Ingavirin is a modern drug with antiviral, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activity. It has successfully proven itself in the prevention of ARVI and influenza, as well as in their treatment. It is distinguished by ease of use and a range of release forms. Registered in Russia and included in the list of vital drugs.
Description of the drug
The main active component is pentanedioic acid imidazolylethanamide (in other words, vitaglutam); the excipients present are colloidal silicon dioxide compound, potato starch and white crystals of magnesium stearate. The capsule shell consists of titanium dioxide, gelatin, azorubine and safe dyes.
Pharmacy chains offer customers:
- Ingavirin capsules with a dosage of 90 mg and 60 mg, which are packaged in blister packs of 10 capsules and in cardboard boxes. This amount is enough for a course of treatment for one person. Inside the capsules there is white or slightly cream-colored powder and granules.
- Syrup containing 30 mg of the main substance in 5 ml. Sold in 90 ml bottles with a measuring syringe and instructions included.
The medicine is intended to activate one's own immunity by enhancing the production of a special protein responsible for the reaction to the invasion of an infectious agent. Suppresses the reproduction of viruses and delays their further advancement in the intercellular space. Due to the production of cytotoxic lymphocytes during the use of Ingavirin, the following occurs:
- Reducing the duration of fever.
- Reducing the symptoms of intoxication - weakness, headache, drowsiness.
- Reducing the inflammatory process.
- Relieving nasal congestion, stopping watery eyes, sore throat and cough.
- Normalization of body temperature.
- Strengthening the immune system.
- Reducing the risk of complications.
Ingavirin has found wide use in therapeutic practice and pediatrics, its effectiveness has been proven in preclinical and clinical studies.
The drug is available from pharmacies without a prescription, has minimal toxicity, combines well with antibiotics and enhances their effect. Stored at temperatures up to 25 °C for two years. An open bottle of syrup should be used within a week.
Ingavirin 90
Ingavirin (pentanedioic acid imidazolylethanamide (vitaglutam)) is one of the most promising pharmaceutical drugs in domestic immunology and virology. Used for influenza and acute respiratory infections. Prevents the replication of viral DNA, suppressing the process of spreading viruses in the patient's body. It also has an anti-inflammatory effect, which consists in inhibiting the reproduction of inflammatory mediators. Currently, Ingavirin is one of the most prescribed drugs by domestic immunologists. It passed all the necessary laboratory and clinical studies (they were carried out only in the Russian Federation), which confirmed its effectiveness: the drug significantly reduced the duration of febrile symptoms, the severity of intoxication (cough, rhinorrhea, headache) and signs of inflammation of the respiratory tract and brought recovery closer. Normalization of body temperature is ensured within 36 hours. At the same time, the risk of bacterial damage to the body is significantly reduced.
The idea of creating Ingavirin has been nurtured since the early 80s of the last century. After many years of preclinical and clinical trials, in 2008 the drug was included in the State Register of Medicines and approved for use in medicine. Already in 2009, it passed the test of the H1N1 influenza pandemic with honor. At the same time, the drug had a favorable safety profile, good tolerability and ease of use.
It did not exhibit a mutagenic or carcinogenic effect, did not suppress fertility, did not cause allergies, and did not irritate the mucous membrane of the digestive tract. The convenience of using Ingavirin lies in the absence of the need to be tied to meals and the low frequency of administration: to create a therapeutic concentration of the active component in the body, it is enough to take the drug 1 capsule 1 time per day for a total duration of the drug course of 5-7 days. The pronounced immunomodulatory effect of Ingavirin eliminates the need for simultaneous administration of other drugs with a similar effect, which reduces the pharmacological load on the body and, first of all, on the liver. Particularly indicative was a multicenter placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial of the drug conducted in children and adolescents suffering from influenza and acute respiratory infections. In none of the cases were there any side effects that could be a reason to stop taking the drug, which confirmed its safety, good tolerability and effectiveness (a positive result of pharmacotherapy was achieved in 91% of cases).
The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation included Ingavirin in the list of vital and essential drugs. It should be noted that in the USA and Western European countries no drugs with a similar active ingredient are registered. It is also not on the WHO lists.
Indications and contraindications for the use of Ingavirin
The drug is prescribed for prophylactic purposes and in the treatment of diseases caused by pathogens of respiratory pathologies.
Main indications:
- Influenza A and B, including swine, parainfluenza.
- ARVI, accompanied by pain in the throat, rhinitis, high fever and cough.
- Adenovirus and rotavirus.
- Enterovirus.
- Rhinovirus.
- Coxsackie virus.
- Syncytial viruses that cause lower respiratory tract infections.
- Coronavirus.
Taking the drug 7-10 days before an outbreak of a viral infection will strengthen the immune system by increasing the level of interferon in the body. The drug will also be effective if use is started after contact with a sick person.
Attention! Treatment with Ingavirin should be started when the initial symptoms of a cold or flu appear - in the first 36 hours.
The medicine is contraindicated in case of individual intolerance to the components included in the composition, as well as:
- During pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- If the absorption of glucose and galactose in the intestine is impaired.
