Ursosan for neonatal jaundice. Dosage, how to take

Ursosan is produced by pharmaceutical companies in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The tool is used to restore liver tissue, as well as to dissolve and remove gallstones and cholesterol. In addition, the drug is prescribed to normalize the amount of bilirubin in jaundice in newborns.

Composition and form of release of Ursosan

Ursosan is released in the form of solid, white opaque color, gelatin capsules. Inside the capsules there is a powdery mass of white color. During storage, the powder can cake, but when pressed, it easily crumbles. The capsule is necessary for the drug so that its contents do not collapse under the action of gastric juice and enter the liver in the desired form.

The medicinal properties of the capsule are provided by the composition described below:

Components of the capsule	Characteristics of elements
Capsule contents
Basic substances	Ursodeoxycholic acid	The substance interferes with the absorption of cholesterol and promotes its dissolution. It also has a choleretic effect, helps to reduce blood glucose and increases the protective functions of the liver.
Supporting components	Corn starch	The component gives the powder the desired appearance. Also, the element promotes tissue restoration, covers the organs of the digestive tract with a protective film and eliminates inflammation in the gallbladder and its ducts.
Pregelitinized corn starch	The component enhances the action of the main component and gives the powder the desired appearance.
Colloidal silicon dioxide	The substance prevents the development of inflammation, and also attracts and removes harmful substances from the body.
Magnesium stearate	The element prevents powder caking.
Shell components
Gelatin	The component gives the capsule the desired shape and texture.
Titanium dioxide	The component is used as a dye to give the capsules a white color. Also, the substance prolongs the shelf life of the capsules.

The amount of active ingredient per capsule is 250 mg. The capsules are in transparent honeycomb blisters in the amount of 10 pcs. a cardboard package can contain 1.5 and 10 blisters and instructions.

Also, the drug can be purchased in the form of white tablets, which are covered with a protective film shell. The shape of the tablets is oblong and biconvex. For the convenience of dividing, there is a dividing risk on the tablet. The contents under the shell are also white.

The filling of the tablets is represented by a similar composition, but only the active ingredient contains 2 times more (500 mg). And to create the shell, a special substance, opadry white, is used. The element protects the contents of the tablet from the aggressive action of gastric juice. Packing of tablets is arranged in blisters and carton packs similar to capsules.

Pharmacological properties

Ursosan is a multidisciplinary drug that restores the state of liver tissue and organ activity, fights inflammation in the bile the bladder and its ducts, and also activates the excretion of bile, reduces the amount of glucose in the blood and promotes the dissolution and excretion of bile and cholesterol stones. In addition, the agent increases the protective properties of the liver.

Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics

Ursosan with jaundice of newborns has the following effect on the body:

• protects liver cells from destruction and promotes their recovery;
• activates the outflow of bile;
• dissolves gallstones and cholesterol stones and accelerates their removal, as well as prevents the formation of new stones;
• restores fat metabolism;
• reduces the amount of cholesterol;
• normalizes the condition of the veins in the esophagus;
• prevents early aging of liver cells;
• helps to strengthen the protective functions of the liver, as a result, the cells of the organ are less susceptible to the destructive action of salts and toxins;
• prevents the pathological proliferation of connective tissue in the liver;
• eliminates inflammation processes and prevents their appearance;
• normalizes the amount of bilirubin, preventing the development of jaundice;
• lowers the amount of glucose in the blood, due to the revitalization of the pancreas.

Ursodeoxycholic acid begins to act approximately 30 minutes after taking the drug, and is excreted from the body mainly with feces within 4-6 days.

All of the listed properties of Ursosan actively contribute to the rapid elimination of jaundice in newborns.

