Androkur
Androkur: instructions for use and reviews
- 1. Release form and composition
- 2. Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics
- 3. Indications for use
- 4. Contraindications
- 5. Method of application and dosage
- 6. Side effects
- 7. Overdose
- 8. Special instructions
- 9. Pregnancy and lactation
- 10. Analogs
- 11. Terms and conditions of storage
- 12. Terms of dispensing from pharmacies
- 13. Reviews
- 14. Price in pharmacies
Latin name: Androcur
ATX code: G03HA01
Active ingredient: Cyproterone (Cyproterone)
Producer: Bayer Weimer GmbH & Co, KG (Germany), Schering AG, Delpharm Lille SaS (France)
Description and photo update: 2019-16-09
Prices in pharmacies: from 951 rubles.
Buy
Androkur is an antiandrogenic drug with a contraceptive effect.
Release form and composition
Release form Androkur - tablets: round, from white to light yellow, 10, 50 and 100 mg each.
The active ingredient is cyproterone, in one tablet - 10, 50 or 100 mg.
Auxiliary components: lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, corn starch, colloidal micronized silicon dioxide, povidone 25,000.
Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics
Androkur is a hormonal antiandrogenic drug. Competitive displacement of androgens contained in target organs leads to the elimination of symptoms that accompany androgen-dependent conditions, in particular, hypersecretion of the sebaceous glands in acne and seborrhea, baldness (androgenic alopecia), excessive hair growth on the body and / or face with hirsutism.
The active component of the drug - cyproterone - has an antigonadotropic effect, which causes a decrease in the content of androgens and causes an additional therapeutic effect. The changes caused by treatment with Androkur are reversible; after the drug is discontinued, recovery occurs. The combination of the drug with Diane-35 leads to inhibition of ovarian function.
After oral administration of Androkur tablets, cyproterone is almost completely absorbed. Its absolute bioavailability is approximately 88%. The maximum plasma concentration of the substance is 75 ng / ml and is reached after approximately 1.5 hours. The half-life is 0.8 hours for the first phase and 2.3 days for the second phase. With a total clearance from plasma, this figure is 3.6 ml / min per 1 kg. Cyproterone is metabolized by conjugation and hydroxylation. The main metabolite of this substance in the bloodstream is 15β-hydroxy derivative. Further biotransformation is carried out in the liver, and metabolites are excreted together with bile and through the kidneys (in a ratio of 3: 7). In unchanged form, cyproterone is excreted only in the bile.
With daily intake of the drug, a long half-life causes the accumulation and increase in the concentration of cyproterone in plasma several times.
Indications for use
Androkur at a dosage of 10 mg is prescribed for women with androgenic alopecia and moderate hirsutism, as well as with seborrhea and acne of moderate and severe severity.
Androkur at a dosage of 50 mg is prescribed for men with inoperable prostate cancer and hypersexuality.
Androkur in a dosage of 100 mg is used to treat men with inoperable or metastatic prostate cancer without and after orchiectomy.
Contraindications
- Jaundice;
- Liver disease;
- Cachexia (except for the one that occurs with prostate cancer);
- Chronic depression;
- Thrombosis;
- Thromboembolism;
- Severe diabetes mellitus;
- Sickle cell anemia;
- Pregnancy and lactation.
According to the instructions, Androkur cannot be prescribed to adolescents before puberty, since testosterone can negatively affect the undeveloped endocrine system.
Instructions for the use of Androkur: method and dosage
For men, the drug is prescribed for treatment in a dosage of 50 and 100 mg.
In case of pathological sex drive, a dosage of 50 mg 2 times a day is prescribed, if necessary, the dose can be increased to 100 mg 2 times a day. After achieving a therapeutic effect, it is maintained with a minimum dose of 25 mg, which is taken 2 times a day.
For inoperable prostate cancer, Androkur tablets are taken 100 mg 2-3 times a day (if orchiectomy was not performed) or 100 mg 1-2 times a day (after orchiectomy).
