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Ursosan belongs to the group of new generation hepatoprotectors. Its main effect is aimed at protecting liver cells from negative effects that can reduce AST and ALT. This effect of the drug is ensured by stabilizing cell membranes and the functioning of hepatocytes.

In addition, it has an immunomodulating, choleretic and hypolipidemic effect. In this article we will tell you what Ursosan helps with, how to take it, and to whom it is contraindicated.

Ursosan simultaneously has several medicinal properties:

control of liver activity;
stone lysis;
preventing the formation of stone structures;
improvement of bile outflow.

The drug is prescribed for bile stagnation, hepatitis, cholelithiasis, cirrhosis, cholangitis, gastritis and pathologies of the digestive system. With these pathologies, the first sign is considered to be bitterness in the mouth. This remedy can quickly relieve this unpleasant symptom.

Action

This medicinal product resembles capsules with a white gelatin shell in appearance. Inside it there is a powder of the same color, which has a homogeneous structure, but sometimes large particles can be found in it. The drug is sold in packs with varying numbers of capsules.

Ursodeoxycholic acid was chosen as the main active ingredient. Ursosan's components also include magnesium, gelatin, corn starch and silicon. The main therapeutic effect of the drug comes from the acid.

It has the following properties:

Ursodeoxycholic acid is classified as a polar component, therefore it is able to attract non-polar ones (bile acid or cholesterol), i.e. the drug collects excess acid, eliminates its toxic effects and forms micelles. This allows a beneficial effect on the metabolic process of bile, which enters the intestines, is absorbed by the bloodstream and returns to the liver.

Ursosan reduces the amount of harmful components absorbed by the stomach, increases the secretion of bile and eliminates the bitter sensation in the mouth. As a result, bile passage is normalized, toxic effects and acid stagnation are eliminated, and AST and ALT are reduced.

As a result of the interaction of bile with phospholipids of the cell membrane, molecules with a complex composition are formed, which are the basis of the cell wall. This protects cells from the adverse effects of radicals.

With regular use of Ursosan, the following changes occur:

cholesterol production decreases;
the dissolution of cholesterol in the blood improves, resulting in a reduced risk of developing stones;
the immune system is stimulated.

The drug is also used to stop development, slow down aging, prevent varicose veins of the esophagus and maintain liver activity. For preventive purposes, the drug is prescribed to reduce the likelihood of colon cancer.

When is the drug used?

Quite often, Ursosan is prescribed to prevent the development of toxic liver disorders under hazardous working conditions (industrial production) and taking medications that negatively affect the entire body.

The medicine is also prescribed for the following indications:

Method of use

The drug is taken orally, i.e. washed down with water without chewing. It is recommended to reschedule the drug intake in the evening. The course of therapy and dose are prescribed by the doctor depending on the disease and its stage. The dosage is calculated as follows - 10 mg of medication per 1 kg of patient weight.

Attention! A detailed description of how to take Ursosan is indicated in its annotation.

Administration and dosage vary depending on the type of pathology:

For cholelithiasis, up to 5 capsules are used daily, and they are drunk in one go. How long the treatment will last is determined by the rate of resorption of stone structures and the positive dynamics of therapy. The drug is used until all deposits are eliminated and then for another three months.
After cholecystectomy, a course of this hepatoprotective agent is prescribed. Therapy is carried out from 3 months to 1 year. Depending on the patient's condition, the dosage is prescribed.
For diffuse hepatic pathology, the dose of the drug is 10-15 mg per kg. The amount of medication prescribed for the day is taken 2-3 times. The product is drunk with food. The course of treatment in some cases lasts for years.
For gastritis that appears as a result of reverse bile reflux, take one capsule of Ursosan in the evening. Therapy lasts from 1.5 weeks to a couple of years, depending on its dynamics. The same dose is prescribed to get rid of bitterness in the mouth.
After removal of the gallbladder, the drug is prescribed 1 capsule twice a day. The maximum course of treatment is 4 months.
If there are underdeveloped bile ducts or the liver is toxically affected by alcohol or medications, then a dosage of 10-15 mg of medication per kg of weight is prescribed, and this volume is divided into 2 times. Therapy lasts from 6 to 12 months.
For cirrhosis, 15-20 mg per kg is taken to calculate the dosage (the resulting amount is divided into 2-3 doses).
For the sclerosing form of cholangitis, the dose is 12-15 mg per kg.
With an increase in ALT and AST, as well as with the alcoholic form of hepatitis, Ursosan is taken 2-3 times a day. The dosage is calculated as follows - 13-15 mg per kg.
For cystic fibrosis, the drug is prescribed at a rate of 20-30 mg per kg.
For the resorption of stones, this remedy is prescribed only when the diameter of the formed structures is no more than 20 mm. For treatment durations of more than 1 month, ALT and AST are monitored monthly, and ultrasound is performed every six months.

