It’s an antispasmodic used to deal with several gastrointestinal disorders.
Some people know this medication by the brand name of Duspatalin. It usually comes in the form of film-coated tablets, but in some cases, patients can find Mebeverine as liquid medicine.
More often than not, medical experts recommend Mebeverine for use in adults and children over ten years of age. They discourage giving this medication to younger children.
But in some cases, some doctors may prescribe Mebeverine for kids depending on the circumstances and the severity of their condition. Only a specialist may judge whether or not to take such a decision.
Some healthcare providers often avoid prescribing Mebeverine capsules to patients under the age of 18.
The primary component of this medication is Mebeverine Hydrochloride, which refers to the hydrochloride salt form of Mebeverine, a derivative of Reserpine.
Reserpine is a term used to describe an alkaloid extracted from the roots of Rauwolfias, a group of evergreen trees and shrubs usually found in Asia.
Use
Several doctors recommend Mebeverine to deal with gastrointestinal disorders as well as symptoms such as pain, spasms, and constipation because it helps to relax the intestinal muscles.
One of such disorders would be the Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a condition that features abdominal pain, stomach cramps, and even diarrhea.
Several doctors use Mebeverine for cases of Spastic Colitis, which consists of a gastrointestinal disorder that features abdominal pain, bloating, mucous in stools, and irregular bowel habits.
Other cases that may require the use of this medication are the ones involving patients with Spastic Constipation, which refers to irregular and infrequent or difficult evacuation of the bowels.
Mebeverine is an antispasmodic, a medication that suppresses spasms by relaxing the muscles of the intestinal walls.
That is why it can bring relief from the painful muscle spams in the areas of the gut, and alleviates or reduces symptoms related to gastrointestinal disorders.
Dosage
In cases of adult patients, medical experts may recommend one tablet, three times per day. Doctors advise taking the medication around 20 minutes before meals.
If the Mebeverine treatment reduces symptoms over the course of a few weeks, health-care providers may decide to lower the dosage gradually.
Usually, medical experts avoid using this medication in the cases of younger patients, for example, adolescents below the age of 18.
That occurs due to a lack of research or studies conducted on the safety and efficacy of Mebeverine in kids and adolescents.
However, some doctors may choose to prescribe this medication for severe cases of intestinal spasms in younger children. The decision in this matter is up to medical experts.
No researcher or medical expert had conducted a study on the potential effects of Mebeverine in elderly, renal or hepatic impaired patients.
Still, claims based on available post-marketing data state that there is no specific risk for these particular cases. That means it’s up to the doctor to decide how to proceed with this kind of patients.
Warnings
As stated before, there is little to no research on the effects of this medication in some particular cases. That includes interactions with other medicinal products.
However, in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated the absence of any interaction between this medication and hydrochloride and ethanol.
That means that taking this medication and consuming a moderate amount of alcohol has no adverse effect on the organism.
While there is no research on the use of Mebeverine in pregnant women, medical experts don’t recommend taking it during pregnancy.
In fact, they even discourage the use of this medication during the period in which the mother breastfeeds her baby.
When people who are over 40 years old, have blood in their stools, suffer from constipation, recently traveled abroad, or find it difficult to pass water should avoid taking Mebeverine without consulting a doctor first.
Side-effects
In a few reported cases, some patients that underwent a treatment based on the use of Mebeverine experienced some adverse reactions to this drug.
Those patients displayed allergic reactions like skin rashes as well as swelling of the face, throat or tongue, along with difficulty breathing.
Other people reported skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders such as Urticaria, Angioedema, Edema on the face, and even Exanthem along with fever.
When patients start displaying such side-effects from taking Mebeverine, they should go and see their health-care provider as soon as possible.
