Sedatives are a group of psychotropic substances that are often prescribed to patients with various pathologies, both mental and somatic. The most effective sedatives are tranquilizers. Their use is limited by a large number of contraindications and side effects. The exception is adaptol, a drug that has a mild sedative effect.
Compound
The drug contains the main active ingredient, as well as a number of auxiliary compounds. The active ingredient of adaptol in tablets and capsules is mebicar. The amount in each tablet or capsule corresponds to the dosage of the medication indicated on the package.
Excipients of the product in capsule form are calcium and titanium compounds, cellulose and gelatin. The tablets contain excipients such as calcium stearate and methylcellulose. Only the active substance has an effect on the body. The remaining components have a very low concentration and do not affect health. They are necessary in order to form a capsule or tablet.
Can it be given to children?
The instructions for use indicate that the tablets should not be given to children under 18 years of age. However, if there are indications, the drug can be prescribed to a child from 9-10 years of age. The drug is strictly contraindicated for children under 6-8 years of age, as unpredictable reactions may occur.
The liver and kidneys of a small child will not be able to process such a medicine. Although many children tolerate it well, the risk of side effects in children is too high and does not justify the therapeutic effect.
If a doctor prescribes a tranquilizer to a child, he takes all possible consequences under his own responsibility. The doctor carefully selects the dosage, and in case of complications, promptly discontinues the drug or replaces it with an analogue. This is why you should never give Adaptol to children on your own.
It is especially dangerous to use a tranquilizer in combination with antipsychotics. A combination of drugs taken at night has a powerful hypnotic effect. This causes apnea (sudden stoppage of breathing) in some children. The child is not able to come out of medicated sleep on his own and may die.
Pharmacological properties
Adaptol is considered one of the mildest tranquilizers in its action. Its mechanism is based on the influence on the limbic and hypothalamic structures of the central nervous system. The limbic region of the brain is responsible for mood, emotions, behavior and memory. An imbalance of substances in its neurons leads to mental disorders.
The hypothalamus is responsible for the connection between mental functions, the nervous system and the work of other organs and systems. When there is an imbalance of mediators in this structure, neurotic states and somatoform disorders arise.
The advantage of adaptol is that it influences not just one specific type of mediator, but establishes a balance between all the significant substances of the listed brain structures. Adaptol affects the concentration of gamma-aminobutyric acid and acetylcholine - inhibitory mediators, as well as norepinephrine and serotonin - excitation mediators. This allows you to establish a balance between excitation and inhibition of the central nervous system, which is the main stage in getting rid of many mental and neurological disorders.
In addition, adaptol is an antioxidant. It protects brain cells from the influence of a number of toxic substances, including reactive oxygen species. Another important property of the drug is the improvement of nerve cell trophism. This mechanism of action is called nootropic, it leads to an improvement in cognitive functions of the psyche.
General description of the drug
Adaptol belongs to the tranquilizers . Its chemical structure is similar to metabolites in the human body. Affects the activity of the structures of the limbic-reticular complex: the emotional areas of the hypothalamus, serotonin, choline, GABA, adrenergic neurotransmitter systems.
Promotes integration and balanced functioning of these zones. Does not exhibit adrenergic blocking effect. Doctors often prescribe Adaptol to children due to its relative safety and effectiveness.
Indications
The medicine is used in the vast majority of cases in psychiatric and psychotherapeutic practice. However, it can be used by doctors of other profiles. For example, neurologists and cardiologists. The use of adaptol is justified in the following cases:
- Neurotic disorders accompanied by increased irritability, aggression, anxiety;
- Emotional lability as a symptom of any disease;
- Neurasthenia due to general fatigue;
- Somatoform and psychosomatic disorders, including non-anginal heart pain;
- Clinically pronounced premenstrual syndrome, deterioration of well-being during menopause;
- Psychological stressful situations in order to improve the body’s adaptive capabilities;
- The need to protect nerve cells from damaging factors, as a cerebroprotector;
- Quitting smoking as a drug that reduces tobacco addiction;
- Infectious pathology accompanied by productive psychotic symptoms;
- State of hypomania or residual effects of schizophrenia;
- Hallucinosis or anxiety-delusional disorder without severe behavioral disturbances.
In addition, adaptol is prescribed in conjunction with antipsychotics. This makes it possible to reduce the manifestations of a number of side effects associated with neurological disorders. Mebicar has been proven to improve the tolerability of antipsychotic therapy.
