Silimarol

Silymarol is a drug with an intense hepatoprotective therapeutic effect.

It contains the active element silymarin, which is obtained from the fruit of a medicinal plant called milk thistle. Silymarin itself is a combination of 4 isomers of flavonolignans (among them silicristin, silibinin with isosilybinin, and silidanin). The drug has pronounced antitoxic and hepatoprotective properties. [1]

Indications Silimarol

It is used in the case of hepatic intoxication and with maintenance therapy in persons with chronic liver inflammation , or with hepatic cirrhosis .

Release form

The release of the medication is made in tablets - 15 pieces inside a cell pack; in a box - 2 such packs.

Pharmacodynamics

It was revealed that silymarin has an antagonistic effect on many hepatotoxic elements, including the toxins of the fungus Amanita phalloides, galactosamine with lanthanides, thioacetamide and carbon tetrachloride. The antihepatotoxic effect develops with a competitive interaction of silymarin with the endings of the corresponding toxins inside the hepatocyte wall (thus developing a membrane stabilizing effect). As a result, the processes of hepatic fibrosis and steatosis slow down.

The drug demonstrates cell-regulating and metabolic activity, affecting the strength of the cell walls, inhibiting the 5-lipoxygenase pathway (in particular, it affects leukotriene B4) and is synthesized with reactive free oxygen radicals.

The drug helps to activate phospholipid and protein binding (functional and structural proteins) inside infected liver cells (stabilizes lipid metabolism), normalizes the strength of their cell walls and synthesizes free radicals (has an antioxidant effect), thereby protecting intrahepatic cells from negative effects, and also helping restore them.

The influence of flavonoids, including silymarin, is due to their antioxidant properties and positive effects on microcirculation. The clinical expression of these effects is the stabilization of the values of hepatic activity (a decrease in the parameters of bilirubin, transaminases and γ-globulins) and the improvement of objective and subjective signs. As a result, the general condition improves and the number of complaints about the digestive function decreases, and in people with impaired digestibility of food (associated with liver diseases), there is an improvement in appetite.

Pharmacokinetics

Silymarol is absorbed at a low rate inside the gastrointestinal tract (half-absorption term is 2.2 hours).

It undergoes intensive distribution inside the body, in high concentrations it is recorded inside the liver; insignificant volumes are noted inside the lungs with the kidneys, heart and other organs. Metabolic processes take place inside the liver using conjugation.

Excretion is mainly carried out with bile (approximately 80%) in the form of sulfates with glucuronides; the remainder is excreted in the urine (about 5%). Approximately 40% of silymarin excreted in the bile is returned to the intrahepatic circulation cycle. The half-life is 6 hours. The drug does not accumulate inside the body.

Dosing and administration

The medication should be taken in a dosage of 2 tablets, 3 times a day, after a meal.

The duration of the therapeutic cycle is selected by the personally treating doctor, taking into account the nature and course of the pathology. On average, therapy usually lasts 3 months.

• Application for children

Silimarol is not prescribed to persons under the age of 12, because there is no information regarding the use of the drug in this category.

Use Silimarol during pregnancy

There is no information on the drug efficacy and safety of the drug when it is used in pregnant or breastfeeding women, which is why it is not used during the indicated periods.

Contraindications

It is contraindicated to prescribe to people with severe intolerance to the elements of the medication or plants from the order of Rosaceae, and in addition, with acute intoxications of a different nature.

Side effects Silimarol

The medication is often tolerated without complications. In the case of severe personal intolerance, the following side symptoms may occur:

• digestive disorders: vomiting, heartburn, dyspepsia, mild diarrhea and nausea;
• respiratory dysfunction: dyspnea;
• problems with the work of the urinary tract: potentiation of diuresis;
• epidermal lesions: potentiation of alopecia. Signs of allergies may also occur, including itching and rash on the epidermis;
• others: potentiation of existing vestibular disorders is possible.

Negative symptoms are transient and disappear after drug withdrawal without special procedures.

Overdose

There were no cases of Silymarol poisoning.

In case of unintentional administration of a large dosage, gastric lavage, induction of vomiting and the use of activated charcoal are required. If necessary, symptomatic actions are taken. There is no antidote.

Interactions with other drugs

The combined use of drugs in the highest possible portions and oral contraception or substances administered during estrogen replacement treatment can lead to a weakening of the drug effect of the latter.

Since silymarin inhibits the action of the hemoprotein P450 system, it is able to potentiate the effect of certain medications, including: cholesterol-lowering substances (lovastatin), anti-allergenic drugs (fexofenadine), antipsychotics (alprozolam with diazepam and lorazepam), and in addition, anti-coagulants antimycotics (ketoconazole) and certain medicines for the treatment of carcinoma (vinblastine).

Storage conditions

Silimarol should be kept out of the reach of children. Temperature level - no more than 25 ° С.

Shelf life

Silimarol is allowed to be used within a 36-month period from the date of manufacture of the pharmaceutical product.

Analogs

Analogues of drugs are the drugs Gepalex, Darsil with Simepar, Geparsil and Karsil with Levasil, and besides this Silibor, Legalon and Heparette.