For the treatment of women, tablets are used at a dosage of 10 mg. In case of unwanted hair growth, hair loss, seborrhea and acne caused by androgens, Androkur tablets (10 mg) are combined with the contraceptive Diane-35. Such a therapeutic regimen provides an additional opportunity to avoid intermenstrual bleeding and provide reliable contraception. The drugs are taken on the first day of the cycle and they are drunk simultaneously for 15 days. In the remaining 6 days, only Diane-35 tablets are taken, after which they take a seven-day break and return to the indicated scheme.
Side effects
Men at the beginning of therapy may experience abdominal pain, fatigue, nausea, apathy, anxiety, dry skin, decreased concentration.
When using Androkur tablets for several weeks, reduced spermatogenesis is often observed, and sexual desire worsens. These side effects are reversible and disappear after discontinuation or dose reduction.
In some cases, gynecomastia may develop, accompanied by soreness of the nipples. Sometimes there is an allergy, weight change, osteoporosis develops.
The use of Androkur in high doses can cause dysfunction of the adrenal cortex, liver, a feeling of lack of oxygen.
The drug can provoke a decrease in libido in women, weight changes, chest tension and soreness, mood changes, depression, anxiety, allergies, and impaired concentration.
Overdose
Clinical studies have confirmed that cyproterone as an active component of Androkur belongs to practically non-toxic substances, therefore, the risk of acute intoxication as a result of a single dose of high doses of the drug is unlikely.
special instructions
In patients with a pathologically increased sex drive, the simultaneous use of the drug with alcohol can significantly reduce the effect of Androkur.
During the period of drug treatment, it is necessary to control the picture of peripheral blood and liver function.
During therapy, activities requiring a high concentration of attention should be avoided, since the agent can affect psychomotor reactions, cause drowsiness and increased fatigue.
Pregnancy and lactation
The appointment of cyproterone during this period is contraindicated, since high doses of the drug during the period of hormone-sensitive differentiation of the genital organs can provoke the manifestation of symptoms of feminization in male fetuses. However, at the stage of organogenesis before the stage of development of the external genital organs, teratogenic effects were not recorded.
Analogs
The most common analogues of the drug are Androkur Depot oil solution for intramuscular injections and Cyproterone-Teva tablets.
Terms and conditions of storage
Keep out of the reach of children at a temperature not exceeding 25 ° C.
The shelf life is 5 years.
Terms of dispensing from pharmacies
Dispensed by prescription.
Reviews about Androkur
At the moment, both positive and negative reviews about Androkur are known. Most of the patients who took it, claim that the drug, although expensive, is very effective. However, many are concerned about the likelihood of pregnancy after treatment and the need to combine this drug with Diane-35. Some women complain of nausea and decreased libido, as well as other side effects during treatment.
Reviews on the use of the drug in men are much less common. This is due to the fact that it is more often prescribed to female patients to eliminate the symptoms of masculinization. Male patients rarely use Androkur for the treatment of increased libido, and opinions on its effectiveness in the treatment of cancer and carcinoma in this category of patients are practically not registered.
The price of Androkur in pharmacies
The price of Androkur 10 mg (for a pack of 15 tablets) in pharmacies is approximately 1400-1600 rubles. You can buy Androkur 50 mg for an average of 3900 rubles (50 pcs per pack), and Androkur 100 mg - for 5900–6400 rubles (60 pcs per pack).
Androkur: prices in online pharmacies
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Drug name Price Pharmacy |
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Androkur 50 mg tablets 20 pcs. RUB 951 Buy |
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Androkur 10 mg tablets 15 pcs. 1299 RUB Buy |
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Androkur tab. 10mg n15 1433 RUB Buy |
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Androkur 100 mg tablets 60 pcs. RUB 6750 Buy |
Anna Kozlova Medical journalist About the author
Education: Rostov State Medical University, specialty "General Medicine".
Information about the drug is generalized, provided for informational purposes only and does not replace the official instructions. Self-medication is hazardous to health!
