• Dosage of Mefenal in details
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Dosage of Mefenal in details

Mefenal Dosage

Generic name: Mefenal 250mg

Dosage form: capsule

The information at Drugs.com is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Carefully consider the potential benefits and risks of Mefenal and other treatment options before deciding to use Mefenal. Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration consistent with individual patient treatment goals.

After observing the response to initial therapy with Mefenal, the dose and frequency should be adjusted to suit an individual patient's needs.

For the relief of acute pain in adults and adolescents ≥14 years of age, the recommended dose is 500 mg as an initial dose followed by 250 mg every 6 hours as needed, usually not to exceed one week.

For the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea, the recommended dose is 500 mg as an initial dose followed by 250 mg every 6 hours, given orally, starting with the onset of bleeding and associated symptoms. Clinical studies indicate that effective treatment can be initiated with the start of menses and should not be necessary for more than 2 to 3 days.

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What other drugs will affect Mefenal?

Tell your doctor if you are taking an antidepressant such as citalopram (Celexa), duloxetine (Cymbalta), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem, Symbyax), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), or venlafaxine (Effexor). Taking any of these drugs with Mefenal may cause you to bruise or bleed easily.

Before taking Mefenal, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following drugs:

• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin;
• a diuretic (water pill) such as furosemide (Lasix);
• cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune);
• lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid);
• methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall);
• steroids (prednisone and others); or
• aspirin or NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as diclofenac (Voltaren), etodolac (Lodine), fenoprofen (Nalfon), flurbiprofen (Ansaid), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Orudis), ketorolac (Toradol), meclofenamate (Meclomen), meloxicam (Mobic), nabumetone (Relafen), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), piroxicam (Feldene), and others.

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with Mefenal. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Mefenal interactions

A number of compounds are inhibitors of CYP2C9. Drug interactions studies of Mefenal and these compounds have not been conducted. The possibility of altered safety and efficacy should be considered when Mefenal (Mefenal) is used concomitantly with these drugs.

ACE-inhibitors

Reports suggest that NSAIDs may diminish the antihypertensive effect of ACE inhibitors. This interaction should be given consideration in patients taking NSAIDs concomitantly with ACE-inhibitors.

Aspirin

When Mefenal (Mefenal) is administered with aspirin, its protein binding is reduced, although the clearance of free Mefenal (Mefenal) is not altered. The clinical significance of this interaction is not known; however, as with other NSAIDs, concomitant administration of Mefenal and aspirin is not generally recommended because of the potential of increased adverse effects.

Diuretics

Clinical studies, as well as post marketing observations, have shown that Mefenal (Mefenal) can reduce the natriuretic effect-of furosemide and thiazides in some patients. This response has been attributed to inhibition of renal prostaglandin synthesis. During concomitant therapy of NSAIDs, the patient should be observed closely for signs of renal failure, as well as to assure diuretic efficacy.

Lithium

NSAIDs have produced an elevation of plasma lithium levels and a reduction in renal lithium clearance. The mean minimum lithium concentration increased 15% and the renal clearance decreased by approximately 20%. These effects have been attributed to inhibition of renal prostaglandin synthesis by the NSAID. Thus, when NSAIDs and lithium are administered concurrently, subjects should be observed carefully for signs of lithium toxicity.

Methotrexate

NSAIDs have been reported to competitively inhibit methotrexate accumulation in rabbit kidney slices. This may indicate that they could enhance the toxicity of methotrexate. Caution should be used when NSAIDs are administered concomitantly with methotrexate.

Warfarin

The effects of warfarin and NSAIDs on GI bleeding are synergistic, such that users of both drugs together have a risk of serious GI bleeding higher than users of either drug alone.

Antacids

In a single dose study (n=6), ingestion of an antacid containing 1.7-gram of magnesium hydroxide with 500-mg of Mefenal increased the Cmax and AUC of Mefenal by 125% and 36%, respectively. Therefore, when the drug is administered to patients receiving oral anticoagulant drugs, frequent monitoring of prothrombin time is necessary.

A false-positive reaction for urinary bile, using the diazo tablet test, may result after Mefenal administration. If biliuria is suspected, other diagnostic procedures, such as the Harrison spot test, should be performed.

REFERENCES

4. Glazko AJ: Experimental observations of flufenamic, mefenamic, and meclofenamic acids. Part III. Metabolic disposition, in Fenamates in Medicine. A Symposium, London, 1966. Annals of Physical Medicine, Supplement, pp 23-36, 1967.

References

1. DailyMed. "MEFENAMIC ACID: DailyMed provides trustworthy information about marketed drugs in the United States. DailyMed is the official provider of FDA label information (package inserts).". https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailyme... (accessed September 17, 2018).
2. FDA/SPL Indexing Data. "367589PJ2C: The UNique Ingredient Identifier (UNII) is an alphanumeric substance identifier from the joint FDA/USP Substance Registration System (SRS).". https://www.fda.gov/ForIndustry/Data... (accessed September 17, 2018).
3. MeSH. "Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal". https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/68... (accessed September 17, 2018).

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Information checked by Dr. Sachin Kumar, MD Pharmacology