Baralgine®

Ukraine
Brand name Baralgine®
Form solution for injection
Active substance / Dosage
sodium metamizole · 500 mg/ml
pitozol · 2 mg/ml
phenoperidine · 0.02 mg/ml
Prescription type prescription only
ATC code
Registration number UA/19987/01/01
Baralgine® solution for injection

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MEDICAL USE OF THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT BERALGIN®

Composition:

Active substances: metamizole sodium, pitofenone hydrochloride; phenpiverine bromide;

1 ml of solution contains: sodium metamizole monohydrate 500 mg; pitofenone hydrochloride 2 mg; phenpiverine bromide 0.02 mg;

Excipient: water for injections.

Pharmaceutical form. Injection solution.

Main physicochemical properties: clear, colorless or slightly colored liquid.

Pharmacotherapeutic group.

Spasmolytic agents in combination with analgesics.

ATC code A03D A02.

Pharmacological properties.

Pharmacodynamics.

BARELGIN® is a combined medicinal product with pronounced spasmolytic and analgesic activity.

Metamizole has pronounced analgesic and antipyretic effects combined with weaker anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic activity. Its effects result from inhibition of prostaglandin and endogenous algogen synthesis, increased excitability threshold in the thalamus, effects on the hypothalamus, and inhibition of endogenous pyrogen formation.

Phenpiverine has moderately expressed ganglion-blocking and anticholinergic (cholinolytic) effects. It reduces the tone and motility of smooth muscles of the stomach, intestine, biliary and urinary tracts.

Pitofenone hydrochloride has a papaverine-like effect with pronounced spasmolytic activity on smooth muscles.

Pharmacokinetics.

Absorption: after intramuscular administration, it is rapidly absorbed. Systemic bioavailability of metamizole is approximately 85%.

Distribution: metamizole is 50–60% bound to plasma proteins. It penetrates through the blood-brain and placental barriers. The volume of distribution is approximately 0.7 L/kg.

Metabolism: metamizole undergoes intensive biotransformation in the liver. Its main metabolite, 4-methyl-amino-antipyrine (MAA), is further metabolized in the liver to produce other metabolites, including 4-amino-antipyrine (AA), which is pharmacologically active. Maximum plasma concentrations (for all metabolites) are reached approximately within 30–90 minutes.

Excretion: it is excreted by the kidneys in the form of metabolites, with only 3% of the excreted amount of metamizole being eliminated unchanged. The elimination half-life is approximately 10 hours.

Patients with hepatic impairment: the elimination half-life of the active metabolite MAA is prolonged by approximately threefold in patients with impaired liver function. Such patients should be treated with lower doses of metamizole.

Patients with renal impairment: reduced excretion of some metabolites is observed in patients with impaired renal function. Such patients should be treated with lower doses of metamizole.

Clinical characteristics.

Indications.

For short-term symptomatic treatment of pain associated with smooth muscle spasms of internal organs:

  • Gastrointestinal colic;
  • Renal colic in nephrolithiasis;
  • Spastic biliary tract dyskinesia;
  • Dysmenorrhea.

Contraindications.

  • Hypersensitivity to active substances, to pyrazolone derivatives, or to other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
  • History of agranulocytosis induced by metamizole, other pyrazolones, or pyrazolidines.
  • Severe impairment of liver or kidney function.
  • Acute hepatic porphyria.
  • Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.
  • Intestinal obstruction and megacolon.
  • Bone marrow dysfunction or hematopoietic system disorders (e.g., following cytostatic therapy).
  • Hematopoietic system diseases (agranulocytosis, leukopenia, anemia of any etiology, including aplastic anemia, infectious neutropenia).
  • Prostate adenoma grade II and III.
  • Atony of gallbladder and urinary bladder.
  • Suspicion of surgical pathology.
  • Hypotensive conditions and hemodynamic instability.
  • Collapse-like states.
  • Tachyarrhythmia.
  • Closed-angle glaucoma.
  • Bronchial asthma.

Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction.

Combining BARALGIN® with other medicinal products requires special caution due to the presence of metamizole, which is a hepatic enzyme inducer.

Sodium metamizole may induce metabolic pathway enzymes, including CYP2B6 and CYP3A4. Concomitant use of sodium metamizole with bupropion, efavirenz, methadone, valproate, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, and sertraline may lead to reduced plasma concentrations of these drugs, potentially resulting in diminished therapeutic effect. Therefore, caution is recommended when co-administering sodium metamizole with other medicinal products; clinical response and/or plasma drug levels should be monitored as necessary.

Alcohol consumption should be avoided during treatment, as there is a possibility of mutual potentiation of effects.

Coumarin anticoagulants. When used concomitantly, metamizole may reduce the activity of coumarin anticoagulants due to induction of hepatic enzymes.

