Weakened immunity can cause many he alth problems. After all, an unprotected organism is an easy “prey” for pathogenic microorganisms. As a result, the development of ailments that are difficult to treat, which can cause irreparable harm to he alth, and sometimes cause death. To restore the functioning of the immune system and take control of the situation, immunomodulatory agents, such as Ingaron, are used. Reviews of doctors about this drug are quite contradictory, so let's try to form our opinion by studying the information about the drug in more detail.
Pharmacological action of the drug
The basis of this immunomodulatory drug is gamma-interferon, consisting of 144 amino acids, more precisely, from their residues. Moreover, the first three (Cys-Tyr-Cys) of them are replaced by Met. Gamma-interferon itself is one of the most important compounds involved in the body's immune responses. Natural killer cells, macrophages, T-lymphocytes and neutrophils have receptors for it. At the same time, the amino acid compound (gamma-interferon) contributes to the activation of such effector functions of the above cells as bactericidal,cytotoxicity, synthesis of superoxide and nitroxide radicals and cytokines with anti-inflammatory and bactericidal action. The instruction enclosed in the package of the drug "Ingaron" also says that the main active substance has a direct antiviral effect. It is achieved due to the fact that the amino acid compound blocks the replication of RNA and DNA of viruses and their mature particles. In addition, gamma-interferon has a pronounced cytotoxic effect on cells that are infected with the virus. It is also worth noting that the drug inhibits the synthesis of inflammatory proteins due to an increase in the expression of C2 and C4 genes.
Form of release and composition of the medicine
The medicine is produced in only two forms. The first is a lyophilisate, which is used to prepare a solution for subcutaneous and intramuscular administration. In addition to interferon gamma, the drug contains the excipient mannitol. This form of medicine is produced in vials, which are packed in cardboard packs of 1, 5, 10 and 20 pcs. The drug is dispensed without a prescription.
As for the second form of the drug, its composition is identical to the first. But this lyophilisate, which is also packaged in vials, is used to prepare drops for intranasal administration. Each carton pack in combination with the main drug contains water for injection in an ampoule or vial of 5 ml. This additional component is a solvent for the preparation of the solution.
To date, there are no other forms of release of the drug,therefore, you should not look for other types of the drug "Ingaron" in pharmacies. Tablets are not manufactured by the pharmaceutical industry.
Who is prescribed the drug in the form of a solution for subcutaneous and intramuscular injections?
Before considering the indications for taking this form of medication, it should be said that it should be used only as directed by the attending physician. After all, the method of administration and dosage of the drug depend on the disease and the nature of its course.
Immunomodulating drug "Ingaron" is one of the components of complex therapy for chronic forms of viral hepatitis B and C, pulmonary tuberculosis, cancer, HIV/AIDS infections. Quite often, the remedy is prescribed to patients suffering from urogenital chlamydia, chronic prostatitis, genital herpes infection and shingles. Found the drug "Ingaron" application in the treatment and prevention of human papillomavirus, as well as infectious complications in chronic granulomatous disease.
Using intranasal solution
This form of medication is often used in various areas of medicine. However, it is most often recommended as a preventive measure and treatment for various strains of influenza, including H5N1 and H1N1, which is known as bird flu. During periods of epidemics, this medicine helps the immune system fight pathogens.
When using the remedy in combination with the main therapy, recovery occurs many times faster. In addition, in patients taking Ingaron, complicationsflu develop only in isolated cases.
Injection solution preparation and dosing system
As mentioned above, the dose of the drug should be prescribed by the attending physician, guided by the diagnosis and severity of the disease. In addition, the specialist focuses the patient's attention on the method of administration of the drug and the duration of the course of treatment.
And since the medication is available only in the form of a lyophilisate, it is necessary to properly prepare a solution for injection from it before use. To do this, the contents of one vial are diluted in 2 ml of water for injection.
As part of complex therapy for chronic forms of viral hepatitis C or B, as well as HIV / AIDS infections and pulmonary tuberculosis for adult patients, the daily dose is 450-500 thousand IU. The injection is done 1 time per day, every other day or daily. Depending on the severity of the disease, the course of treatment can be from 30 to 90 days, and if necessary, it can be repeated after a couple of months as prescribed by the doctor.
