Shanferon

Shanferon is an antiviral drug that also has an immunostimulating, antitumor effect on the body.

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Indications Shanferon

Shanferon is used to treat:

• viral diseases;
  • chronic active hepatitis B;
  • hepatitis C.
• oncological diseases:
  • chronic myelogenous leukemia;
  • hairy cell leukemia;
  • follicular lymphoma;
  • malignant or multiple myeloma;
  • carcinoid tumors with metastases to the lymph nodes and liver ( carcinoid syndrome ).

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Release form

Shanferon is produced in the form of dried proteins that are secreted by human cells in response to viruses and infections (interferon). The powder obtained in this way is used for intramuscular or subcutaneous injections, the powder is pre-dissolved in special water for injections.

Pharmacodynamics

Shanferon has immunomodulatory, antiviral, antitumor effects. Interferon alpha 2b is absorbed from Pseudomonas putida cells.

Interferon interacts with similar receptors on the cell surface, leading to a series of complex chain modifications inside the cell. It is believed that such interactions prevent the resumption of viruses in cells, inhibit reproduction, and stimulate the work of the body's own immunity.

The therapeutic effect of Shanferon is due to the ability of interferon to help destroy bacteria and foreign cells in the body.

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Pharmacokinetics

Shanferon is used subcutaneously or intramuscularly. With intramuscular administration of the drug, the maximum concentration in the blood serum is observed after 2-6 hours (68-122 IU/ml), with subcutaneous injections - after 4-10 hours (25-122 IU/ml). Regardless of how the drug is administered (intramuscularly or subcutaneously), absorption by the body exceeds 70%.

Shanferon is excreted from the body by the kidneys.

Dosing and administration

Shanferon is administered only under the supervision of an experienced chemotherapist. The dose is selected individually in each specific case. If serious side effects occur, it is recommended to reduce the dosage or temporarily stop treatment. If side effects do not disappear or reappear after resuming treatment, treatment with Shanferon is stopped.

The drug is administered intramuscularly or subcutaneously, after dissolving the powder in water for injection. In case of a viral disease, Shanferon is prescribed at 3-5 million IU subcutaneously or intravenously daily or 10 million IU every other day (three times a week). The course of treatment is 4-6 months. If after three months of treatment there is no positive dynamics, Shanferon is discontinued.

In oncology, the drug is prescribed in the maximum dosage that the patient can tolerate for a sufficiently long time (months, years). Since interferon has a cytostatic effect (causes necrosis of cancer cells), maintenance therapy with Shanferon is indicated even after the desired effect has been achieved.

For multiple myeloma, Shanferon is prescribed after the start of chemotherapy at 3 million IU three times a week (every other day).

For follicular lymphoma, treatment with Shanferon lasts for one and a half years; the drug is prescribed at 5 million IU three times a week.

For carcinoid tumors, 3-9 million IU is prescribed three times a week. If the disease progresses, 5 million IU is prescribed daily. Treatment with Shanferon is stopped during and after surgery.

In case of malignant melanoma, Shanferon is prescribed as an additional treatment, 20 million IU daily five times a week, the course of treatment is one month. After that, the dosage is reduced to 10 million IU three times a week for a year. If Shanferon treatment is combined with chemotherapy, the drug is administered at 15 million IU five times a week, the course of treatment is three weeks, then the dosage is reduced to 10 million IU three times a week until the disease stops progressing.

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Use Shanferon during pregnancy

Shanferon can be prescribed to a pregnant woman in the second and third trimesters only if the doctor believes that the benefits of using the drug outweigh the possible negative consequences for the unborn child.

Nursing mothers should refrain from breastfeeding during treatment with Shanferon.

When treating women of childbearing age, it is extremely important to use the most reliable means of contraception.

Contraindications

Shanferon is contraindicated in case of hypersensitivity to the components of the drug, in the first three months of pregnancy, during breastfeeding, and in childhood.

The drug is also not prescribed for autoimmune diseases (present or past), chronic hepatitis, which is accompanied by progressive or decompensated liver cirrhosis, after treatment with immunosuppressants, epilepsy, a tendency to seizures, mental illness, and past head injuries.