Indications for the use of Ursosan for jaundice in newborns

Ursosan is prescribed to a newborn to eliminate jaundice, if the child has the following symptoms and abnormalities that accompany this disease or are the cause of its development:

• yellowing of the eye sclera and skin in a newborn;
• detection of an increase in the level of bilirubin, before the onset of the main symptoms;

  

• diagnosing liver dysfunction and the state of organ tissues, which provoke an increase in the level of bilirubin;
• poor weight gain in the child and increased lethargy, accompanied by other symptoms of jaundice;
• poisoning a child with toxins that have a damaging effect on the liver;
• violation of the functioning of the gallbladder, since this pathology can cause the development of jaundice;
• congenital viral hepatitis;
• identification of gallstones in infants, which can also cause the development of jaundice;
• prematurity of the child. Ursosan promotes faster "ripening" of the liver;
• pathological destruction of red blood cells, accompanied by an increase in the level of bilirubin.

Important. It is strictly prohibited to use Ursosan to eliminate jaundice in a newborn without the appointment of a pediatrician. Only a specialist can determine the need for the use of a medication, as well as its dosage and duration of the course.

Contraindications

Ursosan for jaundice of newborns is contraindicated to use if the child has the following prohibitions:

• hypersensitivity of the body to the components of the medication;
• the patient has gallstones with a high calcium content;
• disruption of the kidneys and pancreas in severe form;
• the gallbladder in a newborn does not function;
• diagnosing inflammatory processes in the intestines, in the gallbladder or ducts in a child;
• presence of an infection in the gallbladder;
• blockage of the bile ducts;
• identification of pus in the gallbladder;
• identification of a bile-gastrointestinal fistula in a patient (a canal, of a pathological nature, connecting the body cavities);
• violation of the condition and work of the liver in a neglected form.

The instructions for the drug also include an age limit for its use of up to 3 years, which is due to the dosage form of the drug. Ursodeoxycholic acid has no age restrictions, so it can be used from birth.

Methods of use for jaundice of newborns

It is advisable to take Ursosan without biting or chewing (capsules or tablets), since the shell used on the preparation is necessary to protect the active substance from gastric juice. But since the dosage for infants is used small, for the treatment of children, doctors recommend opening the capsules, and dividing the tablets into the required number of parts, and crushing them to a powder state.

It is recommended to take the medication during meals or immediately after meals. Since the drug has a rather bitter taste, it is recommended to give it to children during the meal, dissolving the required amount of the drug in water or milk. Then the child needs to drink about 15-20 ml of liquid. If the remedy is given after a meal, then the child will be moody due to the remaining bitterness in the oral cavity.

The classical dosage of the drug is 10-15 mg (in severe pathologies, the dose can be increased to 30 mg) per 1 kg of the newborn's weight. A more accurate one-time amount of the drug is calculated by a specialist in the severity of pathology, how the child was born (full-term or not), as well as after assessing the general condition of the baby.

The classic dosage of Ursosan for newborns to eliminate jaundice or the reasons that cause its development:

Purpose of admission	Baby weight	Single dosage	Frequency rate and duration of treatment
Diagnosed jaundice with vivid manifestation of symptoms	1.5-2.5 kg	11-19 mg or approximately 1/15 of the capsule contents.	Take 2 times for 24 hours. The course is 1.5-4 weeks.
2.5-4 kg	19-30 mg or approximately 1/13 of the capsule.
Increased bilirubin, without pronounced signs of jaundice	1.5-2.5 kg	18-38 mg, or about 1/9 of a capsule.	Use the product in the evening for 10-30 days.
2.5-4 kg	30-60 mg, or about 1/6 of the capsule.
The presence of liver pathologies provoking the development of jaundice	1.5-2.5 kg	8-20 mg, or about 1/15 of a capsule.	The frequency of admission is 3 times during the day. The course is from 6 months to several years.
2.5-4 kg	13-27 mg or approximately 1/13 of the capsule.
Jaundice with severe weight loss	1.5-2.5 kg	10-25 mg, or approximately 1/15 of a capsule.	Use 3 times every 24 hours for 14-45 days.
2.5-4 kg	17-40 mg or about 1/9 of a capsule.
Poisoning of a baby with toxins that disrupt liver function	1.5-2.5 kg	22-37 mg, or about 1/13 of the capsule.	Use the product in the morning and evening for no more than 3 months.
2.5-4 kg	37-60 mg or approximately 1/5 of the capsule.
Disruption of the gallbladder and its ducts	1.5-2.5 kg	8-13 mg or approximately 1/25 of a capsule.	Ursosan is used 2 times every 24 hours. for 14-60 days.
2.5-4 kg	13-20 mg or approximately 1/13 of the capsule.
Congenital viral hepatitis	1.5-2.5 kg	6-12 mg. The dosage is very small and is equal to about 1/25 of the capsule.	Take the drug 3 times a day. The course is at least 6 months.
2.5-4 kg	10-20 mg, or about 1/15 of the capsule.
Presence or tendency to form gallstones	1.5-2.5 kg	15-30 mg or approximately 1/10 of a capsule.	Take the solution once at night for 6-12 months.
2.5-4 kg	25-50 mg or approximately 1/5 of a capsule.
Prematurity of a newborn	1.5-2.5 kg	15-25 mg, or approximately 1/12 of a capsule.	Used in the evening, the course is 30-60 days.
2.5-4 kg	25-40 mg or about 1/8 of the capsule.
Pathological destruction of red blood cells	1.5-2.5 kg	9-15 mg or approximately 1/20 of a capsule	Use the product in the morning and evening for 2-4 months.
2.5-4 kg	15-25 mg, or approximately 1/12 of a capsule.