Contraindications
Adaptol has a minimal number of contraindications. This may be due to little study of the drug. Adaptol is a relatively new product that is currently undergoing post-marketing trials. Several clear contraindications have been identified. First of all, these include individual intolerance to mebicar or other components of the product.
It is also worth considering that the medicine has not undergone clinical trials on pregnant women, its ability to penetrate the placenta and into breast milk has not been studied. Adaptol is not prescribed to pregnant women, regardless of trimester, or to women during lactation.
It is necessary to study in more detail the possibility of using adaptol in children.
Over-the-counter options
Adaptol is an antidepressant, and it is quite natural that it is sold exclusively by prescription, however, you can also find over-the-counter drugs with similar effects in the pharmacy:
- Mebicar IC;
- Afobazole;
- Selank;
- Tranquilar IC.
However, you should not self-medicate, or independently replace a drug prescribed by a doctor, even if it is commercially available - only the doctor professionally compares the patient’s problem and contraindications to taking the drug.
Side effects
The most common side effects of adaptol include a decrease in blood pressure and a decrease in body temperature by a degree and a half. These side effects are associated with the effect of the drug on the centers of the autonomic nervous system. Arterial hypotension and hypothermia do not require specific treatment or drug withdrawal. When taking adaptol in constant dosages, these side effects go away on their own.
Drowsiness, fatigue and decreased libido occur much less frequently when using adaptol compared to other psychotropic substances. However, some patients taking the drugs note the presence of these symptoms.
Some patients may develop an allergic reaction. Most often it is limited to symptoms such as rash and itching. Less commonly, a more serious complication occurs - bronchospasm, leading to suffocation. If any hypersensitivity develops, the drug should be discontinued. It cannot be re-prescribed, since allergies are a direct contraindication.
Disturbances from the digestive system are extremely rare. They are not specific. Patients may complain of heartburn, belching, nausea, and vomiting. When the dosage is reduced, these symptoms disappear.
The advantage of adaptol over other psychotropic substances is the absence of withdrawal syndrome or dependence. Even long-term use of the drug does not threaten the development of pathological conditions after stopping its use. It is necessary to consider in more detail the possibility of using adaptol with alcohol.
Overdose
The exact doses that can lead to an overdose of the drug are unknown. If you take a large number of tablets or capsules, you may develop conditions corresponding to side effects. Increasing the dose increases the risk of allergic reactions, including bronchospasm. In addition, the probability of developing pathology of the digestive system is dose-dependent. The possibility of a toxic effect on the central nervous system, manifested in pathological drowsiness, up to impairment of consciousness, cannot be ruled out.
If an overdose is suspected, it is necessary to carry out a set of detoxification measures. First of all, rinse the victim’s stomach and give a siphon enema. In severe cases, the patient is hospitalized in the intensive care unit, where infusion therapy is performed.
Instructions for use
Adaptol is taken twice or thrice a day, regardless of meals. The dose of the drug is not titrated, the average therapeutic dosage is prescribed immediately. Adults take 300 or 500 mg 2-3 times a day at the same time. Teenagers – 250 mg twice a day.
Adaptol does not accumulate in the body, its effect is noticeable immediately after the start of administration. In some cases, a few days of treatment are sufficient.
Treatment is allowed for a maximum of 2-3 months. The maximum dose taken at one time should not exceed 3000 mg.
To treat nicotine addiction, the concentration is increased. It is recommended to take 500-1000 mg of the drug three times a day for 1.5 months. During the course of treatment, it is not recommended to drive vehicles or engage in activities that require increased concentration.
How does Adaptol work for VSD?
Vegetative-vascular dystonia manifests itself in a wide range of symptoms. Depending on the severity of the functional disorder of the nervous system, a person suffers from certain physical manifestations.
The main effect of Adaptol in VSD is not aimed at eliminating certain symptoms of dystonia, but at the brain itself, from where signals are sent throughout the body.
A weakened and overexcited nervous system causes disturbances in the functioning of the two main autonomic departments that regulate all processes in the body - the sympathetic and parasympathetic. As a result, an imbalance occurs, leading to organ dysfunction.
Adaptol reduces the excited parts of the brain that provoke increased anxiety, fear, and restlessness. This leads to a decrease in the symptoms of VSD and better health.