Contraindications and complications

Today, cases of overdose with Ursosan are unknown. However, a decrease in the effectiveness of the drug was noted when taken simultaneously with Almagel. Hormonal agents, especially estrogens, can also reduce its activity.

Advice! Ursosan is taken at the request of the patient before or after meals, but doctors recommend it during it.

In most cases, there are no complications when treated with this drug.

But sometimes the following side effects may occur:

All medicines, including Ursosan, have contraindications, which are divided into absolute and relative. The absolute type includes pathologies in which the remedy should not be taken categorically. For example, with bile stone deposits, which contain a lot of calcium. They can be identified using x-rays.

Also, this choleretic drug is strictly prohibited:

Relative contraindications include age up to 3-4 years, but only because it is difficult for small children to swallow the capsule due to its very large size. Therefore, the drug can be used in small patients if they have no difficulty swallowing the capsule. In this case, the dosage is calculated as follows - 10-20 mg per 1 kg of weight.

Occasionally, it is used even for newborns in the fight against toxic hepatitis or hemolytic jaundice, but only if the benefits of it outweigh the possible harm.

Newborn babies are prescribed no more than ¼ capsule per day. The capsule is opened, and the powder poured out of it is divided into 4 equal parts. The drug dissolves in breast milk or other liquid. The duration of treatment is from 2.5 to 4 weeks.

The same applies to the pregnancy period. Ursosan can be used by women in the 2nd or 3rd trimester as prescribed by a doctor. In this case, the medication can be prescribed for an increase in ALT and AST, chronic pathology, or compression of the bladder by the growing uterus.

Drug interactions

antacids with ion exchange resins and aluminum, because they impair the absorption of the drug;
estrogens, clofibrate, neomycin and progestin due to increased cholesterol levels.

What to replace

Sometimes Ursosan may not be suitable for the patient due to certain characteristics. Then analogues are assigned instead:

Conclusion

Ursosan is considered an effective remedy for the treatment of pathologies and disorders of the liver, gall bladder and biliary tract. Most patients and specialists speak positively about it. But it should be used only as prescribed by a doctor, and strictly following the dosage.

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Are you familiar with the drug Ursosan? Side effects of this medication, indications for its use and instructions for use will be presented in this article. You will also learn about the form in which such a medicine goes on sale, what is included in its composition, whether it has analogues and contraindications.

Form of the medical product and its composition

If you have been prescribed Ursosan treatment, then you should know in what form it can be purchased. Currently, this drug is sold in stores only in the form of gelatin hard capsules. They are opaque and white in color.

Now you know in what form the drug Ursosan is produced. Side effects of this drug are related to its composition. One capsule of this product contains ursodeoxycholic acid in a volume of 250 mg. The preparation also includes auxiliary elements in the form of corn starch, titanium dioxide, colloidal silicon dioxide and gelatin.

The medication is delivered to the pharmacy in a cardboard box that may contain 10, 50 or 100 capsules.

Pharmacological properties of the medicine

What is the drug "Ursosan", the side effects of which will be described a little further? It is a hepatoprotector that has cholelitholytic, choleretic, hypocholesterolemic, hypolipidemic and immunomodulatory effects.

