1. Name Of The Medicinal Product
Salofalk Suppositories 500mg
2. Qualitative And Quantitative Composition
Each suppository contains 500mg mesalazine
For a full list of excipients, see section 6.1.
3. Pharmaceutical Form
Suppository
4. Clinical Particulars
4.1 Therapeutic Indications
Management of mild and moderate attacks of ulcerative colitis, especially in the rectum and sigmoid colon and also in the descending colon.
4.2 Posology And Method Of Administration
Method of administration: Rectal
Adults and the Elderly: 1 to 2 suppositories, 2 to 3 times daily. The action of Salofalk is enhanced if the patient lies on the left side when introducing the suppository. The dosage should be adjusted to suit the progress of the condition. Do not discontinue treatment suddenly.
Children: There is little experience and only limited documentation for an effect in children.
4.3 Contraindications
Severe impairment of renal or hepatic function. Known hypersensitivity to salicylates or the excipients.
4.4 Special Warnings And Precautions For Use
Blood tests (differential blood count; liver function tests such as ALT or AST; serum creatinine) and dip-stick urinalysis should be determined prior to and during treatment, at the discretion of the treating physician. As a guideline, further testing is recommended 14 days after commencement of treatment, then a further two to three times at intervals of 4 weeks.
If the findings are normal, further testing should be carried out every 3 months. If additional symptoms occur, tests should be performed immediately.
Caution is recommended in patients with impaired hepatic function.
Salofalk suppositories are not recommended in patients with impaired renal function. Mesalazine-induced renal toxicity should be considered if renal function deteriorates during treatment.
Patients with pulmonary disease, in particular asthma, should be very carefully monitored during a course of treatment with Salofalk suppositories.
Patients with a history of adverse drug reactions to preparations containing sulphasalazine should be kept under close medical surveillance on commencement of a course of treatment with Salofalk suppositories. Should the suppositories cause acute intolerability reactions such as cramps, acute abdominal pain, fever, severe headache and rash, therapy should be discontinued immediately.
4.5 Interaction With Other Medicinal Products And Other Forms Of Interaction
Specific interaction studies have not been performed.
Interactions may occur during treatment with Salofalk suppositories and concomitant administration of the following medicinal products. Most of these possible interactions are based on theoretical reasons:
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In patients who are concomitantly treated with azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine, possible enhanced myelosuppressive effects of azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine should be taken into account.
4.6 Pregnancy And Lactation
There are no adequate data from the use of Salofalk suppositories in pregnant women. However, data on a limited number of exposed pregnancies indicate no adverse effect of mesalazine on pregnancy or on the health of the foetus/newborn child. To date no other relevant epidemiologic data are available. In one single case after long-term use of a high dose mesalazine (2-4 g, orally) during pregnancy, renal failure in a neonate was reported.
Animal studies on oral mesalazine do not indicate direct or indirect harmful effects with respect to pregnancy, embryonal/fetal development, parturition or postnatal development.
Salofalk suppositories should only be used during pregnancy if the potential benefit outweighs the possible risk.
N-acetyl-5-aminosalicylic acid and to a lesser degree mesalazine are excreted in breast milk. Only limited experience during lactation in women is available to date. Hypersensitivity reactions like diarrhoea cannot be excluded. Therefore, Salofalk suppositories should only be used during breast-feeding if the potential benefit outweighs the possible risk. If the suckling neonate develops diarrhoea, the breast-feeding should be discontinued.
4.7 Effects On Ability To Drive And Use Machines
No effects on ability to drive and use machines have been observed
4.8 Undesirable Effects
The following side effects have been reported with the use of mesalazine:
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4.9 Overdose
No cases of intoxication have been reported to date and no specific antidotes are known.
If necessary, intravenous infusion of electrolytes (forced diuresis) should be considered in cases of overdose.
5. Pharmacological Properties
5.1 Pharmacodynamic Properties
Pharmacotherapeutic group: Aminosalicylic acid and similar agents
ATC code: A07EC02
The mechanism of the anti-inflammatory action is unknown. The results of in vitro studies indicate that inhibition of lipoxygenase may play a role.
Effects on prostaglandin concentrations in the intestinal mucosa have also been demonstrated. Mesalazine (5-Aminosalicylic acid / 5-ASA) may also function as a radical scavenger of reactive oxygen compounds.
On reaching the intestinal lumen, rectally administered mesalazine has largely local effects on the intestinal mucosa and submucosal tissue.
5.2 Pharmacokinetic Properties
General considerations of mesalazine:
Absorption:
Mesalazine absorption is highest in proximal gut regions and lowest in distal gut areas.
Biotransformation:
Mesalazine is metabolised both pre-systemically by the intestinal mucosa and in the liver to the pharmacologically inactive N-acetyl-5-aminosalicylic acid (N-Ac-5-ASA). The acetylation seems to be independent of the acetylator phenotype of the patient. Some acetylation also occurs through the action of colonic bacteria. Protein binding of mesalazine and N-Ac-5-ASA is 43% and 78%, respectively.
Elimination:
Mesalazine and its metabolite N-Ac-5-ASA are eliminated via the faeces (major part), renally (varies between 20 and 50 %, dependent on kind of application, pharmaceutical preparation and route of mesalazine release, respectively), and biliary (minor part). Renal excretion predominantly occurs as N-Ac-5-ASA. About 1 % of total orally administered mesalazine dose is excreted into the breast milk mainly as N-Ac-5-ASA.
5.3 Preclinical Safety Data
With the exception of a local tolerance study in dogs, which demonstrated good rectal tolerance, no preclinical studies have been performed with Salofalk Suppositories.
Preclinical data on mesalazine reveal no special hazard for humans based on conventional studies of safety pharmacology, genotoxicity, carcinogenicity (rat) or toxicity to reproduction.
Kidney toxicity (renal papillary necrosis and epithelial damage in the proximal convoluted tubule or the whole nephron) has been seen in repeat-dose toxicity studies with high oral doses of mesalazine. The clinical relevance of this finding is unknown.
6. Pharmaceutical Particulars
6.1 List Of Excipients
Salofalk Suppositories 500mg contain the following excipients:
Hard Fat, Docusate sodium, Cetyl alcohol
6.2 Incompatibilities
None known.
6.3 Shelf Life
36 months.
6.4 Special Precautions For Storage
Store at room temperature (15-25°C) and protect from light.
6.5 Nature And Contents Of Container
Cartons of ten or thirty suppositories in white, opaque PVC/PE moulded strips.
Each strip contains five suppositories
6.6 Special Precautions For Disposal And Other Handling
None stated
7. Marketing Authorisation Holder
Dr Falk Pharma UK Ltd, Unit k, Bourne End Business Park
Cores End Road, Bourne End, Bucks, SL8 5AS
United Kingdom
8. Marketing Authorisation Number(S)
PL 10341/0009
9. Date Of First Authorisation/Renewal Of The Authorisation
31st December 2004
10. Date Of Revision Of The Text
Aug 2010
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