Chlorpromazine and other phenothiazine derivatives. Concurrent use with metamizole carries a risk of developing severe hypothermia.

Cyclosporine. Metamizole reduces plasma levels of cyclosporine when used concomitantly.

Chloramphenicol and other myelotoxic agents. Concurrent use with metamizole increases the risk of bone marrow suppression.

Enzyme inducers (barbiturates, glutethimide, phenylbutazone) may weaken the effect of metamizole.

Metamizole significantly increases peak plasma concentrations of chloroquine.

CNS depressants, when combined with metamizole, enhance its analgesic effect.

Tricyclic antidepressants (psychophorin, amitriptyline), oral contraceptives, analgesics, allopurinol, and alcohol slow down the metabolism of metamizole, potentiate its effects when used concomitantly, and increase its toxicity.

Concurrent use with other analgesics and NSAIDs increases the risk of hypersensitivity reactions and other adverse effects.

Sedatives and tranquilizers enhance the analgesic effect of the drug.

Concomitant use of BARALGIN® with quinine preparations may potentiate the anticholinergic effect.

BARALGIN® may be combined with hyoscine butylbromide, furosemide, glyburide.

It is known for the class of pyrazolone derivatives that they may interact with captopril, lithium, methotrexate, and triamterene, as well as alter the efficacy of antihypertensive agents and diuretics. The extent to which metamizole causes these interactions is unknown.

Since metamizole may reduce the effect of certain drugs, BARALGIN® should be used with caution in combination with the following medicinal products:

  • Bupropion – used for treatment of depression or as an aid to smoking cessation;
  • Efavirenz – used for treatment of HIV/AIDS;
  • Methadone – used for treatment of addiction to controlled substances (so-called opioids);
  • Valproate – used for treatment of epilepsy or bipolar disorder;
  • Tacrolimus – used to prevent organ rejection in transplant patients;
  • Sertraline – used for treatment of depression.

Special precautions for use.

Agranulocytosis

Treatment with metamizole may cause the development of agranulocytosis, which can be fatal (see section "Adverse reactions"). Metamizole-induced agranulocytosis may occur even in patients who previously used metamizole without complications.

Agranulocytosis caused by metamizole is an idiosyncratic adverse reaction. Metamizole-induced agranulocyt游戏副本

When treating with BARALGIN®, there is a risk of developing anaphylactic reactions. At the first signs of hypersensitivity, administration of the drug must be stopped immediately and emergency measures initiated to control the condition (epinephrine, glucocorticoids, antihistamines).

The risk of hypersensitivity reactions (anaphylactoid reactions) with metamizole use is significantly increased in patients with:

  • food or drug hypersensitivity or atopic diseases (hay fever);
  • analgesic asthma syndrome or analgesic idiosyncrasy presenting as urticaria, angioedema, especially with concomitant rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps;
  • chronic urticaria;
  • idiosyncrasy to dyes (e.g., tartrazine) or preservatives (e.g., benzoates);
  • alcohol intolerance. Such patients react to even minimal amounts of alcoholic beverages with symptoms such as sneezing, lacrimation, and severe visual disturbances. Alcohol intolerance may indicate undiagnosed analgesic asthma syndrome.

Severe skin reactions, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, and drug-induced eosinophilia with systemic symptoms (DRESS syndrome), which may be life-threatening or fatal, have been reported during treatment with metamizole. Patients should be informed about the signs and symptoms of skin reactions and closely monitored. If signs or symptoms suggestive of these reactions occur, metamizole treatment should be discontinued and must never be restarted (see section "Contraindications").

The drug should be used with caution in patients with chronic alcoholism and in elderly patients, as this may increase the frequency of adverse reactions, particularly those affecting the gastrointestinal system.

The drug should be used cautiously in patients receiving concomitant cytostatic agents (only under physician supervision).

Do not use for relief of acute abdominal pain.

When treating patients with BARALGIN® who have hematological disorders or a history thereof, a risk-benefit assessment must be performed and hematological status monitored during treatment.

The drug should be used cautiously in patients with impaired renal function or a history of kidney disease (pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis).

In kidney and liver diseases, the dosage regimen should be individually adjusted due to possible adverse effects of metamizole on the kidneys and prolonged elimination half-life of metamizole metabolites in case of hepatocyte dysfunction.

The drug should be used cautiously in patients with obstructive gastrointestinal tract disorders (achalasia, pyloroduodenal stenosis). Repeated use of BARALGIN® in such cases may lead to delayed gastrointestinal content evacuation and intoxication.

Use of BARALGIN® in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease, intestinal atony, inflammatory bowel diseases including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, glaucoma, myasthenia gravis, or heart diseases (arrhythmias, ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure) requires special caution and physician supervision.