The medicine has high polar properties. The active element (ursodeoxycholic acid) forms apolar (toxic) micelles with mixed non-toxic micelles. As a result, the ability of gastric reflux to damage cell membranes is reduced in pathologies such as reflux esophagitis and reflux gastritis (biliary).

It should also be said that the active substance is capable of forming double molecules that are part of cholangiocytes, cell membranes of hepatocytes, epithelial cells of the digestive tract, stabilizing them and making them immune to the effects of cytotoxic micelles.

The principle of action of the medication

How does the drug “Ursosan” (its analogues) affect the body? This medication reduces the concentration of bile acids, which are toxic to hepatocytes, and stimulates bicarbonate-rich choleresis. It should be especially noted that the active element of the drug effectively helps in the treatment of intrahepatic cholestasis. It reduces the saturation of bile with cholesterol. This occurs due to inhibition of absorption of the substance in the intestine, suppression of synthesis in the liver, as well as a secretory decrease in bile.

The drug increases the solubility of cholesterol in bile. At the same time, it forms with it and also reduces the lithogenic index of bile.

The result of treatment with this medication is the complete dissolution of gallstones (cholesterol). The drug also prevents the formation of new stones.

The immunomodulatory effect of Ursosan is due to inhibition of the expression of class 2 HLA antigens on cholangiocytes and class 1 HLA on hepatocyte membranes. In addition, the drug normalizes the natural killer activity of lymphocytes.

Experts have proven that the drug delays the development of fibrosis in patients with cystic fibrosis, biliary cirrhosis (primary) and alcoholic steatohepatitis. It also reduces the risk of esophageal varicose veins.

The active substance of the drug we are considering slows down the processes of premature death and aging of cells (cholangiocytes and hepatocytes).

Pharmacokinetics of the drug

Due to passive diffusion (about 90%), ursodeoxycholic acid is absorbed from the small intestine. In the ileum, absorption occurs through active transport. The concentration of the active element when taken orally at a dosage of 50 mg after half an hour, 60 minutes and an hour and a half is respectively: 3.8 mmol per liter, 5.5 mmol per liter and 3.7 mmol per liter. The maximum concentration of the drug is reached after about 1-3 hours.

The plasma protein binding of this drug is quite high (about 97-99%). The active substance is able to penetrate the placenta. With regular use of the drug, the active element becomes the main bile acid in the blood.

The drug is metabolized in the liver. About 55-70% of the drug is excreted along with bile. A small amount of unabsorbed acid enters the large intestine, where it is broken down.

The drug "Ursosan": indications for use

The medication we are considering is prescribed if the patient is affected by the following pathologies:

uncomplicated cholelithiasis (for biliary sludge, to dissolve bile cholesterol stones in the gallbladder, if they cannot be removed endoscopically or surgically, as a prevention of recurrent stone formation after cholecystectomy);
active;
toxic, including medicinal, liver damage;
non-alcoholic steatohepatitis;
alcoholic liver diseases;
primary sclerosing cholangitis;
acute hepatitis;
primary cirrhosis of the liver (biliary);
cystic fibrosis (or so-called cystic fibrosis) of the liver;
dyskinesia and other diseases of the biliary tract;
atresia of the biliary intrahepatic ducts, including congenital atresia of the bile ducts;
dyspeptic biliary syndrome (with dyskinesia and cholecystopathy);
biliary reflux esophagitis and reflux gastritis;
prevention of liver diseases that develop after the use of cytostatics and hormonal contraceptives.

Contraindications to the use of the medication

Now you know what Ursosan is intended for (indications for use have been described above). As for contraindications, they include the following factors:

disorders of the gallbladder;
X-ray-positive gallstones (with a high content of calcium);
gastric, biliary or intestinal fistula;
acute cholangitis;
acute cholecystitis;
hypersensitivity to the elements of the drug;
cirrhosis of the liver in the stage of decompensation;
renal failure;
infectious diseases (usually acute) of the bile ducts and gallbladder;
liver failure;
obturation of the bile ducts;

Cautious drug use

In what cases should Ursosan be used with caution? Indications for the use of this remedy state that children from 2 to 4 years old are allowed to take medication only under the supervision of adults. This is due to the fact that there is a possibility of difficulty swallowing the capsules. In general, the active element of the drug has no age restrictions in use.

