Taflotan

The ophthalmological agent in the form of eye drops Taflotan is intended for the treatment of patients with glaucoma. The drug is an analogue of prostaglandin.

Indications Taflotana

The use of Taflotan is appropriate for lowering high intraocular pressure, which usually accompanies open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertensive syndrome in adult practice.

Taflotan can be used as the main drug in case of insufficient dynamics after the initial treatment, as well as in case of intolerance or hypersensitivity to treatment with first-line drugs.

As part of complex therapy, Taflotan is prescribed along with β-blockers.

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Release form

Taflotan is an ophthalmic solution packaged in 0.3 ml special dropper tubes. The number of tubes in a package is 10 pieces, in foil bags.

The active ingredient is tafluprost, the content of which in one drop tube is 4.5 mcg.

Taflotan solution has no specific color, it is completely transparent.

Pharmacodynamics

Taflotan belongs to the fluorinated analogues of prostaglandin F _2α.

The bioactive metabolite of the drug is tafluprost acid, an active and selective agonist of the human prostanoid receptor. The metabolite has an affinity for the FP receptor that is 12 times greater than that of latanoprost.

According to studies, Taflotan reduces intraocular pressure by increasing uveoscleral fluid drainage.

The active ingredient Taflotan has a high-quality effect on the processes of reducing intraocular pressure. The first effect is observed 2-4 hours after applying the drops, and the maximum possible effect is seen after 12 hours. The effect of the medication lasts for 24 hours.

During the experiments it was found that Taflotan reduced intraocular pressure by an average of 6-8 mm Hg, compared to 7-9 mm Hg after the introduction of latanoprost. In comparison with timolol, the figures are as follows: 5-7 mm Hg and 4-6 mm Hg, respectively.

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Pharmacokinetics

When applying one drop of Taflotan under the conjunctiva of each eye at night for eight days, the concentration content of tafluprost acid in the serum was minimal and the same - both on the first day and on the eighth day of using the medication.

The maximum serum concentrations were detected 10 minutes after application of the solution and decreased before the end of the first 60 minutes. The average maximum concentration was the same on the first and eighth days, indicating equivalent drug content during the first week of treatment.

No clinically significant differences in systemic bioavailability of Taflotan preparations with and without a preservative have been registered.

No peculiarities in the distribution of the labeled solution in the iris and ciliary body were found: this indicates a low affinity for the pigment substance melanin. During the experiments, which were carried out using autoradiography, the maximum content of radioactivity was found in the cornea, eyelids, sclera and iris. Outside the eye organ, radioactivity spread through the lacrimal apparatus, upper palate, esophagus and digestive system, kidneys, and liver.

Binding of the metabolite to plasma protein was 99% (at a metabolite concentration of 500 ng/ml).

Metabolism occurs via glucuronidation or β-oxidation.

Taflotan is excreted to a lesser extent through the kidneys (up to 38%) and to a greater extent with feces (up to 58%).

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Dosing and administration

The standard dosage of Taflotan is one drop of solution, which should be instilled under the conjunctiva of the affected eye organ every night.

Taflotan should not be used more often than prescribed by your doctor, as this may reduce the effectiveness of normalizing intraocular pressure.

One package of Taflotan is used for instillation into both eyes. If the opened preparation remains, it must be thrown away.

If Taflotan solution gets on the skin during application of drops, it should be removed if possible to prevent skin discoloration.

If the patient needs to use several ophthalmic medications, then a time interval of 5-10 minutes should be maintained between their application.

Use Taflotana during pregnancy

Experts have not conducted studies on the effect of Taflotan on the body of pregnant women and on the development of the unborn child. However, such studies were conducted on animals: during the study, it was discovered that Taflotan has reproductive toxicity. Based on this, this medication should not be recommended to patients expecting a child.

As for the use of Taflotan by women who are breastfeeding, studies on rodents have shown that the drug and its metabolites enter breast milk even with local use of the drug. Therefore, Taflotan is not prescribed to patients who are in the lactation period.

Contraindications

Taflotan is not used in cases of hypersensitivity to the active or auxiliary ingredients of the drug.

Side effects Taflotana

Clinical trials were conducted involving almost one and a half thousand patients. All of them were prescribed Taflotan treatment – either as a monodrug or in combination with 0.5% Timolol. It was found that the most common (13%) symptom observed during treatment was redness of the eyes. However, only 0.4% of patients had to stop treatment because of this.

Other observations by European and American specialists, which lasted two years, demonstrated other possible side effects of Taflotan:

• headaches;
• eye itching and pain;
• change in the appearance of eyelashes (change in thickness, quantity, length, etc.);
• sensation of a foreign object in the eyes, increased lacrimation (or, conversely, “dry eye”);
• swelling of the eyelids, increased fatigue of the eye organs, blepharitis, conjunctivitis, temporary deterioration of vision.

In rare cases, allergic reactions to the drug Taflotan have been reported.

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Overdose

There are currently no reported cases of Taflotan overdose.

If we allow for the theoretical possibility of an overdose, then in such a case symptomatic medications should be used.

Interactions with other drugs

As a rule, there is no talk of drug interactions with Taflotan, since the systemic entry of the drug into the bloodstream is extremely low. Given this, experts have not conducted precise studies on possible pharmacological interactions.

Concomitant use of Taflotan and Timolol has been tested and no cross-interactions have been observed.

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Storage conditions

The ophthalmic solution Taflotan is stored in its packaged form, maintaining a temperature regime of +2 to +8°C, out of the reach of children.

Once the package with Taflotan is opened, the solution can be stored for no longer than one month, at a temperature of up to +25°C. If the drops were used once, the remaining Taflotan solution should be discarded.

Shelf life

Packaged Taflotan solution can be stored for up to 3 years under appropriate conditions.

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