Candles with the extract of crassavka in pregnancy: how to use and where to insert them

The period of bearing a new life in the womb is always very exciting for a pregnant woman, who thinks about her future baby every minute, taking certain actions. It is not surprising that any doctor's prescriptions are either accepted or rejected by her from the point of view of possible harm to the unborn baby. For example, belladonna suppositories during pregnancy are prescribed by doctors quite often, despite the fact that the indications for the use of the drug do not indicate its benefits during this period. But the instructions are supplemented with a clause stating that the use of the drug during pregnancy is contraindicated.

So who is right: the annotation to the drug or the doctors who prescribe belladonna suppositories during pregnancy before childbirth? And how can rectal suppositories for hemorrhoids help pregnant women on the eve of the most important event in their lives?

Indications of rubefacient suppositories in pregnancy

There is still very little time left, and the expectant mother will meet her long-awaited baby, to whom she sang songs for 9 months, told stories, with whom all her joys and dreams were connected. Doctors begin to prepare her for childbirth, which should begin on time and proceed without complications, so that the baby is born healthy and happy. And then a surprise - doctors prescribe belladonna extract to the pregnant woman right before the birth.

For those who don't know, we inform you that this drug is released in the form of suppositories, and during pregnancy, the use of suppositories is limited. But in this case, we are not talking about vaginal suppositories, but about rectal ones. And to the question of where to insert suppositories with belladonna extract during pregnancy, the answer will be unambiguous: into the rectum through the anus. Such insertion of suppositories is unlikely to harm an already formed and ready for independent life child, and it is simply stupid to be afraid of an early miscarriage on the eve of childbirth.

On the other hand, pregnant women may be confused by the very purpose of the drug. The indications for use of the drug clearly state that it is used to treat hemorrhoids and anal fissures. Therefore, pregnant women have no idea how such a drug can help them immediately before childbirth, if they do not have hemorrhoids or sores in the anal area.

And yet, doctors in the maternity hospital persistently prescribe belladonna extract for use in the last days of pregnancy. A study of the pharmacological action of this drug will help to understand the reason for such persistence.

Pharmacodynamics

Rectal suppositories with belladonna, which doctors actively recommend using during pregnancy just before childbirth, are considered a medicine of natural origin, because they are based on the extract of the roots of a plant known to many as belladonna. Perhaps someone will be horrified that a poisonous plant is used for medicinal purposes. But, for example, in homeopathy, such treatment is considered the norm. And pharmacists have long learned to extract great health benefits from potentially life-threatening plants.

The same is true for belladonna. Scientists have long ago discovered the ability of specific substances – alkaloids – to have an analgesic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effect. And the roots of belladonna contain as many as 3 types of such substances. Thanks to atropine, geasciomine and scopolamine, a noticeable cholinolytic effect is achieved.

Belladonna alkaloids block m-cholinergic receptors, due to which the conduction of nerve impulses is slowed down and smooth muscle spasms are relieved. It should be noted that with rectal use, first of all, the muscles of the large intestine are relaxed, its tone decreases, painful spasms go away. It is this property that makes belladonna widely popular in the treatment of hemorrhoids and anal fissures, which is noted in the indications for the use of the drug in the form of suppositories.

However, doctors have noticed that belladonna suppositories have a pronounced antispasmodic and analgesic effect not only on the large intestine, but also on the uterine muscles, which are in close proximity to the intestine. Everyone knows that labor is a great labor, it is joy through pain, it is the strongest painful efforts, which, by the way, can subsequently result in hemorrhoids.

It is highly undesirable to administer strong synthetic antispasmodics and analgesics when the child is still in the womb, because the goal of doctors and the expectant mother is to give birth to a healthy child. There is only one way out - to apply the drugs locally, giving preference to natural remedies, because the absorption of such drugs is relatively small to harm the mother or fetus.