The drug is also contraindicated in severe heart failure, heart rhythm disorders, thyroid disease, renal and pulmonary failure, and severe forms of diabetes.

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Side effects Shanferon

Shanferon quite often provokes pharyngitis, viral infections, sinusitis, bronchitis, runny nose, herpes. In rarer cases, pneumonia develops.

A decrease in leukocytes, lymphocytes, platelets in the blood, and an increase in lymph nodes may also be observed. Extremely rare, a severe disorder of hematopoiesis (aplastic anemia) can be observed.

In rare cases, the immune system can react to the drug with severe systemic inflammation, which can affect almost any organ (but most often the inflammatory process begins in the lungs or lymph nodes).

After treatment with Shanferon, thyroid function may be impaired (reduced hormone production or, conversely, excessively increased activity of the gland). Development of diabetes mellitus after treatment with Shanferon is extremely rare.

Shanferon quite often provokes a serious mental disorder, which is expressed by a refusal to eat (anorexia).

Rarely, a decrease in blood sugar and increased appetite may be observed.

Quite often, after taking Shanferon, patients develop various mental disorders: depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, frequent mood swings, decreased sexual desire. In extremely rare cases, hallucinations, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and aggressive behavior appear.

Quite often during treatment with Shanferon, dizziness, headaches, dry mouth, inability to concentrate, tremor, drowsiness, taste disturbances occur. Less often, clouding of consciousness, cerebrovascular ischemia or hemorrhage, apoplectic stroke, nerve damage may develop.

Quite often there is clouding of the eyes, conjunctivitis, pain in the eyes, and disruption of the lacrimal function. Also quite often there is noise in the ears, and complete hearing loss is extremely rare.

Tachycardia, increased blood pressure, cardiomyopathy often develop. Less common are myocardial infarction, decreased blood pressure, and peripheral ischemia.

Nasal congestion and runny nose, shortness of breath and cough, nosebleeds often occur, and in extremely rare cases, inflammatory processes in the lungs occur.

From the gastrointestinal tract, a feeling of nausea (vomiting), diarrhea, abdominal pain may appear; less commonly, inflammation of the gums, tongue, ulcerative stomatitis, and constipation may develop.

Shanferon often leads to pathological enlargement of the liver, structural and functional changes in the liver develop extremely rarely, sometimes with a fatal outcome. Various rashes, itching, dryness, sweating, psoriasis, eczema can often appear on the skin.

Often after treatment with Shenferon, the patient feels pain in the joints or muscles, inflammatory processes in the joints may develop. Very rarely, acute necrosis of bone muscles, muscle inflammation, leg cramps, back pain develop.

Shanferon provokes frequent urination, and kidney dysfunction may rarely develop.

Quite often, after treatment with the drug, menstrual irregularities, pain in the mammary glands, and vaginal disorders are observed.

Often after the drug, patients feel tired, feverish, irritable, and generally unwell. In rare cases, there may be facial swelling.

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Overdose

Shanferon at an increased dosage can lead to a state of deep lethargy (weakening of all manifestations of life), prostration (extreme degree of exhaustion, decline of mental activity), severe fatigue. All symptoms of overdose disappear after stopping treatment with Shanferon.

Interactions with other drugs

Shanferon contains interferon alpha, which has the ability to change cell metabolism. In this regard, the likelihood of changing the action of other drugs increases. Interferon alpha affects oxidative metabolic processes, as a result of which it is necessary to carefully prescribe drugs with similar metabolic processes.

The main substance of Shanferon (interferon alpha) inhibits the metabolism of theophylline or reduces the process of blood plasma purification.

There are no data on the interaction of interferon with other drugs.

To administer the drug, only special water for injections should be used to dissolve the powder.

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Storage conditions

Shanferon should be stored in a cool place (2 to 8 ⁰ C) and out of reach of children. Only freshly prepared solution should be used.

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Shelf life

The shelf life of Shanferon is three years from the date of manufacture and subject to storage rules.