Many parents are faced with diarrhea, because the digestive system of babies is very vulnerable to the action of harmful microbes. In addition, young children often taste different objects and lick their dirty hands. Especially often diarrhea occurs in the summer, when food quickly deteriorates due to the heat, babies walk a lot and come into contact with both their peers and animals and sand. But such an uncomfortable symptom can appear at other times of the year.
Usually, to eliminate mild diarrhea, it is enough to give the toddler "Regidron" or another drug that helps restore the balance of water and electrolytes. However, sometimes you have to resort to antidiarrheal drugs, for example, give "Enterofuril". So that this drug really helps the child and does not worsen his condition, before starting treatment, it is worth knowing how it affects the child's body and in what dosages it can be used in young patients.
Release form
Enterofuril is manufactured in Bosnia and Herzegovina by Bosnalék in two forms.
- One of them is suspension, which is sold in glass bottles, supplemented with a measuring spoon. Moms sometimes call this "Enterofuril" solution or syrup, but in fact it is a homogeneous suspension and there are no other liquid forms of the medicine. One bottle contains 90 milliliters of the drug. This medicine has a yellow color and a sweet taste, and also smells like a banana.
- The second form of "Enterofuril" are capsules, which, depending on the dosage, differ in their size and color. The drug with a smaller amount of active substance has a size No. 2 and a yellow dense gelatin shell, and a yellow powder is placed inside the capsule. One package of such "Enterofuril" is represented by three blisters of 10 capsules each, that is, a total of 30 capsules in a pack.
The drug with a higher dosage has a larger size (No. 0), the color of the shell is brown, but inside there is also a powdery substance of yellow color, as in a product with a lower dose of the active ingredient. Such capsules are packed in blisters of 8 pieces and are sold in 2 or 4 blisters in one carton pack (16-32 capsules). In the form of tablets, injections, gel, ointment and other forms, "Enterofuril" is not produced.
Composition
The main component of all forms of Enterofuril is called nifuroxazide. Its dosage in 5 milliliters of suspension is 200 mg, and the patient receives 100 mg of nifuroxazide from 2.5 ml of the drug. Yellow capsules contain this ingredient in a dose of 100 mg, and brown ones - 200 mg.
The list of auxiliary components of liquid "Enterofuril" contains sucrose and banana flavoring, which makes the medicine tasty for little patients. And so that the drug does not deteriorate and remains liquid, carbomer, sodium hydroxide, 96% ethanol (it is 1% of the total mass of the suspension), water, citric acid and methyl parahydroxybenzoate are also added to it.
The powder that is inside the Enterofuril capsules, in addition to nifuroxazide, includes corn starch and magnesium stearate, as well as microcrystalline cellulose and sucrose. The shell of this form of the drug is made from titanium dioxide, dyes (different for capsules with different dosages) and gelatin.
Operating principle
Enterofuril has the ability to influence various harmful bacteria, for which the drug is called an intestinal antiseptic. Its active substance affects some biochemical processes occurring inside microbial cells, in particular, the citrate cycle and the function of dehydrogenases.
The result of this influence will be the inhibition of the vital activity of bacteria, as well as the destruction of their membranes. In addition, under the action of nifuroxazide, the process of the production of toxic substances by microbes is also blocked. These medicinal effects help kill pathogenic bacteria that are in the intestines, thereby stopping infectious diarrhea.
The drug shows significant activity against:
- pathogenic E. coli;
- cholera vibrios;
- salmonella;
- streptococci;
- shigella;
- staphylococci;
- clostridium;
- campylobacter;
- yersinia and some other microbes.
Less sensitive or generally insensitive to the medication Protea, Providence and Klebsiella. Enterofuril does not work on both pseudomonas and viral particles, however, if the intestines are damaged by viruses, such a medicine helps prevent bacterial complications.
It is important to note that nifuroxazide, which has entered the digestive tract, is almost not absorbed. Such a substance acts only in the intestinal lumen, and then leaves the body with feces. At the same time, the drug does not destroy the normal intestinal flora, therefore, after the use of Enterofuril, no disturbances in its balance are observed.
Moreover, if a child has acute microbial diarrhea, taking a suspension or capsules helps restore normal microflora, which additionally contributes to the rapid elimination of diarrhea.
Indications
The main reason for the use of Enterofuril is diarrhea caused by harmful bacteria. The medication is prescribed for acute intestinal damage, if the general condition of the child is slightly deteriorated, there are practically no manifestations of intoxication, and the body temperature is not increased.
The drug is used for dysentery, salmonellosis, giardiasis, food poisoning (eating spoiled food) and in other cases, for example, with dysbiosis, which is manifested not only by diarrhea, but also by constipation.
Do you give with vomiting?
"Enterofuril" is indeed quite often prescribed to children with vomiting, and parents, knowing such a medicine as a remedy for diarrhea, begin to doubt whether it is necessary to give a suspension or capsules if the disease is not manifested by loose stools.
The use of "Enterofuril" for vomiting is justified in the case when the disease begins to manifest itself with bouts of vomiting and severe nausea. This is how the child's body reacts to the intoxication caused by pathogenic bacteria, even before the microbes multiplied in large quantities in the intestines and caused frequent liquefied stools.
