"Macropen": reviews from doctors and patients

Description of the drug

Macropen belongs to the group of macrolide antibiotics. It is produced by the Slavic pharmaceutical company KRKA.

The antibiotic is available in 2 forms.

1. In the form of a suspension. In liquid form it is very convenient to give children a drink. The drug is orange granules that are simply diluted in water. The medicine is in a bottle made of dark glass. The container is packed in a cardboard box, which contains a measuring spoon and detailed instructions. When the medicine is diluted, it has a banana flavor. The suspension is prescribed to children from 2 months.
2. In the form of tablets. This dosage form can be taken by children over 10 years of age.

Operating principle

Like any antibiotic, Macropen is immediately absorbed into the blood. Thus, it directly affects the microbes that caused the disease. The drug has a wide spectrum of action. It is good to use for the main pathogens of infections in children.

The antibiotic contains midecamycin, which disrupts the reproduction process of microorganisms. Thanks to this, the proliferation of bacteria stops.

Does the antibiotic macropen have modern analogues?

Macropen and its analogues belong to one large group of macrolides. They may have the active ingredient midecamycin, azithromycin or another component. Macropen and other antibiotics of this series are antibacterial drugs that have similar characteristics, but different instructions for use; analogues have a fairly high price.

Macropen is available in the form of a suspension, and for children after six years of age in tablets. Analogs, like Macropen, belong to a new group of synthetic antibiotics that have a gentle effect on the body, which is achieved by a short period of treatment and small doses. This is very important for sick children and weakened adults. If the active substance from macrolides is used in low doses, then it actively suppresses protein synthesis in the cells of pathogenic bacteria. In double doses, these drugs completely destroy both gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms. Therefore, manufacturers produce the drug in different dosages.

Macropen, like its analogues, can be taken after the sensitivity of the microflora to the antibiotic has been determined. This will help make the choice of drug more correct.

Purpose

Macropen effectively removes not only the symptoms, but also the very cause of the disease. It is usually prescribed for the following diseases:

• If an infection occurs in the respiratory tract;
• In case of inflammation of the skin and subcutaneous fat;
• If the kidneys, bladder or ureter are exposed to an infectious process.

It is necessary to take antibiotics if the bacterial flora begins to actively multiply and poison the body. In this case, the body needs outside help.

Macropen can also be prescribed during prophylaxis against diarrhea and whooping cough. These diseases cause dangerous infections. They can be very difficult and ultimately lead to serious consequences.

Any antibiotic should be taken only on the recommendation of a doctor.

It is not recommended to use them for every disease. Microbes become resistant to drugs. Subsequently, even strong antibiotics will not be able to cope with them.

Modern analogues from the group of macrolides

If Macropen is not available in the pharmacy, then you can purchase similar brands with another active ingredient from macrolides:

• Azithral;
• Zomax;
• Zitrox;
• Klerimed;
• Roxid.

The most inexpensive of all the drugs mentioned is Azithral; it costs one hundred rubles less than other analogues. The drug Macropen, the instructions for use of which recommends taking it to patients who have an allergic reaction to penicillin antibiotics, is most often prescribed by pediatricians. It helps children with diseases such as:

• scarlet fever;
• erysipelas;
• diphtheria;
• whooping cough.

It is prescribed for other infectious diseases caused by drug-sensitive pathogens that occur in different parts of the human body. It can be:

• infections of the upper and lower respiratory tract;
• ENT diseases;
• oral diseases;
• lesions of the skin and soft tissues;
• infections of the genitourinary system.

Before starting treatment, you need to discuss with your doctor the dose of the drug, which will depend on the characteristics of the disease and its severity. Adults can be prescribed a daily dose of midecamycin from 1.2 g to 1.6 g. For children, the daily dose can be from 20 mg/kg to 50 mg/kg. The medication is divided into 3 doses per day. The duration of treatment is from 5 to 14 days.

Other macrolides have different patterns of antibiotic use, and this must be taken into account.

Contraindications and side effects

Macropen has a small list of limitations compared to other antibiotics. It is contraindicated to drink:

• Children under 3 years of age.
• A person has liver pathology.
• People with hypersensitivity to the components of the antibiotic.
• If you have an allergy to acetylsalicylic acid.