Medicine "Ursosan": application

We will describe reviews of this drug at the very end of the article. Now we will tell you how it should be taken.

The drug capsules must be swallowed whole with plain water.

How to take Ursosan for certain deviations? The instructions for its use contain the following information in this regard:

For cholelithiasis and diffuse liver pathologies, the medicine is prescribed for a long time (continuously) in a daily dosage of 2-5 capsules (depending on body weight). For diffuse deviations, the daily volume of the drug should be divided into 3 doses. When to take Ursosan capsules: before meals or after? The medicine must be used while consuming food.
For cholelithiasis, the daily dosage is taken once before bedtime. The duration of therapy (to dissolve stones) is 3 months, and then several more weeks to prevent relapses.
For deviations such as reflux esophagitis and biliary reflux gastritis, the medication is prescribed one capsule at night. The course of treatment can be either 15 days or 7 months (if necessary, 2 years).
After cholecystectomy, the recommended dosage is 250 mg twice daily for several months.
For drug-induced and toxic liver damage, as well as biliary atresia and alcoholic illness, the drug is prescribed at the rate of 10-15 mg per 1 kg of body weight, taken in 3 divided doses. Duration of therapy is 6-12 months or longer.
For biliary cirrhosis (primary), the medication is taken at the rate of 10-15 mg per 1 kg of patient weight per day (but not more than 20 mg per kg) in 3 divided doses. The duration of treatment ranges from 6 months to several years.
For (primary) treatment, the drug is taken in a dosage of 12-15 mg per 1 kg of body weight per day (up to 20 mg per kg) in 3 divided doses. The duration of treatment is from 6 months to several years.
For non-alcoholic steatohepatitis - 13-15 mg per 1 kg of body weight per day (in 3 divided doses). The duration of therapy is from 6 months to several years.
For cystic fibrosis, the dosage is prescribed at the rate of 20-30 mg per 1 kg of weight (3 doses per day). The duration of treatment is from 6 months to several years.
For children over 2 years old, the amount of medication consumed is determined individually (but not more than 10-20 mg per 1 kg of body weight per day).

Side effects

Can the drug Ursosan have a negative effect on the body? This medication does have side effects. Let's look at them in more detail.

Digestive tract: vomiting, diarrhea, calcification of gallstones, nausea, constipation, increased activity of liver transaminases.
Other: exacerbation of psoriasis, back pain, allergies, alopecia.

Lactation and pregnancy

Is it possible to use the drug "Ursosan" during pregnancy? The use (reviews of the medication will be presented below) of ursodeoxycholic acid during pregnancy is permitted only if the expected benefit for the expectant mother significantly outweighs the risk to the fetus.

There is no information on the excretion of the active substance of the drug in breast milk.

Instructions for using the medicine

The drug "Ursosan" (including drug analogues) should be used only for the purpose of dissolving gallstones (cholesterol), the size of which does not exceed 15-20 mm.

When taking the drug for a long time (longer than one month), a blood test (biochemical) must be performed every five weeks.

How long after the stones dissolve should you take Ursosan? Reviews from patients and doctors say that after cure it must be used for about three more months.

The cost of the medicine and its analogues

Many people are interested in how much the drug Ursosan costs? Cheaper analogues will be presented below; as for the mentioned product, it can hardly be called budget. In pharmacies you will have to pay about 200 rubles for 10 capsules. Considering the duration of therapy with this medication (several months or even years), we can conclude that treatment is expensive for patients.

What can replace the medicine "Ursosan"? There are cheaper analogues in every pharmacy. But before purchasing them, it is recommended to consult a doctor.