In such a situation, "Enterofuril" helps to stop vomiting and prevents diarrhea from developing (it will serve to prevent diarrhea). However, vomiting is not always a sign of an incipient intestinal infection. If she has another reason, Enterofuril will not help, and the child will need to be given other medicines, such as Motilium.
At what age is it prescribed?
"Enterofuril" in suspension can be given to babies older than one month. This form of medication is strictly prohibited for premature newborn babies. If the child is more than 1 month old, the use of "Enterofuril" should be coordinated with the doctor, since in many cases the child with diarrhea should be given other medications so that the baby's condition does not worsen and dehydration does not occur.
As for the capsules, they are used in the treatment of children over 3 years old. If it is difficult for a three-year-old child or an older patient to swallow solid medicine, it is replaced with a suspension, because liquid Enterofuril can be used even by adults. The encapsulated form is used only in children who are able to swallow such a medication without difficulty.
Contraindications
Treatment with Enterofuril is prohibited:
- for patients who have found hypersensitivity to nifuroxazide or any other nitrofuran derivative;
- for children with glucose-galactose malabsorption syndrome;
- if the child has fructose intolerance;
- if there is no isomaltase or sucrase in the patient's body.
In such cases, it is impossible to give the baby a suspension or capsules, as well as to replace Enterofuril with analogs with the same active ingredient. In the presence of other diseases, the use of the medication is not contraindicated, but it is better to additionally consult with your doctor.
Side effects
Some young patients react to Enterofuril with an allergic reaction. They develop Quincke's edema, hives or other manifestations of allergies, which is why the medication should be stopped immediately. In rare cases, the drug can even cause anaphylactic shock, which requires hospitalization of the patient.
Instructions for use
Before or after meals?
The child's diet does not in any way affect the time of taking Enterofuril, since the presence of food in the intestines does not affect the therapeutic effect of the drug. This means that the medicine can be given to the child both before feeding and after eating, as it is more convenient for the baby and parents.
The only requirement for the time of application of "Enterofuril" are approximately the same intervals between doses of the drug. This means that when prescribed twice a day, about 12 hours should elapse between the first and second dose (then between the second and third, and so on).
If a triple or quadruple dose is prescribed, then the medication should be taken, respectively, at intervals of 8 or 6 hours.
How to give suspension?
Dosing liquid "Enterofuril" is recommended with a spoon attached to the bottle. If you collect it completely, you get 5 ml of the medicine. For babies in the first years of life, there is a graduation on the spoon corresponding to 2.5 ml. However, measurements from other drugs are often used for dosing, for example, plastic syringes from an antipyretic drug. You can also use a regular syringe without a needle.
Before giving the medication to the child, the suspension must be mixed by shaking the bottle. This will make the preparation homogeneous and will distribute the active substance more evenly in the liquid.
The scheme of treatment with "Enterofuril" in suspension for patients of different ages will be as follows:
- if the medicine is prescribed to an infant of 1-6 months, the drug is given in 2.5 milliliters. At this age, the suspension should be taken either every 12 hours (twice a day), or at intervals of 8 hours (three times a day);
- babies over 7 months old, but under three years old, "Enterofuril" should be given three times a day with an interval between doses of 8 hours. A single dose for such children is also 2.5 milliliters;
- for children over 3 years old, the dosage of the suspension at one time is increased to 5 milliliters. At the same time, children 3-6 years old are given sweet "Enterofuril" only three times - every 8 hours. If the child is over six years old, he can take the medication both 3 and 4 times (every 6-8 hours).
How to take capsules?
"Enterofuril" in solid form is swallowed with water, unheated compote or juice. You should not bite through the capsule, remove the shell and give the child only powder.
A single dosage for a child over 3 years old is 200 mg, that is, small patients, regardless of age (both at 3 years old and at 8-10 years old or older), should be given at one time or two capsules containing 100 mg of nifuroxazide at once in each, or one capsule with a dosage of 200 mg.
The difference is only in the daily dosage and the frequency of taking the medication. If the child is less than 7 years old, then he can be given no more than 600 mg of the active ingredient per day, which corresponds to three times the intake of Enterofuril. Patients who are already seven years old receive the medication four times a day, since the effective daily dose of the drug for them is 800 mg.
How long to give to children?
The duration of taking the suspension or capsules is determined for each patient separately, taking into account the clinical symptoms and response to treatment. On average, the course of treatment with Enterofuril lasts 5-7 days. If there is no more loose stools in the last 12 hours, you can stop taking the medicine.
In this case, the child should not be given the medicine for more than seven days. If unpleasant symptoms still persist a week after the start of therapy, a doctor's consultation is imperative. A specialist examination is also required in a situation where 3 days have passed since the beginning of the appointment, and no improvement has been noted.
It is also important to show the baby to the doctor when the condition worsens, for example, if blood impurities appear in the stool, the child complains of severe abdominal pain or his temperature has risen.