Pregnant women should take this drug with caution . It is forbidden to take an antibiotic while breastfeeding. After all, its components pass into breast milk. If a woman needs to take a course of Macropen, then she needs to stop breastfeeding.

Side effects when taking this antibiotic include:

• diarrhea;
• decreased appetite;
• gagging;
• discomfort in the epigastric zone;
• jaundice.

If a person is prone to allergies, then rashes may appear on his skin. If side effects occur, it is recommended to choose a different antibiotic.

Sumamed is a popular analogue of Macropen

If Macropen is not available in the pharmacy, then it can be replaced with a drug for children and adults such as Sumamed. It contains the active substance azithromycin, which also belongs to macrolides. The drug is produced in the form of a suspension, which is given to children, and in tablets intended for older children and adults. When buying a suspension, you need to remember that there are packages on sale designed for babies of different weights and ages:

1. A package of 100 mg/5 ml is purchased for six-month-old infants.
2. A dose of 200 mg/5 ml is prescribed for children from one to 3 years of age.

The wrong choice of drug can become useless or dangerous for the child. You only need to take the suspension for three days; when finished, it is divided into three doses. From the age of three, children can be given Sumamed in 125 mg tablets. Sumamed is available for sale in capsules of 250 mg and tablets of 500 mg. These dosage forms can be given to adults and children over 12 years of age if their weight is more than 45 kg, having discussed the required dosage with a doctor. Sumamed take 1 tablet once a day for three days.

This gentle use of antibiotics has a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora.

After taking azithromycin, candida albicans is not activated because a gentle regimen is used. The drug is supplied with detailed instructions for use, which must be studied before you start taking the medicine.

Mode of application

This antibiotic must be taken orally before meals . Tablets are intended for adults. Each tablet contains 400 mg of the substance. You need to take the product 3 times a day. Tablets are also prescribed to children whose body weight reaches more than 30 kilograms. The dosage is exactly the same as for adults.

Macropen in the form of a suspension is prescribed to children weighing less than 30 kilograms . To help children take this medicine better, it contains saccharin and flavoring. For convenient measurement of the required amount of the substance, the box contains a measuring spoon.

Instructions for use are included with each bottle. 100 ml of warm water is poured into a container with granules. After this, the mixture is shaken well. Before giving the child the medicine, shake the mixture.

The dosage of the antibiotic depends on the individual characteristics of the child..

• Newborns up to 2 months weighing up to 5 kg are prescribed 3.75 mg 2 times a day.
• Children over 2 years old and weighing up to 5 kg need to drink 7.5 ml of the substance also 2 times a day.
• Children from 10 to 15 kg need 10 ml every 12 hours.
• From 15 to 20 kg, 15 ml is required.
• A child weighing more than 20 kg is prescribed 22.5 ml 2 times a day.

The course of treatment usually ranges from 7 to 14 days. If the pathological process occurs in severe severity, treatment can be extended to 20 days.

Macropen for sore throat

Sore throat is an infectious disease. It occurs with acute symptoms. You can become infected with bacterial sore throat through airborne droplets. Therefore, no one is immune from this disease. If treatment for sore throat is not started in time, it will soon develop into chronic tonsillitis. Macropen is the best drug that copes well with bacteria of this disease.

This antibiotic can be prescribed immediately when the first symptoms of a sore throat appear. In this case, there is no need to do a preliminary sensitivity test. Macropen can give a positive result for any form of sore throat.

Sore throat is the most common disease, but not all people take treatment seriously. But the disease is very dangerous. It requires adequate treatment. If treated incorrectly, rheumatism may develop or the first signs of heart disease may appear. If you take Macropen in a timely manner, namely in the early stages of the disease, you can completely destroy the streptococcal infection.

Macropen for sinusitis

Acute sinusitis is caused by pathogenic agents, and this antibiotic can improve the process of eliminating these agents. You can take it immediately, without waiting for the results of a sensitivity test.

The drug is effective even for chronic sinusitis . But for this form of the disease, it is first recommended to take a microflora culture. This will allow you to find out whether there is sensitivity to macrolides.