- For lactose deficiency or intolerance.
- Serious pathologies of the kidneys and liver.
- For children under three years of age in any dosage form.
Ingavirin at a dosage of 90 mg is contraindicated for persons under 18 years of age, and 60 mg capsules are contraindicated for children under 7 years of age.
Drinking alcohol reduces its effectiveness. After completing the course of treatment, it is recommended to abstain from alcohol for another 2-3 days.
Instructions for use
Ingavirin is used orally, regardless of food intake.
The prescription depends on the patient’s age, indications and severity of the disease:
- Adults are prescribed capsules at a dosage of 90 mg, 1 piece per day.
- Children 7-18 years old – 60 mg, 1 capsule per day.
- Children 3-6 years old - 30 mg/5 ml syrup once a day.
As a general rule, capsules with medicinal powder cannot be chewed; they must be washed down with a sufficient amount of water. If children of primary school age have difficulty swallowing the capsule, its contents can be dissolved in apple juice or water. It is allowed to add a little sugar to smooth out the unpleasant taste. The prepared solution cannot be stored.
The medicine in the form of syrup can also be used by school-age children and adults, in this case it is prescribed:
- Adults – 15 ml of syrup once a day.
- Children 3-7 years old - 10 ml of syrup.
To draw the required volume of liquid, you need to insert a measuring syringe into the neck of the bottle, turn it upside down and slowly pull the plunger until the medicine is drawn to the desired level. After use, the syringe is washed with warm water and dried.
The duration of treatment for influenza and ARVI is 5-7 days, for preschool children - no more than 5 days. Prophylactic doses and duration of administration are the same as for treatment.
In case of severe symptoms and concomitant diseases of the respiratory system or heart, the doctor may prescribe a double dose of Ingavirin in the first three days of illness, followed by a reduction to the usual dosage for another 2-4 days.
Important! Do not use the drug with other antiviral drugs at the same time.
Manufacturers of Ingavirin are again being asked uncomfortable questions
Photo by city news agency "Moscow"
The questions asked by consumers after Elena Malysheva’s broadcast on Channel One a few months ago still remain unanswered, and this worries patients and authors of Telegram channels. Well-known blogger and telegrammer Maxim Kononenko drew attention to the situation and decided to once again try to get comments on this topic.
Doctors stated in the program of Dr. Elena Malysheva that the antiviral drug Ingavirin, if used incorrectly, can cause blood cancer, in which drugs related to the fight against COVID-19 were discussed. “Telegram was densely packed with this, and in the program of Russian telemedicine pop star Elena Malysheva, two doctors also made it clear that the drug promotes the growth of white blood cells. And this is a possible reason for a healthy person to meet an oncologist,” comments Kononenko. As stated on air, the antiviral effect of the drug was a side effect, since the drug is intended for those who produce few white blood cells. For people in normal health, an increase in their number may be negatively affected. “If suddenly there is a cell that is atypical, abnormal, potentially cancerous, there is no point in stimulating its growth and proliferation once again, we can thus cause the development of cancer!”, answered Malysheva’s question on air, “What is the danger of increasing the number of such cells in the blood?” immunologist Andrey Prodeus.
Kononenko recalls that “Ingavirin” has a “twin brother” Dicarbamin, which was previously released to restore white blood cells after chemotherapy. Moreover, as the BUSINESS publication writes, “the state registration of the drug Dicarbamin 100 mg (INN Imidazolylethanamide pentanedioic acid) was decided to be canceled on May 12, 2014 (Letter of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation No. 20-3/2036504). The decision was made on the basis of the submission by the representative office of the company Valenta Pharmaceuticals OJSC of an application to cancel the state registration of the drug.”
The blogger draws attention to the unhealthy hype around Ingavirin, citing the opinion of political scientist Sergei Markov, who believes that this whole story related to the drug could be a custom-made company that is spending billions of rubles.
However, Kononenko is most surprised by the reaction of the drug manufacturer, because, according to him, he did not find any refutation of reports about the drug from the Valenta-Pharma company. By the way, as “Life.ru” writes, the publication’s journalists were also unable to get any comments from pharmacists. “Life contacted the external PR service with a request to comment on the benefits of Ingavirin in the treatment of coronavirus. They answered that issues related to the company’s internal processes were not within their area of responsibility. And in general, now the company’s experts are ready to comment only on external processes in the pharmaceutical market,” the publication notes.
“And the questions continue to pile up, regardless of who and how raised this fuss. I'll list three of the most popular ones I found.
1. Dicarbamine was a strictly prescription drug before it was banned. Why is Ingavirin with the same active ingredient and minimal difference in the mass of the active ingredient over-the-counter?
2. Dicarbamine was contraindicated in children and pregnant women. In the updated instructions for the drug, you write that Ingavirin can also be taken by small children. Based on what research did you make this decision?
3. Previously, the instructions for the drug recommended taking 7 tablets per course of treatment, now - 10. However, the dosage of the active substance has not changed. Was it previously “undertreated” or is it now “overtreated”? It would be interesting to hear answers from representatives of Valenta-Pharm,” writes Kononenko.
