Amantadine prescribing information |
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Amantadine description
How to take Amantadine
Amantadine may be taking by itself or in combination with other drugs used to treat Parkinson’s disease. You should always inform your medical practitioner of any allergic reactions you might have to amantadine as well as any other reactions you might have before taking the medicine. Pregnant and breastfeeding women, children under one year old and older adults should not be prescribed the medicine except where the benefits to their health outweigh the risk involved. Be sure to notify the doctor if there are other medicines you are taking before commencing treatment with Amantandine since the interaction with other medicine might result in a decrease or increased action of either. These include caffeine, cocaine and asthma drugs. The drug is available in 100mg soft gel capsules and also as 50mg/ml syrup. It should be taken twice daily regardless of meal times however for those who notice a stomach upset this may be relieved by taking the drug with food. The drug should be given with 24 to 48 hours of the individual showing the signs of influenza and treatment should be continued for the same period after the signs have gone. For preventive cure of influenza the drug should be taken as soon as possible following exposure to virus and continued for 10 days or more afterwards.
Possible Side Effects
Common side effects include insomnia, nausea, nervousness and loss of coordination. While less common ones are irritability, drowsiness, hallucinations, headache, nightmares, depression, confusion, slurred speech, constipation, discolouring of the eyes and weakness.
Drug Interaction
Taking amantadine with alcohol and other drugs with a sedative effect might result in an increase in the sedative effects of these drugs and could lead to dizziness, light-headedness, fainting and confusion. Taking amantandine with drugs which prevent the action of dopamine in the brain will lead to a decrease in the effectiveness of the drug since amantandine increases the activity of dopamine. Example of such drugs is haloperidol, metoclopromide and phenothiazines. Also the level of amantandine in the blood can be increased when used alongside diuretics hydrochlorothiazide or triameterene. This could lead intoxication as a result of excessively high amantandine concentration in the blood.
Pregnant and Nursing Mothers
There is yet to be sufficient information with regards to safety and efficacy of amantandine use in pregnant women. Therefore doctors should decide whether or not to use in pregnant women once the possible benefits and potential adverse effects have been weighed. Amantandine is released into the breast milk therefore is not recommended for nursing mothers.
Storage
Amantandine should be kept between 15 and 30 degree Celsius (room temperature).
Amantadine notes:
Amantadine, with a brand name, Viregit is an antiviral drug prescribed to treat influenza (flu) infections (type A). It is also used in the treatment of Parkinsonism and drug-induced extra pyramidal reactions.
Amantadine, being an antiviral, prevents the release of viral nucleic acid into the host cells, thereby fights effectively against influenza virus. Amantadine, also an antidyskinetic, is prescribed alone or with other medicines for Parkinson's disease. It improves muscle control and reduces stiffness, and thus allows more normal movements of the body as the disease symptoms are reduced. Amantadine is also used to treat stiffness and shaking caused by certain medicines used to treat nervous, mental, and emotional conditions.
Before starting the course, your doctor should be informed if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to amantadine and or other substances such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.
There have been reports of birth defects of the heart, when women took amantadine during the first trimester of pregnancy. As per studies conducted on animals, amantadine is harmful to the fetus. Since amantadine passes into breast milk, the risks should be discussed with your doctor.
Though not children, older adults are sensitive to amantadine. Confusion, difficult urination, blurred vision, constipation, dry mouth, nose, and throat are likely to occur.
In order to avoid any adverse interaction between two different medicines your healthcare professional should be intimated if you are taking the following: Appetite suppressants except Caffeine, Chlophedianol, Cocaine, medicine for asthma, cold, sinus problems or hay fever, Methylphenidate, Nabilone, Pemoline, Anticholinergics since the use of amantadine with these medicines may increase undesirable effects.
The presence of other medical problems such as Eczema, Epilepsy or other seizure disorder, Heart disease, Kidney disease, Mental or emotional illness and Substance abuse should be informed to your doctor as it may affect the use of amantadine.