Overdose
There is no data on cases of overdose with Enterofuril, because the active substance is not absorbed and does not have a harmful effect on the internal organs of a person. If the child accidentally drinks more suspension than it should be for age, or takes too many capsules, you need to monitor his condition and, if it worsens, consult a doctor. In most cases, in case of an overdose, it is sufficient to induce vomiting.
Interaction with other drugs
"Enterofuril" is well combined with rehydration agents and is often prescribed together with diarrhea to prevent significant losses of water and electrolytes. It can also be used together with drugs for dysbiosis, for example, together with Linex. However, you should not combine the reception of "Enterofuril" and drugs that have the ability to depress the nervous system, so as not to provoke the appearance of side effects.
If the child is already taking any medications, then the compatibility with Enterofuril should be checked with the doctor before starting therapy. When used simultaneously with sorbents, it must be remembered that any enterosorbent affects the action of other drugs, therefore, a pause of at least 1-2 hours should be made between such drugs.
Terms of sale
You can buy any of the forms of "Enterofuril" in a pharmacy without any difficulties, since it is an over-the-counter drug. The cost of one bottle of suspension in different pharmacies ranges from 340 to 400 rubles. For 30 capsules of 100 mg of nifuroxazide, you need to pay about 270-300 rubles, and the price of 16 capsules with a higher dosage is about 320-350 rubles.
Storage conditions
"Enterofuril" in capsules is valid for 5 years from the date of manufacture, which can be seen on the box and on the blisters. Until the date indicated on the package has passed, such a medicine should be stored in a dry place where the temperature will not rise above +30 degrees. In addition, the drug should be kept out of reach of small children.
As for the suspension, it does not need to be kept in the refrigerator. The manufacturer's recommended temperature range for storing such "Enterofuril" is from +15 to +30 degrees. If the bottle is sealed, then the shelf life of the medicine is 3 years. Once the drug has been opened, it is permissible to use it for no longer than 14 days. If 2 weeks have passed since opening, the medication must be discarded, even if the entire suspension from the bottle has not been used.
Reviews
Most of the reviews about Enterofuril call such a remedy effective and safe, since the drug is not absorbed into the bloodstream and can even be used in infants. According to parents and doctors, this medication is very effective, because it affects most of the bacteria that provoke intestinal infections.
The advantage of drugs is the fact that resistance to it rarely develops. Another advantage of "Enterofuril" is the absence of the inhibitory effect of this drug on the normal intestinal flora, that is, such a medication, unlike antibiotics, does not provoke dysbiosis.
"Enterofuril" in suspension is praised for its pleasant taste, but its short shelf life after opening is called its main drawback.Also, sometimes there are complaints about the high cost of the medicine, because of which a cheaper analogue is being looked for.
As for the capsules, the advantages of this form of Enterofuril are the convenience of dosing and a long shelf life. Judging by the reviews, the medication is generally well tolerated, and allergies to it are quite rare.
Analogs
If it is necessary to replace Enterofuril with another drug (for example, if parents are interested in a cheaper drug or Enterofuril is temporarily absent in the pharmacy), analogs can be used, the basis of which is also nifuroxazide. These drugs include:
- Ersefuril - French medicine manufactured by Sanofi, presented only in capsules with a dosage of 200 mg;
- "Stopdiar" - Polish preparation in the form of a suspension with a banana flavor (dosage in 5 ml - 220 mg), coated tablets with a dosage of 100 mg, as well as capsules containing 200 mg of nifuroxazide;
- "Nifuroxahid-Richter" - medicine of the Hungarian company "Gedeon Richter", produced in the form of a banana suspension containing 220 mg of active substance in 5 ml, as well as in coated tablets of 100 mg of nifuroxazide each;
- Ekofuril - Russian drug in the form of a suspension with a dosage of 200 mg / 5 ml and in capsules containing 100 mg or 200 mg of the active ingredient in each;
- Mirofuril»- suspension with banana flavor (dosage in 5 ml - 200 mg) and capsules of 100 and 200 mg of nifuroxazide, produced by the Obninsk chemical-pharmaceutical company;
- "Adisord" - domestic medicine, presented only in capsules in two dosages (100 mg and 200 mg).
It is not recommended to give a child instead of Enterofuril other drugs with antidiarrheal action (Imodium, Enterol, Loperamide, etc.) without a doctor's prescription. Their mechanism of influence on the digestive system and harmful microbes is different, therefore, a specialist should prescribe such drugs.
In most cases, with a mild form of diarrhea, it is enough for the child to drink more and change the diet to help the body get rid of pathogenic bacteria on its own. Children with diarrhea can also safely be given enterosorbents, pre- and probiotics (Linex, Enterosgel, Baktisubtil, Smecta, etc.), but even the use of such drugs is better first discussed with a doctor, especially if loose stools identified in babies under three years old.
It is undesirable to give the child Enterofuril alone or replace it with another medication based on nifuroxazide without consulting a doctor. It should be understood that diarrhea can be triggered by stress, malnutrition, viral infection and other factors when antimicrobial drugs are not indicated. Therefore, before using intestinal antiseptics in childhood, it is important to first show the little patient to the doctor.
What is an intestinal infection? How to prevent it? How to treat? How dangerous is dehydration? There are many questions, and Dr. Komarovsky knows the answer to everything.