But local application in the case of internal female reproductive organs means the introduction of the drug deep into the vagina, which is unacceptable during pregnancy. But the uterus is located very close to the intestines, which means that some part of the drug is likely to penetrate the intestinal walls and to it. This is how the idea of facilitating childbirth with the help of rectal suppositories with belladonna arose.

What is the expected effect of using rectal suppositories to prepare for childbirth?

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Pharmacokinetics

After inserting belladonna suppositories into the rectum, their effect can be expected within the next hour. However, many patients claim that they had to wait no more than 15-30 minutes. The spasmolytic and analgesic effect of the alkaloids lasts from 2 to 6 hours, which is quite enough if the drug is used immediately before labor. It is believed that labor with the use of this drug will be less painful, which means that the likelihood of complications due to fatigue of the mother in labor and weakening of pushing on this basis, leading to fetal hypoxia during slow passage through the birth canal, will be much less.

If labor does not occur on time or slows down due to incomplete dilation of the uterus, belladonna suppositories will replace artificial stimulation. They will help relieve increased uterine tone, its walls will become more elastic, which means the labor process will be faster and easier.

The fact that the uterine tissues will become more elastic and pliable will have another advantage. In such conditions, the probability of ruptures and associated bleeding is significantly reduced.

At the same time, the use of rectal suppositories for hemorrhoids can be an excellent preventative measure for this disease. Suppositories will help make the stool after childbirth softer and lighter, which will prevent constipation, which pregnant women and mothers often suffer from after childbirth.

The systemic effect on the body during the use of rectal suppositories is reduced to zero due to the low absorption of the drug into the blood, i.e. only a small portion of alkaloids can be detected in the blood plasma, which does not cause dangerous toxic effects.

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Dosing and administration

Having studied the official instructions for rectal suppositories with belladonna, you can see that the manufacturer does not recommend using this drug during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Doctors who actively use suppositories with belladonna in obstetrics during pregnancy and preparation for childbirth consider this restriction to be a simple precaution. Still, the period from conception to the birth of the baby is considered the most important in a woman's life, when the use of various kinds of drugs should be treated with special caution.

The absorption of topical preparations through the skin and mucous membranes is significantly lower than that of drugs administered orally, intramuscularly or intravenously. When taken orally, active substances are absorbed primarily in the stomach and small intestine. In the large intestine, absorption is quite low.

And yet, pharmacists do not rule out the possibility of a certain amount of alkaloids getting into the blood. And since these substances can get from the mother's blood into the fetus's body, there is a risk of intoxication of the unborn child.

It is clear that all these conclusions are made by drug manufacturers purely theoretically. Obstetricians claim that no negative effect on the fetus has been observed in any of the cases of many years of using belladonna suppositories to prepare for childbirth. Thus, practice does not confirm the theory.

And if we also take into account the fact that the drug is used strictly to prepare for childbirth, and therefore is used for a short period of time, then there is practically no reason to worry.

Despite the assurances of doctors about the safety of belladonna suppositories during pregnancy on the eve of childbirth, you should not get carried away with this drug, based on a very poisonous plant. Manufacturers do not recommend using rectal suppositories based on belladonna for more than a week.

Prescribing an effective and safe dosage and frequency of use of the drug in the form of suppositories is strictly the prerogative of doctors. Everything depends on the patient's health, the characteristics of the pregnancy, and the well-being of the expectant mother.

According to the instructions, rectal suppositories are used no more than 3 suppositories per day. Suppositories should be administered one at a time to avoid overdose. Frequency - 2-3 times per day.

How to use belladonna suppositories during pregnancy? As we have already found out, regardless of the indications, suppositories are always inserted deep into the rectum. But before determining their destination, it is recommended to perform a natural or artificial (using an enema or a mild laxative) bowel movement, as well as thoroughly wash your hands and the anal area with soap. After this, you need to open the blister pack, remove 1 suppository from it and insert it deep into the colon through the anus.

After administering the drug, it is recommended to remain in a horizontal position for at least half an hour so that the melted suppository does not leak out prematurely.