For ease of dosing, the contents of the capsule should be poured onto a clean and even white sheet and divided into the required number of parts. Dissolve the required part of the powder in the liquid, the rest can be put back into the capsule. Further, the powder remaining in the capsule should be divided into parts, taking into account how many parts of the powder have already been used.

Due to the bitter taste, the newborn may spit out the solution with Ursosan, and it may also be vomited. In this case, the medicine should not be given again. It is necessary to continue taking the medication according to the time indicated by the doctor.

Side effects

Ursosan belongs to the group of safe medicines, but when using the drug to eliminate jaundice, newborns may experience the following side effects:

• bitterness in the mouth;
• vomiting, immediately after taking the drug;
• increased stool or, on the contrary, the development of constipation;
• change in the consistency of feces to a pasty state;
• soreness in the liver, upper abdomen, or back;
• hair loss;
• movement of stones in the gallbladder, as a result, blockage of the ducts may occur;
• saturation of gallstones (if any in the newborn) with calcium.

The development of an allergic reaction in the form of urticaria, flushing of the face, and the development of suffocation is not excluded.

Overdose

When taking Ursosan in an increased dosage, a newborn may experience the following signs of an overdose:

• frequent and moderately loose stools;
• profuse vomiting;
• if the patient has stones in the gallbladder, then there is a high probability of blockage of the bile ducts;
• exacerbation of kidney disease;
• intensification of inflammation processes in the intestines, gallbladder and in its ducts;
• a sharp decrease in blood glucose, the development of a diabetic coma is possible;
• exacerbation of infectious pathology developing in the gallbladder;
• movement of pus in the gallbladder to other organs of the digestive tract;
• sharp, but temporary, deterioration of the liver;
• severe hair loss;
• severe abdominal pain.

In case of poisoning of a baby with Ursosan, you should stop taking the drug for about 7 days, since the excess of the active substance must completely leave the body. The exact time of the break, as well as the possibility of continuing further treatment, are established by the doctor.

Depending on the condition of the child, after an overdose, symptomatic treatment is prescribed. The selection of medicines must be carried out by a doctor.

As a therapy, the following can be prescribed:

• sorbents to quickly remove the drug from the body;
• frequent drinking to avoid the development of dehydration due to profuse diarrhea;
• pain relievers if the abdominal pain is severe.