Amantadine notes:
Amantadine, with a brand name, Viregit is an antiviral drug prescribed to treat influenza (flu) infections (type A). It is also used in the treatment of Parkinsonism and drug-induced extra pyramidal reactions.
Amantadine, being an antiviral, prevents the release of viral nucleic acid into the host cells, thereby fights effectively against influenza virus. Amantadine, also an antidyskinetic, is prescribed alone or with other medicines for Parkinson's disease. It improves muscle control and reduces stiffness, and thus allows more normal movements of the body as the disease symptoms are reduced. Amantadine is also used to treat stiffness and shaking caused by certain medicines used to treat nervous, mental, and emotional conditions.
Before starting the course, your doctor should be informed if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to amantadine and or other substances such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.
There have been reports of birth defects of the heart, when women took amantadine during the first trimester of pregnancy. As per studies conducted on animals, amantadine is harmful to the fetus. Since amantadine passes into breast milk, the risks should be discussed with your doctor.
Though not children, older adults are sensitive to amantadine. Confusion, difficult urination, blurred vision, constipation, dry mouth, nose, and throat are likely to occur.
In order to avoid any adverse interaction between two different medicines your healthcare professional should be intimated if you are taking the following: Appetite suppressants except Caffeine, Chlophedianol, Cocaine, medicine for asthma, cold, sinus problems or hay fever, Methylphenidate, Nabilone, Pemoline, Anticholinergics since the use of amantadine with these medicines may increase undesirable effects.
The presence of other medical problems such as Eczema, Epilepsy or other seizure disorder, Heart disease, Kidney disease, Mental or emotional illness and Substance abuse should be informed to your doctor as it may affect the use of amantadine.
Amantadine news:
Amantadine restricts the passage of M2 proton channel facilitating entry of the influenza virus
Based on the research findings carried out by the Iwoa State University’s Mei Hong, amantadine an anti- viral drug blocks the M2 proton channel which is considered as a pre – requisite for the virus to infect the healthy cells. According to Hong, Iowa State's John D. Corbett Professor of Chemistry and an associate scientist for the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory, this particular research has contradicted all the previous findings and in the mean while has created a new path for the growth of the new anti viral drugs against the influenza virus and the prevalent H1N1.
Contradicting reports were carried out by two papers published by Nature in 2008 about where the antiviral drug amantadine actually restricts the passage of flu virus and accordingly blocks the infection of a healthy cell. One paper based on the X-ray studies stated that the medicine cling to the cavity within the tubular structure (lumen) of the proton channel and confines the virus by blocking the channel while the other paper based on solution nuclear resonance (NMR) technology stated that the drug found near the proton channel blocks the virus by replacing its channel structure.
This research also concluded that presence of amantadine in substantial amount of one molecule per channel helps in adhering to the lumen inside the proton channel, but the drug will hook itself up to a second site on the exterior of the virus protein near the channel when credited to the high density of amantadine in the membrane. Hong said that the study conducted using solid state NMR mechanism distinctly showed that correct confined section (site) is within the lumen channel and that the exterior binding section (site) is engaged by overabundance of drug. He also stated that the medical chemists will now be able to manufacture new drugs to attack the factual binding site of the channel.
Through the process of endocytosis the healthy cell surrounds the flu virus and pulls it inside. Once inside, a proton called M2 is used by the virus in order to open a channel to the healthy cell. This process prolongs to the time till the virus captures the substances of healthy cells and allows them to reproduce and spread. Amantadine acts as a savior with regards in blocking the M2 proton channel which handicaps the entire process and therefore stops the infection of a healthy cell.
With the help of the solid – state NMR spectroscopy, Hong and the research team constructed concrete techniques to analyze the proton channel. These techniques provided the team with an elaborative picture of the structure of the protein at the drug-binding site and it also revealed the association of the antiviral drug within the proton channel. The analyst also concluded that the amantadine functions better when it binds to the inside of the proton channel thereby paving a path for the development of other drugs that will do a quicker job in blocking the proton channel.
Amantadine review article...
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 Amantadine prescribing information
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