On a note!
Vegetative-vascular dystonia is not a disease or disorder of the blood vessels, but a dysfunction of the nervous autonomic system. Because of this, the function of blood vessels and other organs is impaired. Accordingly, all primary treatment should be aimed at strengthening the nervous system.
Moreover, the drug Adaptol stimulates the production of “happiness hormones”, which is why a person suffering from vegetative-vascular dystonia improves their mood, has more strength and energy.
It is worth noting that the effect of the drug on the body during VSD is very individual. There are patients for whom Adaptol has no effect and no improvement occurs. In such cases, the doctor should select another, possibly stronger, tranquilizer.
Such cases do not mean that the medicine is bad. It’s just that the brain area is a very complex structure. And there are no standards for everyone. The effects of such agents must be treated carefully.
In general, the effect of Adaptol in VSD depends on:
- Patient's age.
- The severity of symptoms and their severity.
- Duration of neurosis and vegetative-vascular dystonia.
- Individual characteristics of the patient.
Whether the medicine helps with dystonia or not should be noticeable after 5-7 days of use.
Interesting facts about vegetative-vascular dystonia:
Fact 1
VSD is not a disease. This somatoform disorder is completely reversible. If a person begins to consider himself sick, it will be much more difficult for him to get rid of the disorder.
Fact 2
With VSD, people become hostage to their anxieties and habits. If you learn to respond to them correctly, you will quickly get rid of dystonia.
Fact 3
VSD most often has a psychogenic rather than a physiological factor of origin. That is why it is called a serious disease of healthy people.
Analogs
You can replace the drug with drugs that have the same or similar mechanism of action. The following medications are analogues of adaptol in composition:
- Mebicar;
- Mebix;
- Mebicar-IC;
- Mebikar-Tathimpharm.
The last of the listed drugs is a Russian analogue and is produced in Kazan. The advantage of Russian-made Mebikar is its relatively low cost.
When is it prescribed?
Experts prescribe Adaptol for VSD in the form of mild nervousness. According to reviews, Adaptol has a calming, muscle relaxant, and anxiolytic effect. Considering the mechanism of action and reviews, it is recommended to drink Adaptol for VSD in the daytime, and not in the evening.
Adaptol for VSD is not recommended for people with hypotension due to its ability to lower blood pressure. Some reviews say that when taking Adaptol for VSD, dizziness may increase.
Reviews
Artem M .: “I started having mental problems after several years of hard work with almost no days off. I couldn’t sleep, I was constantly irritated, became aggressive, and couldn’t concentrate. The doctor prescribed me adaptol. I took 3 pills a day. The effect came quickly. At first I noticed that I became calmer, it was almost impossible to anger me. Then my sleep improved and my attention was restored. I’ve been taking this product for two months now.”
Irina P .: “After severe stress, I began to notice a decrease in memory, concentration and overall deterioration in well-being. My mood was constantly changing - I wanted to cry or laugh for no reason. At first, the doctor prescribed me piracetam to improve my memory, but it had no effect on my mood at all. After this, piracetam was replaced with adaptol. The drug helped me, but caused a strong decrease in blood pressure. It took several days to get used to taking it. Now the pressure has returned, I continue to take the medicine.”
Doctor's review : “Adaptol is the lightest tranquilizer currently known. It does not so much have a sedative effect as it improves the patient’s adaptation to the stressful situation that caused the mental disorder. The basis of many pathological conditions is stress and the lack of adequate ways to deal with it. This leads to dysfunction of many brain structures. Adaptol helps fight stress and normalizes the balance of substances in the central nervous system. First of all, this drug is recommended for people with neurotic and neurosis-like diseases.”
Content
Does Adaptol help with panic attacks?
Taking into account the low toxicity and mildness of the effect, Adaptol cannot be classified as a strong tranquilizer.
It is unlikely to have the desired effect in severe panic disorder. But this medicine is good and as safe as possible for preventing panic attacks. It is worth understanding that taking the Adaptol tablet will not stop an attack that has already begun. Its effect is cumulative.
The medicine has a noticeable effect when a person has moderate anxiety, restlessness and irritability for no apparent reason. And often it is these conditions that provoke panic attacks.
For advanced neurotic, phobic disorders and panic attacks that cannot be controlled, patients are usually prescribed stronger drugs that can quickly stop such conditions.