Contraindications

In addition to the ban on the use of the drug during pregnancy and lactation, belladonna suppositories have other contraindications for use. Probably, the small part of the active substances that still penetrates into the body can negatively affect the condition of patients with certain pathologies of the cardiovascular, endocrine, reproductive, urinary and other systems.

As for the work of the heart and blood vessels, the risk group includes people suffering from atrial fibrillation, tachycardia, chronic heart failure, cardiac ischemia, severe arterial hypertension, and vascular atherosclerosis. Another contraindication is stenosis (narrowing) of the mitral valve of the heart.

The use of the drug in men suffering from prostate adenoma is considered dangerous, especially if the outflow of urine is impaired.

Regarding the endocrine system, it can be said that rectal suppositories with belladonna are not prescribed to patients with thyrotoxicosis.

Therapy with the drug is also not carried out if, as a result of various gastrointestinal pathologies and disorders, the patient has intestinal obstruction.

It is not customary to prescribe belladonna preparations for myasthenia, glaucoma, pulmonary edema, severe bleeding, inflammatory processes in the intestines, severe liver and kidney pathologies, hypersensitivity to the components of the drug, as well as for “lazy” intestines with weakened peristalsis and elevated body temperature.

Side effects of rubefacient suppositories in pregnancy

According to the instructions for the drug "Bellaria extract" in the form of rectal suppositories, side effects from the use of the drug may extend not so much to the reproductive sphere, but to other organs and systems of the body.

For example, the digestive system may react to belladonna alkaloids with dry mouth, noticeable loss of appetite, taste disturbances, epigastric pain, nausea, and bowel disturbances. Quite often, against the background of the use of rectal suppositories, quite severe diarrhea developed, which is considered a rather dangerous symptom in the early stages of pregnancy, since it can become an involuntary cause of miscarriage. Partly for this reason, and also because of the risk of toxic effects on the developing fetus of belladonna alkaloids, rectal suppositories with belladonna are not recommended in the 1st and 2nd trimesters of pregnancy.

The nervous system may respond to the penetration of plant alkaloids into the body with convulsions, visual and accommodation disorders, pupil dilation, and increased sensitivity to light. Headaches and dizziness are also possible. In rare cases, speech disorders, nervousness, sleep disorders, and the appearance of hallucinations have been noted. But drowsiness and inhibition of reactions occur more often than other symptoms.

Patients with cardiovascular problems experienced heart rhythm disturbances, tachycardia, increased heart rate, and myocardial ischemia. In rare cases, belladonna alkaloids provoked increased intracranial pressure and glaucoma attacks.

Other symptoms include: the appearance of viscous, difficult-to-remove sputum in the bronchi, urinary retention in the body, problems with urination, facial hyperemia, hot flashes, increased sensitivity to light, and decreased sweat secretion. There have been cases of slower bile outflow due to decreased gallbladder tone.

In case of inadequate immune system response, allergic reactions may occur in the form of skin rash, redness, itching and tissue swelling. A burning sensation in the anus area is possible. The probability of anaphylactic reactions with local application of the drug is extremely low.

If we talk about the frequency of occurrence of side effects, they are more likely an accident than an indicator of a dangerous effect on the body. Complaints about unpleasant symptoms were received very rarely.

Overdose

An overdose of the drug is possible if the drug is used in doses that exceed the recommended ones. It manifests itself as an increase in the side effects of the drug. Belladonna has no specific antidote. Symptomatic treatment and the introduction of cholinomimetics are indicated.

Interactions with other drugs

Despite the local use of belladonna suppositories during pregnancy and the minor systemic effect of the drug, its use should be coordinated with the intake of other medications, since the drug interaction of various substances in some cases can have a negative result and harm the health of patients.

Thus, simultaneous therapy with belladonna extract and MAO inhibitors can provoke the development of cardiac arrhythmia.

The effects of opiates and narcotics used to relieve severe pain can be significantly weakened by the use of rectal suppositories with belladonna.