Among the analogues of the drug we are considering, we would like to highlight the following products: “Livodexa”, “Ursodeoxycholic acid”, “Urdoxa” (50 tablets - 600 rubles), “Ursodez” (50 tablets - 500 rubles), “Ursoliv” (50 tablets - 500 rubles ). Other analogues are more expensive: Ursofalk, Ursolit, Ursorom Rompharm, Choludexan, Ursodex, Exhol, etc.

Ursosan is a hepatoprotector that protects the cellular structures of the liver from the action of undesirable factors, reducing the level of ALT and AST. Such protection is achieved by stabilizing cell membranes, thereby improving the functioning of cells and extending the time they work before physiological death.

Ursosan has a huge number of pharmacological effects, for example, such as controlling the normal functioning of the organ, increasing the outflow of bile, lysis of stone structures, as well as preventing the formation of new stones.

Indications for its use are varied: Ursosan resists stagnation of bile, is widely used for the treatment of cholelithiasis, all types of hepatitis, cirrhosis or other degeneration of tissue structures of the liver, cholangitis, impaired movement of bile along the ducts, gastritis associated with bile reflux, as well as digestive pathologies, is used with elevated levels of ALT and AST and for the prevention of these diseases The first symptom after such disorders is bitterness in the mouth, which Ursosan quickly neutralizes.

Structure and principle of action of the drug

A drug such as Ursosan is usually only available in the form of capsule structures, which are not tablets, although these concepts are confused. The capsule is enclosed in a gelatin shell, the color is pure white. Inside such a capsule, a powder is found - also white.

The structure of the powder is usually homogeneous, although large inclusions may be found. Sometimes such powder is compacted into cylinders.

This medicinal product is packaged in packs of up to 100 capsules.

The main component is ursodeoxycholic acid, contained in a fraction of 250 milligrams. Additional components in Ursosan are: corn starch; magnesium; silicon; gelatin.

All effects after taking this drug are associated precisely with the action of the acid that is part of it.

This chemical has many effects:

Ursodeoxycholic acid is a polar substance, which means that it can bind to itself non-polar substances, such as cholesterol or bile acids. It turns out that Ursosan collects excess acids from bile. Afterwards, micelles are formed from them, and the toxic effect is eliminated.

Inside them are bile acids, which are surrounded by ursordeoxycholic acid. This structure of the micelles allows isolating harmful substances and affects the exchange of bile acids, which, after entering the intestine, are almost completely absorbed back into the bloodstream and sent to the liver.

Ursosan significantly reduces this absorption in the intestines and, as a result, increases the production of bile, and also suppresses such a symptom as bitterness in the mouth. Thus, the passage of bile is enhanced, the toxic effect is suppressed, stagnation of bile is eliminated, after which the level of ALT and AST decreases.

Stabilization of cell membranes is achieved by the interaction of acids with phospholipid structures of membranes; molecules of complex composition are formed, which are included in the composition of the cell wall and stabilize it. Cells are protected from the effects of various radicals.

Ursosan reduces the production of cholesterol, and as a result, its concentration in the bloodstream decreases.

Cholesterol begins to dissolve better in bile, which also prevents the formation of stones, and after that the existing stones dissolve.

Ursosan is able to stimulate the immune system due to the following reactions:

In the cells of the liver and bile ducts, the number of antigen compatibility cells decreases.
The level of interleukins is normalized.
The activity of T-lymphocytes is normalized.
The number of eosinophils returns to normal.

This drug is able to delay the development of fibrosis, is a means of preventing the expansion of varicose veins of the esophagus, slows down aging, and resists a decrease in liver function. When taken prophylactically, it helps reduce the risk of developing colon cancer. The bitterness in the mouth disappears from the first days of use after starting to take the medicine.

Indications for continuous use and dosage

Ursosan capsules are used in a huge number of cases, including to prevent toxic liver diseases while working in hazardous industrial conditions or when using medications that can have a negative effect on the liver.

The main indications for the use of such capsules are given below.