Instructions

• Marketing authorization holder: Krka, Dd (Slovenia)
• Packaged by: Krka, Dd (Slovenia) Vector-Medica, CJSC (Russia) Krka-Rus, LLC (Russia)
• Representative office: Krka (Slovenia)

Antibiotic of the macrolide group.
Inhibits protein synthesis in bacterial cells. Reversibly binds to the 50S subunit of the bacterial ribosomal membrane. In low doses the drug has a bacteriostatic effect, in high doses it has a bactericidal effect. Active against intracellular microorganisms:

Mycoplasma spp., Chlamydia spp., Legionella spp., Ureaplasma urealyticum;
gram-positive bacteria:
Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium spp.;
gram-negative bacteria:
Neisseria spp., Moraxella catarrhalis, Bordetella pertussis, Helicobacter spp., Campylobacter spp., Bacteroides spp.

After oral administration, midecamycin is quickly and fairly completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.

Cmax in the serum of midecamycin and midecamycin acetate are 0.5-2.5 µg/l and 1.31-3.3 µg/l, respectively, and are achieved 1-2 hours after oral administration.

High concentrations of midecamycin and midecamycin acetate are created in internal organs (especially in lung tissue, parotid and submandibular glands) and skin. MIC is maintained for 6 hours.

Midecamycin binds to proteins by 47%, its metabolites - by 3-29%.

Midecamycin is metabolized in the liver to form 2 metabolites with antimicrobial activity.

T1/2 is approximately 1 hour. Midecamycin is excreted in bile and to a lesser extent (about 5%) in urine.

Pharmacokinetics in special clinical situations

In liver cirrhosis, plasma concentrations, AUC and T1/2 increase significantly.

Infectious and inflammatory diseases caused by microorganisms sensitive to the drug:

— respiratory tract infections: tonsillopharyngitis, acute otitis media, sinusitis, exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, community-acquired pneumonia (including those caused by atypical pathogens Mycoplasma spp., Chlamydia spp., Legionella spp. and Ureaplasma urealyticum);

— infections of the genitourinary system caused by Mycoplasma spp., Chlamydia spp., Legionella spp. and Ureaplasma urealyticum;

- infections of the skin and subcutaneous tissue;

— treatment of enteritis caused by Campylobacter spp.;

- treatment and prevention of diphtheria and whooping cough.

The drug should be taken before meals.

Adults and children weighing more than 30 kg

Macropen ® is prescribed 400 mg (1 tablet) 3 times a day. The maximum daily dose for adults is 1.6 g.

For children weighing less than 30 kg

The daily dose is 20-40 mg/kg body weight in 3 divided doses or 50 mg/kg body weight in 2 divided doses, for
severe infections
- 50 mg/kg body weight in 3 divided doses.

The prescription regimen for Macropen in the form of a suspension for children (daily dose of 50 mg/kg body weight in 2 doses) is presented in the table.

The duration of treatment is from 7 to 14 days, when treating chlamydial infections

- 14 days.

Reviews

Most reviews on the Internet about this drug are positive. Quite often it is praised in the treatment of sinusitis. Many note that the patient's condition is rapidly improving. It is very important to complete the entire course of treatment, otherwise latent infections will develop into a chronic form over time.

Many reviews praise suspensions for children. Parents really like that the drug quickly helps get rid of cough. But during long-term treatment, they recommend taking probiotics in parallel with antibiotics.

Some reviews stated that the drug was ineffective. Because the child experienced nausea, lethargy and vomiting. Because of this, antibiotics had to be stopped.

Macropen, like any other medicine, is not suitable for everyone . Each person has their own individual characteristics of the body.

Interaction

If you take an antibiotic with carbamazepine, its transformation in the liver will decrease and the concentration in the serum will increase. As a result, there will be an increased risk of toxic effects from the second drug, namely urinary retention, ataxia, and seizures.

Other negative interactions of Macropen with drugs.

• with warfarin the risk of bleeding will increase.
• with cyclosporine the risk of nephrotoxicity increases.
• with ergometrine and ergotamine, peripheral vessels may appear, and sometimes gangrene of the limb is observed.