The drug should be used cautiously in patients with myocardial infarction, marked arterial hypotension, and in patients with systolic blood pressure below 100 mm Hg.

Metamizole, included in BARALGIN®, may cause hypotensive reactions. These reactions are dose-dependent and occur more frequently with parenteral administration. The risk of such reactions is increased in the following cases:

  • in patients with pre-existing arterial hypotension, reduced fluid and electrolyte volume, or dehydration, unstable hemodynamics, or circulatory insufficiency (e.g., patients with myocardial infarction or polytrauma);
  • in patients with elevated body temperature.

Such patients require careful assessment of the need for drug use and strict monitoring. Preventive measures (e.g., circulatory stabilization) may be necessary to reduce the risk of arterial hypotension.

BARALGIN® should be administered only with careful monitoring of hemodynamic parameters in patients in whom blood pressure reduction must be avoided, such as those with severe ischemic heart disease or significant cerebral vessel stenosis.

Risk of drug-induced liver injury

Cases of acute hepatitis, predominantly hepatocellular in nature, have been reported in patients taking sodium metamizole, with symptoms appearing from several days to several months after starting treatment. Manifestations included elevated serum liver enzymes, with or without jaundice, often in the context of hypersensitivity reactions to other drugs (e.g., skin rashes, blood dyscrasias, fever, and eosinophilia) or accompanied by features of autoimmune hepatitis. Most patients recovered after discontinuation of sodium metamizole; however, isolated cases of progression to acute liver failure requiring liver transplantation have been reported.

The mechanism of sodium metamizole-induced liver injury is not fully understood, but available data suggest an immune-allergic mechanism.

Patients should be instructed to inform their physician if symptoms suggestive of liver injury occur. If liver injury is suspected, sodium metamizole should be discontinued and liver function tests should be evaluated.

In case of prior liver injury occurring during treatment with sodium metamizole, and if no other causes of liver injury have been identified, drugs containing sodium metamizole should not be re-administered.

If a patient develops symptoms that may indicate liver injury, such as nausea or vomiting, fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, dark urine, pale stools, jaundice of the skin or sclera, pruritus, rash, or upper abdominal pain, they must discontinue BARALGIN® and consult a physician.

BARALGIN® should be used only after strict assessment of benefit-risk ratio and appropriate precautionary measures in patients with impaired renal or liver function.

Recommended doses of the drug should not be exceeded.

Use during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Pregnancy. Use of the drug during pregnancy is contraindicated due to lack of clinical data.

Breastfeeding. Since metabolites of metamizole are excreted in breast milk, the drug should not be administered during breastfeeding. If use cannot be avoided, breastfeeding should be discontinued for 48 hours after drug administration.

Ability to affect reaction speed when driving or operating machinery.

The active ingredient phenylpiperine bromide has anticholinergic effects and may cause dizziness and accommodation disturbances. Metamizole may adversely affect attention and impair reaction speed. Patients who drive vehicles or operate machinery should be warned about possible side effects of the drug. Activities requiring high attention should be suspended until side effects disappear.

Method of Administration and Dosage.

BARRALGIN®, solution for injection, is for intramuscular use only! Use only for short-term treatment!

The injection solution should be administered under strict medical supervision due to the risk of anaphylactic shock in patients hypersensitive to metamizole or pyrazolone derivatives.

Adults and children aged 15 years and older.

For adults and children aged 15 years and older (with body weight above 53 kg), administer 2 to 5 mL of the injection solution intramuscularly. The dose may be repeated, if necessary, every 6–8 hours. The maximum daily dose should not exceed 6 mL of the injection solution (equivalent to 3 g of sodium metamizole). The duration of treatment is 2–3 days. After achieving therapeutic effect, treatment may be switched to oral analgesics and spasmolytics. If no therapeutic effect is observed, discontinue treatment with the drug.

Patients aged 65 years and older.

Dosage reduction is usually not required. However, in patients with age-related hepatic or renal impairment, dosage reduction may be necessary due to a possible prolonged elimination half-life of metamizole metabolites.

Patients with renal impairment.

Metamizole is excreted in the urine as metabolites. In patients with mild to moderate renal impairment, it is recommended to use ½ of the adult dose.

Patients with hepatic impairment.

In such patients, the elimination half-life of active metamizole metabolites is prolonged. High doses should be avoided in patients with hepatic impairment. For short-term use, dosage adjustment is not required.

There is insufficient experience with prolonged use in patients with renal or hepatic impairment.

Children.

The drug should not be used for the treatment of children under 15 years of age.

Overdose.