Ursosan capsules are always taken orally, without chewing, and then washed down with a large volume of water. It is best to take it in the evening. The dose and duration of use depend on the severity of the condition. The dosage is calculated from the ratio of 10 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. For different diseases, the application regimen is different.

You need to take the drug correctly:

To dissolve bladder stones, it makes sense to take Ursosan if the stone is no more than 20 millimeters in diameter. It is also necessary that the bladder functions well and the ducts are passable. If the drug is taken for longer than 1 month, ALT and AST levels need to be monitored. In this case, the activity of ALT and AST is determined once a month. In addition to biochemistry, it is necessary to do ultrasound monitoring every 6 months.

Side effects, contraindications and application features

There were no cases of overdose with this hepatoprotector. If the drug is used simultaneously with Almagel, its effectiveness is reduced.

Ursosan is a hepatoprotector with choleretic and cholelitholytic properties. This drug is presented in the form of hard gelatin capsules, inside of which there is a white powder. Its main active ingredient is ursodeoxycholic acid, and auxiliary ingredients are magnesium stearate, corn starch, gelatin, titanium dioxide and colloidal silicon dioxide. The pharmacological effect of this drug is to increase the protective functions of the liver, restore the activity of its enzymes, for which Ursosan is prescribed for the treatment of hepatitis and other liver diseases.

The main task of this medication is to protect the organ from toxic effects. The desired result is achieved by providing hypocholesterolemic, hypolipidemic, choleretic and immunomodulatory effects on the liver. The main active component of this drug, ursodeoxycholic acid, has high polar properties. It attaches to the hepatocyte membrane, thereby forming mixed non-toxic micelles. As a result, the cell structure is stabilized and its protective properties are strengthened. Moreover, Ursosan stimulates the excretion of toxic bile acid compounds through the intestines, promotes the painless destruction of cholesterol stones and prevents their new formation, and also reduces the formation of cholesterol and its absorption.

What are Ursosan tablets prescribed for?

This medicine is recommended for use in case of gallstone disease.
It is prescribed for chronic hepatitis of various origins.
Ursosan should be taken for cholestatic liver diseases of various origins, including primary biliary cirrhosis, cystic fibrosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis.
This medicine is effective for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Ursosan is prescribed for viral chronic hepatitis, as well as for alcoholic liver disease.
Medical experts advise paying attention to this medication for biliary dyskinesia, reflux esophagitis and biliary reflux gastritis.

In order to avoid the occurrence of various adverse reactions and other unpleasant consequences, before you start taking this medicine, make sure that you do not have such contraindications as:

hypersensitivity to the components of the drug;
X-ray positive gallstones;
severe dysfunction of the liver, kidneys and pancreas;
non-functioning gallbladder;
cirrhosis of the liver in the stage of decompensation;
acute infectious and inflammatory diseases of the biliary tract;
pregnancy.

Rules for taking and dosage

This medication should be taken orally with plenty of water. Its dosage will be individual in each case, since it depends on the patient’s age, his disease and other characteristics of his body. And, therefore, it can only be installed by a doctor.

To dissolve cholesterol gallstones, the recommended average daily dosage of the drug is 10 – 15 mg. per kilogram of the patient's weight. The course of treatment ranges from 6 to 12 months. To prevent the recurrence of these stones, you should take the drug for several months after the end of the main treatment.
For chronic hepatitis of various origins, as well as for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and chronic viral hepatitis, 10–15 mg should be taken. per kilogram of the patient’s body weight in 2–3 doses. The duration of treatment is usually 6 – 15 months.
For cholestatic liver diseases of various origins, the average daily dose is 12–15 mg. per kilogram of patient weight. If necessary, it can be increased to 20 – 30 mg. The duration of treatment therapy is determined by the physician. As a rule, it varies from 6 to 24 months.

Remember that this medicine is a serious medication that is prescribed exclusively by a medical specialist; Ursosan should not be taken on its own under any circumstances. Only a doctor can, based on the examination and tests performed, establish a diagnosis and prescribe the most productive, effective treatment.