To prevent the development of complications in patients suffering from chronic granular disease, they are prescribed 500,000 IU of Ingaron every other day or every day. The doctors' comments indicate that a positive trend when using the medication is already observed for 2-3 days. But the course of treatment for this disease should be at least 5 injections. As for patients with oncological problems, then, depending on the severity of the disease, the average daily dose can vary from 400 to 600 thousand IU. Butthe duration of treatment is set individually, and is adjusted already in the course of treatment in accordance with the results of clinical trials.
People who have been diagnosed with diseases such as herpes infection, urogenital chlamydia or shingles are prescribed 5 subcutaneous injections every other day. The average daily dose of the drug for the above diseases for adults should be 500 thousand IU.
To support the immune system and help it cope with chronic prostatitis, patients are recommended to inject Ingaron every two days. The course of treatment - 10 injections of 100 thousand IU.
For anogenital warts, the drug is administered subcutaneously every other day, 100 thousand IU. The duration of therapy depends on the complexity of the disease, but not less than 5 injections.
Intranasal Solution Dosing System
Before using this form of the drug, the lyophilisate should be dissolved in 5 ml of water, which is already included in the package of the drug. The resulting solution is instilled into the nose with a pipette.
When the first symptoms of influenza or SARS appear, the drug "Ingaron" instruction recommends using 5-8 times a day, 2 drops in each nasal passage. The duration of treatment is usually 5-7 days.
It is worth recalling that the remedy is also used to prevent bacterial and viral diseases of the respiratory tract. So, after contact with a sick person or with hypothermia, the medicine is instilled into the nose for 10 days 1 time per day, 2-3 drops. This procedure should be carried out aftercleaning the nasal passages at least 30 minutes before meals. If contact with a sick person was one-time, as a preventive measure, it is enough to drop the Ingaron drug into the nose only once.
In order for the medication to be evenly distributed, it is advisable to massage the wings of the nose for several minutes after instillation.
Intramuscular administration of the drug to children
Gamma-interferon is often included in the complex therapy of many ailments in children. So, it is prescribed for small patients after removal of papillomas with respiratory papillomatosis.
Intramuscular administration of the drug is recommended for patients with acute hepatitis B. In this case, the daily dose of the drug is calculated in each case, based on the fact that 10 thousand IU are needed for each kilogram of the weight of a small patient. The injection is made 1 time per day for 7-10 days, after the specified period, the dose is halved. The course of treatment is continued for another 3 weeks, and the injection is done once every two days.
Let's use "Ingaron" for children with chronic active and acute protracted hepatitis B. With this disease, small patients are prescribed intramuscular injections of 10 thousand IU per 1 kg of body weight twice a week. The course of such treatment is from 1 to 2 months, but with advanced forms or a severe course of the disease, it can be extended up to 6 months.
If a child is diagnosed with chronic active hepatitis D (HDV), and there are no signs of liver cirrhosis, the drug is prescribed at 5 thousand IU per 1 kgbody weight of the patient. The drug is administered twice a week. The course of treatment is 8 injections, and it can be repeated in 1-6 months.
But if signs of cirrhosis are still present in the chronic active form of hepatitis, then the drug is administered twice a week at the rate of 5 thousand IU per kilogram of the child's weight. Injections are made within 30 days, and if signs of decompensation subsequently appear, the course is repeated after 2 months.
Children suffering from chronic bacterial infections such as bronchitis, enteritis, laryngitis or pharyngitis are prescribed 10,000 IU per kilogram of body weight. Moreover, for one month the child should receive 2-3 injections weekly. Repeated courses of treatment as prescribed by a doctor can be carried out no earlier than after 3 months.
Perifocal drug administration to children
If keratoacanthoma, squamous or basal cell carcinoma is diagnosed in young patients, gamma interferon will be included in the complex therapy. It is administered daily directly under the focus of the inflammatory process at 100-250 thousand IU for 10 days. When local inflammatory reactions are strongly expressed, injections are carried out after 1-2 days. After the end of the course of treatment with Ingaron, the doctors' reviews recommend cryodestruction to consolidate the therapeutic effect.
When are children given subconjunctival medication?
Quite often, the drug is used in ophthalmology to treat patients from 7 years old. So, with keratoiridocyclitis and stromal keratitis, the doctor may recommendsubconjunctival injections of gamma interferon. The dosage and frequency of the procedure depends entirely on the severity of the development of the disease. The introduction of the drug is carried out under local anesthesia, and as an anesthetic, as a rule, a 0.5% dicaine solution is used. The amount can be from 10 to 20 injections.