Symptoms: Predominantly symptoms of metamizole intoxication combined with anticholinergic effects. The most common manifestations include toxic-allergic syndrome, hematotoxicity, gastrointestinal disturbances, and central nervous system effects, including hypothermia, marked decrease in arterial blood pressure, palpitations, dyspnea, tinnitus, nausea, vomiting, gastralgia, weakness, oliguria, anuria, drowsiness, delirium, disturbances of consciousness, tachycardia, and convulsive syndrome. Acute agranulocytosis, hemorrhagic syndrome, acute renal and hepatic failure, and respiratory muscle paralysis may also develop.

Treatment: Discontinue the drug and take measures to promote its rapid elimination from the body (forced diuresis, infusion of fluid and electrolyte solutions, hemodialysis if necessary). Administer symptomatic therapy. There is no specific antidote.

Adverse reactions.

The adverse reactions listed below are mainly caused by metamizole, which is a component of the medicinal product.

Blood and lymphatic system disorders: leucopenia; agranulocytosis, thrombocytopenia, anaemia (haemolytic anaemia, aplastic anaemia). The risk of developing agranulocytosis cannot be predicted. Agranulocytosis may occur even in patients who have previously used metamizole without experiencing such adverse reactions.

Immune system disorders: anaphylactic shock, anaphylactic or anaphylactoid reactions, especially after parenteral administration. Such reactions may occur during or immediately after the end of administration, but may also appear several hours later. They usually occur within the first hour after injection. Milder reactions manifest as typical skin and mucous membrane reactions (such as itching, burning, redness, urticaria, swelling – local or general), dyspnoea, and rarely gastrointestinal complaints. Mild reactions may progress to more severe forms with generalized urticaria, severe angioedema (including laryngeal), severe bronchospasm, cardiac arrhythmias, and decreased blood pressure (sometimes preceded by increased blood pressure). Therefore, if any hypersensitivity skin reaction, symptoms of impaired renal function, or haematotoxic reactions occur, the drug must be discontinued immediately. Asthmatic attack (in patients with analgesic-induced asthma), circulatory shock. Shock may be accompanied by cold sweat, dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness, pallor, chest tightness, shallow breathing or tachypnoea, tachycardia, cold extremities, and severe drop in blood pressure. If any early signs of shock occur, treatment must be discontinued immediately and appropriate emergency measures must be taken.

Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders: fixed drug eruption; maculopapular and other types of rashes; angioneurotic oedema, decreased sweating. Severe skin reactions have been reported, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, and (with unknown frequency) drug-induced eosinophilia with systemic symptoms (DRESS) associated with the use of metamizole (see section "Special precautions for use").

If any skin reaction occurs, the use of metamizole must be discontinued immediately.

Nervous system disorders: dizziness, headache.

Sensory organ disorders (vision): visual disturbances, accommodation disorders.

Cardiovascular system disorders: palpitations, tachycardia, cardiac arrhythmias, cyanosis, arterial hypotension; hyperaemia.

Hypotensive reactions may rarely occur during or after administration. They may occur with or without other symptoms of anaphylactoid or anaphylactic reactions. Rarely, such reactions may result from a sudden drop in blood pressure. Rapid intravenous injection increases the risk of hypotensive reactions.

Critical drop in blood pressure without other signs of hypersensitivity is dose-dependent and may occur in hyperpyrexia.

Gastrointestinal disorders: dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and discomfort, constipation, exacerbation of gastritis and peptic ulcer disease; in rare cases vomiting with blood and intestinal bleeding, ulcerations, burning sensation in the epigastric area.

Liver and biliary system disorders: drug-induced liver injury, including acute hepatitis, jaundice, increased levels of liver enzymes (see section "Special precautions for use").

Renal and urinary system disorders: proteinuria, oliguria, anuria, polyuria, interstitial nephritis, red discoloration of urine; urinary retention, difficult urination, impaired kidney function.

Respiratory system disorders: bronchospasm.

General disorders and administration site conditions: following parenteral administration – asthenia, pain at injection site and local reactions.

Reporting of suspected adverse reactions.

Reporting of suspected adverse reactions after authorization of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit-risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are required to report any suspected adverse reactions through the national reporting system.

Shelf life.

3 years.

Storage conditions.

Store in the original packaging, protected from light, at a temperature not exceeding 25 °C.

Keep out of reach and sight of children.

Incompatibilities.

The drug must not be mixed with other medicinal products in the same syringe.

Packaging.

2 ml or 5 ml in an ampoule.

5 ampoules per blister, 1 or 2 blisters per cardboard pack.

Prescription status.

Prescription only.

Manufacturer.

SC Balkan Pharmaceuticals SRL.

Manufacturer's address.

MD-2091, Republic of Moldova, Chisinau municipality, Singera, str. Industriala, 7/A.

Marketing Authorisation Holder.

ALEXPHARM GMBH LTD

Address of the Marketing Authorisation Holder.

13 John Princes Street, 2nd Floor, London, England W1G 0JR, United Kingdom