Racecadotril

Indications

Racecadotril is used for: Acute diarrhoea

Adult Dose

Oral Acute diarrhoea Adult: 100 mg tid. Continue treatment until 2 normal stools are recorded. Max duration: 7 days.

Child Dose

Oral Acute diarrhoea Child: 3 mth to 17 yr <9 kg: 10 mg tid; 9 to <13 kg: 20 mg tid; 13-27 kg: 30 mg tid; >27 kg: 60 mg tid. Continue treatment until 2 normal stools are recorded. Max duration: 7 days.

Renal Dose

Administration

May be taken with or without food.

Contra Indications

Hypersensitivity to Racecadotril, or to any of the excipients.

Precautions

Chronic & antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, bloddy or purulent stools & fever, patients w/ diabetes, renal or liver impairment, cases of prolonged or uncontrolled vomiting. Pregnancy, lactation.

Pregnancy-Lactation

Interactions

Adverse Effects

Side effects of Racecadotril : Headache, tonsillitis, rash, erythema multiforme or nodosum; tongue, face, lip or eyelid oedema; angioedema, urticaria, prurigo, pruritus.

Mechanism of Action

Racecadotril increases the availability of endogenous opioids (enkephalins) by inhibiting the membrane-bound enkephalinase. These enkephalins activate delta-opioid receptors in the GI tract. This leads to a reduction in cAMP mucosal levels, resulting in a reducted secretion of water and electrolytes in the intestinal lumen.