fall out more and more - this is the effect of this medicine. Perhaps Methotrexate somehow still has a negative effect on my body, but I don’t notice this. My overall health has improved and my skin has become clearer. I know several people who were treated with Methotrexate, and most of them soon abandoned the drug due to deteriorating health. In my case, the effect of the treatment is quite good.
Methotrexate is produced by several pharmaceutical companies, I tried two. Now I only take methotrexate from Ebewe, it really helps. I don’t remember the second manufacturer.”
Olga
“I have had psoriasis for 9 years now. I have already tried a lot of remedies to combat this skin disease. On the advice of doctors, I decided to undergo Methotrexate therapy. Almost immediately the redness decreased and the itching subsided. However, a week later an allergy appeared. I also had to take medicine for it. I never received a positive result from Methotrexate.”
Methotrexate. Contraindications
This drug has a number of contraindications. This is due to the toxicity of Methotrexate. It cannot be used in the following cases:
- Liver and kidney diseases. This is due to the aggressive effect of the drug on the liver, as it is very toxic.
- Alcoholism. Drinking alcohol is prohibited while using Methotrexate, so this factor is a contraindication.
- Infectious diseases. Tuberculosis, HIV.
- Stomach ulcer.
- Age up to fourteen years. At this time, a person’s immunity is being formed, and the use of the drug will lead to its severe weakening.
The drug, as mentioned above, is prohibited for use by pregnant and lactating women. You can plan to conceive a child only a month after completing the full course of treatment for women, three months later for men. This is due to the influence of substances in Methotrexate on the development of the fetus and the appearance of defects in it.
The main condition in using the drug is not to use it yourself. This is a very strong toxic substance, and in order not to cause complications and, if necessary, change the drug, you should contact a specialist. Be sure to strictly follow the instructions, observe all doses and duration of therapy prescribed by your doctor.
It often happens that when using the drug, a person’s condition worsens. This may be due to an increase in dosage. The drug has a strong effect on the liver, so an overdose can cause a complete stop of liver function.
This remedy does not always have a positive effect on the course of the disease. It was observed that in four out of five people this drug relieved the symptoms of psoriasis.
What complications can there be?
The drug can cause a number of side effects, including:
- decreased blood pressure;
- dizziness, drowsiness;
- complications in the form of convulsions, paralysis, psycho-emotional disorders;
- anemia;
- nausea, vomiting, hepatitis, anorexia, pancreatitis, gingivitis, pharyngitis, liver cirrhosis, cystitis, renal failure;
- during pregnancy can lead to fetal defects and miscarriage;
- menstrual irregularities;
- cough, shortness of breath, fever, and in rare cases obstructive pulmonary disease;
- visual impairment, cataracts, conjunctivitis;
- itching, rash, pigmentation disorder, burning sensation;
- allergic reactions.
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