Using belladonna extract together with haloperidol, systemic corticosteroids, and drugs from the nitrate group can provoke an increase in intraocular pressure.

Belladonna extract can reduce the effect of the drug for the treatment of hypertension oxprenolone. Simultaneous use with sulfonamides increases the risk of kidney damage, and with potassium preparations and NSAIDs - the risk of erosions and ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract, as well as associated bleeding.

One of the belladonna alkaloids, atropine, can reduce intestinal peristalsis. As a result, the absorption of oral medications may be somewhat slower.

Belladonna alkaloids can reduce the effect of spironolactone, minoxidil and pilocarpine, and enhance the effect of nizatidine. Ascorbic acid and octadine reduce the effect of atropine.

Simultaneous administration with sertraline or penicillin antibiotics leads to a mutual enhancement of the effect. Quinidine, novocainamide, diphenhydramine and diprazine enhance the cholinolytic effect of alkaloids. The same can be said about antispasmodics, drugs for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, some antihistamines, tricyclic antidepressants.

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Storage conditions

The drug must be stored in accordance with the storage conditions specified by the manufacturer. The temperature in the room where the drug is stored in its original packaging must not exceed 25 degrees. Candles must be protected from direct sunlight, which will lead to premature deterioration of the drug.

Special instructions

When using rectal suppositories based on belladonna, it is necessary to take into account the possibility of deterioration of the condition of patients with such pathologies as prostate adenoma without urinary dysfunction, Down's syndrome, cerebral palsy, reflux disease, diaphragmatic hernia of the esophagus, and enlargement of the colon (megacolon).

Caution should be exercised when treating elderly patients and those with chronic lung diseases.

The drug is not used in pediatrics due to the lack of sufficient data on its safety for children.

During the use of rectal suppositories, a slowdown in psychomotor reactions is observed, the ability to concentrate is reduced, therefore, it is better to refrain from driving vehicles and performing work that requires increased attention during therapy.

It is not worth taking risks by using the drug in the early stages of pregnancy. For the treatment of hemorrhoids, anal fissures, and increased uterine tone during pregnancy, it is better to use not belladonna suppositories, but other drugs that do not contain alkaloids, which will be prescribed by the attending physician. For increased uterine tone, for example, Viburkol suppositories can be recommended.

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Shelf life

The shelf life of the drug is relatively short. Rectal suppositories remain effective for 2 years.

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Reviews of the drug "Bellaria extract" in the form of suppositories

It is difficult to judge the drug, having a variety of very different and sometimes quite contradictory reviews. Some women thank doctors for such valuable advice to use belladonna suppositories during pregnancy to prepare for an important event - the birth of a baby, which does not always go smoothly. Established mothers attribute easy and quick births to the above-mentioned drug. They claim that it was thanks to rectal suppositories that the birth took place on time and without complications in the form of ruptures and blood loss. No abnormalities were noted in newborn babies either.

Other women simply have no idea how hemorrhoid suppositories can help give birth to a baby. They are confused by the fact that the indications for use do not even hint at using it to ease labor. And the composition of the drug itself scares many, because everyone knows the poisonous properties of belladonna.

Of course, there are also negative reviews. But they are not so much related to harm to the woman or the child (no one has cancelled the side effects of the drugs), but to the lack of effect from use (by the way, some obstetricians also join the opinion about the uselessness of belladonna suppositories during pregnancy). What can you say, each person's body is individual. But do other antispasmodics affect everyone the same way? You can give thousands of examples that this is not so.

Doctors' advice on preparing for childbirth can be very diverse. Some are supporters of artificial stimulation of labor mechanically or chemically, while other obstetricians seek to alleviate the lot of women with the help of natural antispasmodics, so they prescribe belladonna suppositories during pregnancy immediately before childbirth. But doctors do not have the right to prohibit or, on the contrary, insist on the use of a drug whose indications for use do not correspond to the situation. They advise, but the final decision still remains with the woman who dreams of becoming the mother of a healthy baby.