Topically applied medication
Also, the Ingaron remedy (reviews from doctors confirm this information) accelerates the recovery of patients suffering from superficial keratitis and conjunctivitis. The medicine is used for such ailments locally.
To prepare the solution, the contents of one ampoule are diluted in 5 ml of sodium chloride and stored in the refrigerator for the next 12 hours. Apply prepared "Ingaron" (drops) 6-8 times a day. As the symptoms of the inflammatory process disappear, the frequency of application is reduced to 3-4 times. The duration of such therapy should not exceed 14 days.
Who is the drug contraindicated for?
Regardless of the form, the drug is not recommended for people with individual intolerance to interferon gamma or any of the auxiliary components of the drug. Pregnant women should not take the remedy either. It is strictly forbidden to use Ingaron solution for subcutaneous and intramuscular injections in diabetes mellitus and autoimmune diseases. Nose drops are not prescribed for patients under 7 years of age.
Medication side effects and overdose
Like any drug, Ingaron (drops and injections) has a number of side effectsactions. So, with subcutaneous or intramuscular administration of the drug, a local allergic reaction may occur. In most cases, it manifests itself in the form of hyperemia of the skin, accompanied by a mild pain syndrome. Some patients may experience muscle pain and hyperthermia during therapy.
When used in doses above 1,000,000 IU, there is an increased risk of flu-like symptoms such as headache, weakness, arthralgia, and pyrexia. And if the degree of manifestation of the described signs is small, then there is no need for symptomatic therapy. In cases where the symptoms are pronounced, it is recommended to take Paracetamol.
What do doctors think about Ingaron?
Back in 1957, thanks to the work of scientists, interferon was discovered and studied in detail. Since that time, a lot of scientific papers have already been written on the importance of using this multicomponent biological compound in various areas of medicine. And if the use of interferon for such ailments as hepatitis or oncological neoplasms has been fully proven by a large number of clinical studies, then the advisability of taking it for colds is still a topic of controversy in our time. Let's try to understand why the luminaries of medicine from different countries have been discussing this for many decades.
Most doctors in the post-Soviet space without fail recommend instilling the drug "Ingaron" into the nose at the first signs of SARS. Reviews of doctors at the same time speak of a fastthe onset of a therapeutic effect and an increase in the body's defenses.
Western medical luminaries have completely opposite opinions on this issue. They do not deny the benefits of interferon in ARVI, but focus on the adverse reactions that Ingaron, a spray or drops, can cause. After all, long-term use of a prophylactic agent in many cases causes irritation and erosion of the nasal mucosa, the appearance of bloody discharge and sneezing, and also causes a sharp decrease in the number of leukocytes and blood (leukopenia).
In addition, the remedy "Ingaron" (drops) - the instruction also informs about this - can cause reactions that are indistinguishable from the symptoms of a cold. It is this fact that Western doctors refer to and do not use gamma interferon in the treatment of patients with colds and SARS.
Based on such conflicting reviews of doctors, it is very difficult to talk about the advisability of using Ingaron.
Medicine analogues
Today, there are a lot of drugs based on interferon. This diversity can be explained by the fact that more than half a century has passed since the discovery of this amino acid compound. And all this time, pharmacists have been working on creating new, more advanced drugs.
Like the drug "Ingaron", analogues contain interferon. The most famous of them are such means as "Laferobion", "Ingaron A", "Human Interferon", "Avonex", "Alfaferon" and others.
All medicines listed above containamino acid compound - interferon. They are widely used in various fields of medicine in our country for the treatment of complex ailments of viral and bacterial etiology. But it is worth noting that, despite the biological origin of drugs, you should not use them on your own. After all, each of them has its own contraindications and can harm the condition of a sick person. The feasibility of using a particular drug based on interferon should be determined solely by a specialist. The duties of the attending physician also include the calculation of the dosage of the drug and the choice of the method of its administration. In the course of treatment, regardless of whether Ingaron, analogues based on gamma interferon or agents containing alpha interferon were prescribed, the specialist will monitor the dynamics of the course of the disease and individually adjust the duration of the course of treatment.