If after the poisoning more than 30 minutes have not passed, then gastric lavage will be effective, but the baby should be carried out by specialists in the hospital.

special instructions

Ursosan for jaundice of newborns is recommended to be given to infants after familiarization with the nuances of use:

• for the treatment of a newborn, it is recommended to use capsules rather than tablets. Capsules are easier to divide into the desired dosage than tablets, and they dissolve more easily in liquid;
• it is necessary to prepare a solution from the contents in a capsule before taking it. The prepared solution should not be stored, even if placed in the refrigerator;
• after taking the solution, give the child a drink of water (maybe a little sweetened) so that the rest of the suspension is washed off the oral mucosa;
• do not use Ursosan if the child has not completely excluded all contraindications;
• if side effects are detected or after an overdose, the possibility of continuing therapy is determined by the attending specialist;
• if the baby has gallstones, Ursosan is used with extreme caution;
• when prescribing long-term treatment, it is necessary to be examined by a pediatrician every 2-4 weeks (blood test, condition and activity of the kidneys, gallbladder, liver, as well as bile ducts);
• so that the child does not vomit, or that he does not vomit, after using the drug, keep the baby in an upright position for about 20 minutes.

It is strictly forbidden to use Ursosan for the treatment of newborns without a doctor's prescription, since only a specialist can determine the need to use the drug and its dosage.

Drug interactions

If it is necessary to use Ursosan in combination with other medicines, the compatibility of the drug with them must be taken into account. Below is a list of drugs with which the drug should be used with caution.

• preparations for reducing acidity in the stomach containing aluminum and ion exchange resins. These drugs impair the absorption of Ursosan. If both drugs are required, then a time interval of at least 2 hours must be maintained between their use;
• hormonal medications and Ursosan provoke the growth of stones in the gallbladder;
• Ursosan improves the absorption of immunostimulants based on cyclosporine, as a result of which it is necessary to adjust the dosage of the last medication.

In connection with the information provided, when prescribing Ursosan, it is necessary to inform the doctor about the medications already used.

Analogs

Ursosan for jaundice of newborns has restrictions in admission due to the presence of contraindications, and the drug, in rare cases, can cause the development of side effects.

If the tool did not fit for any of the listed parameters, or is not available for sale, then you can replace it with the following medicines:

• Ursofalk. The drug is released in the form of a suspension and capsules. The average cost of a drug is about 1000 rubles. Sold by prescription;
• Urdoks. The product is produced in the form of capsules. Average price 1000 rubles. A prescription is required to purchase the product;
• Ursoliv. The medication is released in the form of capsules. The average cost is 1000 rubles. Dispensed by prescription;
• Urso 100. Capsules with an average price of about 1000 rubles. A prescription is required to purchase;
• Urgsodez. Capsules with an average price of 1200 rubles. Released with a prescription;
• Ursodex. Tablets are dispensed at an average cost of 800 rubles. on prescription;
• Livodexa. Tablets are sold for about 400 rubles with a prescription;
• Henofalk. Capsules are sold at an average cost of 2,000 rubles. over the counter;
• Choludexan. Capsules at an average price of 600 rubles, you need a prescription to buy;

In the composition of the considered analogues, the active ingredient is ursodeoxycholic acid, therefore the rules for taking the drug are similar to the original.

Terms of sale and storage, prices

You can buy Ursosan (capsules and tablets) only with a referral from a doctor. Moreover, the prescription must indicate the daily dosage and course of therapy so that the pharmacist can determine how much of the drug is required for sale.

After purchase, the medication should be in a dark and dry place with a temperature of 15 to 25 degrees with a plus sign. Also, the place should be inaccessible to children.

If the listed requirements are met, the drug (not unsealed from the blister) can be stored: tablets - 3 years, and capsules - 4 years. At the end of the expiration date, the medication is not used.

The cost of Ursosan varies by region and place of sale, and the price also depends on the amount of the drug in the package.

Release form	The amount of the drug	Price range
Capsules	10 pieces.	RUB 190-250
50 pcs.	RUB 870-950
100 pieces.	RUB 1700-1850
Pills	10 pieces.	RUB 290-380
50 pcs.	RUB 1560-1630
100 pieces.	RUB 3100-3220

The price of tablets is higher, since they contain 2 times more active element than capsules.

Ursosan is considered an effective remedy for restoring the condition and functioning of the liver. The effectiveness of the medication is confirmed by both doctors and patients. An additional advantage of the drug is its ability to be used to treat jaundice in newborns.

Author: Kotlyachkova Svetlana

Video about Ursosan

Ursosan. Liver protection, gallbladder health: