In the autumn-winter period, an epidemic of viral diseases develops. Both adults and children get sick. And if one person falls ill in a family, then all its members are often infected. Among the variety of antiviral drugs, you can often get lost. But are they all as effective as advertised? And is it possible to replace the drug prescribed by the doctor with a more affordable analogue?
One of the commonly prescribed antiviral drugs is "Amixin". You can buy cheaper analogues on your own initiative or ask your doctor to recommend a more affordable substitute.
"Amixin": indications
The antiviral drug "Amixin" is used to prevent and treat many viral diseases, including such common ones as influenza or SARS.
In terms of speed and safety, it is significantlyoutperforms cheaper counterparts. The drug is used in the complex treatment of viral hepatitis, herpes, cytomegalovirus infection in adult patients. It may be given to children over the age of seven to treat viral diseases.
The antiviral drug "Amiksin" can act as a component of the complex treatment of tuberculosis, multiple sclerosis, respiratory and urogenital forms of chlamydia. The course of treatment depends on the type of disease and its degree of complexity.
Contraindications and side effects
Like many antiviral drugs, "Amixin" has contraindications for use. It is not prescribed to pregnant women, as well as children under the age of 7 years. Also, the drug is not recommended during breastfeeding. Do not take "Amixin" if there is sensitivity to its components, as this can provoke a severe allergic reaction.
Possible manifestation of side effects from the use of the drug on the part of the digestive system. During the application, patients noted short-term chills and the manifestation of allergic reactions. The manifestation of side effects is not an indication for the abolition of Amiksin, but in some cases appropriate treatment may be prescribed.
Composition of "Amixin" and release form
"Amiksin" - an antiviral agent, which is available in the form of round tablets, covered with an orange coating. The active substance of the drug is called tilorone. One tablet contains 60 or 125 mg of tilorone.
In addition to the active substance, Amixin also includes auxiliary ingredients that are not of a medicinal nature. For example, potato starch and microcrystalline glucose. Also in small doses, the preparation contains primellose, calcium stearate and povidone. The shell of the tablet consists of titanium dioxide, hypromellose, macrogol and polysorbate.
Amixin tablets are packed in plates of 6 or 10 pieces, as well as in polymer jars of 6, 10 or 20 pieces. The packaging does not affect the concentration and effectiveness of the drug, and it is necessary to choose only based on the required number of tablets per course of treatment, since for long-term use it is more profitable to purchase the drug in large packages.
Methods of application and dosage of "Amixin"
It is recommended to take the drug after meals. The dosage of the drug depends on the disease. For general cases, the recommended dose is 125 to 250 mg per day. It should be taken on the first, second and fourth day of treatment. The maximum course duration is one week. For the prevention of influenza and SARS, one tablet is prescribed once a week for 4-6 weeks.
The course of treatment of hepatitis A is 2 weeks, during which they take 125 mg twice a day, then 125 mg per day after 48 hours. For the treatment of hepatitis B, the drug is prescribed according to the same scheme, the course of administration is 3 weeks. The course dose of the drug depends on the severity of the course of the disease and the body's response to treatment.
Children are assigned"Amiksin" 60 mg per day during the first two days of treatment, then another 60 mg after 48 hours. For complications of influenza and SARS, the course dose is 4 tablets, which are taken on the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 6th days of treatment.
Interaction with other drugs
Means such as "Amiksin", analogues cheaper than "Amiksin" interact well with the traditional treatment of viral infections. That is, these antiviral drugs are prescribed simultaneously with antibiotics and some other drugs used in the treatment of bacterial and viral infections. It is not recommended to combine Amiksin with other antiviral drugs that have the same pharmacological effect. Such measures do not increase the effectiveness of the drug, but increase the burden on the patient's body. Before using the medication, it is worth informing the attending physician about all the medicines taken, which will exclude the development of some side effects.
Analogues of "Amiksin"
For all its merits, the drug has one significant drawback - high cost. For this reason, not everyone can afford Amiksin. Cheaper alternatives may be less effective but work just as well for uncomplicated infections.
There are several drugs similar in pharmacological action to "Amiksin" that can be offered as a cheaper alternative. What can replace "Amixin"? Find out aboutwhat analogues of the drug exist, you can at any pharmacy. But it is better to consult a doctor who will recommend a more affordable and suitable antiviral drug.
Kagocel, Cycloferon, Ingavirin are considered the closest in action to "Amiksin". There are many other remedies, but their effect can be much weaker.
Kagocel
This is an analogue of "Amiksin", which contains kagocel as an active substance, which is an interferon inducer. In addition to the active substance, the preparation also contains calcium stearate, potato starch and ludipress.
"Kagocel" has antiviral, antimicrobial and immunomodulatory therapeutic effects. It can be prescribed as an alternative replacement for "Amiksin" in the treatment of acute respiratory viral infections, influenza, herpes simplex and the prevention of viral infections.
Which drug is more effective - "Kagocel" or "Amiksin"? What works best? "Kagocel" has a milder effect, so it can be used to treat viral infections in children from three years old, unlike "Amixin", which is recommended only from the age of seven.
Cycloferon
Another analogue of "Amiksin" is called "Cycloferon". Acridoneacetic acid and N-methylglucamine act as active substances. The tablets also contain methylcellulose and calcium stearate.
"Cycloferon" is prescribed as part of complex therapy in the treatment of acute forms of viral infection (ARVI, influenza), hepatitis C and B, acute intestinal infections, herpes infection and neuroinfections (serous meningitis). May be used as an adjunctive treatment for clinical stages of HIV infections in adults and children over 4 years of age.
Tableted "Cycloferon" is an analogue of "Amiksin" in tablets, which has the same pharmacological action. This drug can completely replace "Amixin" in case of hypersensitivity to its components. Contraindications include pregnancy, breastfeeding, age up to 4 years, sensitivity to the substances that make up the drug. Many people ask themselves: “Cycloferon or Amiksin, which is better?”. You should choose based on the doctor's prescription and the complexity of the disease.
Ingavirin
"Ingavirin" is often prescribed by a doctor for acute forms of viral infections, including various strains of influenza, adenovirus and some other diseases. The drug can be considered as an analogue of "Amiksin" due to a similar mechanism of action, namely, the activation of the production of interferon by the cells of the body.
Clinical trials of "Ingavirin" did not reveal the immunotoxic or allergenic effect of the drug, so this antiviral agent has a high levelsecurity. However, the drug is not recommended for pregnant and lactating women, and also cannot be used in pediatrics. Side effects of Ingavirin include mild allergic reactions in patients with sensitivity to the components of the drug. "Ingavirin" can be used to prevent infection with viral infections, in particular after contact with a sick person.
It is difficult to determine what is better "Amiksin" or "Ingavirin". Despite the similar mechanism of action of these drugs on the virus and the patient's body, Amiksin has a wider spectrum of action. But for the prevention and treatment of simple infections, both means are effective, and in this case it is worth choosing based on financial capabilities.
Advantages of "Amixin" over analogues
Why is the rather expensive drug "Amixin" most often prescribed to the patient? Analogues are cheaper and less effective in complicated infections. The speed of the drug also plays an important role in choosing a good antiviral agent. Many patients cannot afford to spend several weeks in bed because of a banal SARS and prefer to spend money on a really effective remedy once.
The advantages of "Amiksin" include its low toxicity and safety when the recommended doses are observed. The drug has a long-term effect, and for a long time after taking it, the patient's body will be resistant to infections caused by various viruses andbacteria.
What can replace "Amixin"? Price
Tablets-analogues of this drug we examined. Now let's find out their value. Many people know that aggressively advertised products have a higher price. Amiksin also belongs to such means. Cheaper analogues are most often less well-known means. But in any pharmacy, more affordable substitutes for an expensive drug will be prompted. When buying cheap analogues, you must carefully read the instructions for use and compare the spectrum of action of drugs and their indications.
The average cost of six Amiksin tablets, which is enough for a course of treatment of simple viral infections, is 600 rubles. A pack of ten tablets costs around 800–900 rubles. The cost of "Kagocel" is much lower than the cost of "Amiksin": only 240 rubles for ten tablets. But it is worth considering that even for the treatment of influenza or SARS, the course dose of this drug is 18 tablets. This is three times more than the dosage of Amiksin. The cost of a course dose (20 tablets) of Cycloferon is 360 rubles, and seven capsules of Ingavirin can be purchased for 450 rubles.
