Ciprotab – Is it Safe? Uses, Side effects and Dosage

Monday, January 7, 2019

What is Ciprotab?

Ciprotab is an antibiotic drug and is used as a primary medication to treat the variety of bacterial infections including pneumonia.

This drug belongs to the class of drugs known as Fluoroquinolone family.
But this is not recommended for infections caused by virus such as Common cold or a cough and influenza.
The extensive use of this drug acts against both gram-positive bacteria and gram-negative bacteria.
It is manufactured by Wockhardt Ltd.

Ciprotab – Is it Safe? Uses, Side effects and Dosage

What is the Generic name(s)?
What is its composition?
How do Ciprotab works?
What are its uses?
How effective is this medicine?
Is it addictive?
What is the dosage?
What if I miss a dose?
What to do in case of overdosage?
What to do in case of allergic reactions?
Can I drive after taking it?
Can it be taken with food?
Can it be taken on an empty stomach?
Can it be taken with alcohol?
What are the Side effects?
Does this medicine has any drug interactions?
Precautions
Is it safe to use if I am pregnant?
Is it safe to use if I am breastfeeding?
Can this medicine be given to Children and infants?
Is this medicine available as over the counter (OTC) product?
Frequently asked questions
Reference

What is the Generic name(s)?

The Generic name of Ciprotab is Ciprofloxacin[1] and it is based on the active ingredient present in the drug.

What is its composition?

Ciprotab is composed with an active ingredient known as Ciprofloxacin.

How do Ciprotab works?

As it is an antibiotic, Ciprotab work by killing the existing bacteria[2] which causes infections in the body. It also prevents the growth of new bacteria by working within the body. The presence of enzymes[3] such as DNA gyrase[4] and topoisomerase IV[5] is necessary for the regular synthesis of DNA of bacteria.

This drug gets into the action by inhibiting the action of enzyme DNA gyrase and blocks the synthesis of bacterial DNA. This would in turn results in stimulation of damage in Double-stranded DNA by preventing DNA relaxation. In this way, this medicine inhibits the cell division of bacteria to prevent the infections from occurring due to the bacteria.

What are its uses?

There are a vast variety of medical conditions used this drug for treatment, improvement and prevention. Here is the list of uses of Ciprotab:

Pneumonia[6] and pneumonia with cystic fibrosis[7]
Bronchitis[8]
Joint infection and bone infection
Gonococcal infection (Sexually transmitted disease)
Cystitis[9]
Prostatitis[10]
Plague (septicemic plague)
Inhalation Anthrax
Pyelonephritis[11] (a type of kidney disease)
Syphilis[12]
Gastroenteritis[13]
Bacterial infections in ear, skin, nose, throat, sinus and bones.
Urinary Tract Infection[14] (UTI) (infection in kidney, prostate and bladder)
Respiratory tract infection
Diverticulitis[15]
Gallbladder infection and abdominal infection
Skin infection such as cellulitis
Anthrax and typhoid fever

How effective is this medicine?

Ciprotab is rapidly absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract through cells and tissues. Due to this, once this drug is taken orally, it shows its effect within 2 to 3 hours and lasts long up to 24 hours. But the condition will be cured only after few days.

Is it addictive?

No, this is not addictive and does not have any active ingredients which elicit a dependence or habit-forming characters. Hence it is not proved to have any addictive properties.

What is the dosage?

The common dosage of this drug is about 250 mg to 750 mg which is taken for every 12 hours for about 14 days. But the dosage of the drug depends upon the following conditions,

Sex of the patient
The weight of the patient
Age of the patient
Previous medical history
The disease or condition has to be treated

The different dosage for various conditions are listed below for adults,

For Urinary tract infection (UTI), the initial dosage is about 25m mg to 500 mg every 12 hours for 14 days.
For bone and joint infections, the dosage is between 250 mg and 750 mg every 12 hours for 8 weeks.
For diarrhoea caused by bacterial infection, the dosage is about 500 mg every 12 hours for 1 week.
For Respiratory tract infection, the dosage ranges from 500 mg to 750 mg every 12 hours for 1 week to 2 weeks.
For a sinus infection, the minimal dosage is 500 mg every 12 hours for 10 days.
For abdominal infections, the dosage is about 500 mg every 12 hours for 7 days to 14 days.

In children, those from 1 year to 17 years, the dosage is between 10 mg to 20 mg /kg for every 12 hours for 10 days to 21 days. This dosage may be gradually increased according to the medical condition and its effect on the patient. But increase your dose as per the advice of your doctor and it should be noted that the dosage for children should not exceed more than 750 mg per day.

In case of ophthalmic drops, it should be used once or twice in a day.

What if I miss a dose?

If you missed a dose of this drug, try to take the missed dose immediately as soon as you remember it. If it is already time for your next dosage, do not take the missed dose on that time as it may lead to double dosage. In that situation, just go on and keep continuing and maintain with your regular dosage. Try not to miss the dose as it is necessary that a little amount of drug should be always present in the body.

What to do in case of overdosage?

If you consume an overdose of this drug, it is advisable to contact your physician immediately to seek the emergency help. The overdosage would affect the liver and its function which is considered as the most serious side effect. It would also lead to the irregular (too fast or too slow) or pounding heartbeat.

What to do if there is an allergic reaction?

This medicine is usually reported to have some serious allergic reactions as listed below,

Formation of the white patches (especially in the mouth or on the tongue)
Swelling of the body parts (especially in face, lips, tongue, eyelids, hands and feet)
Mouth sores
Rashes or itches in the skin
Hives
Troubled breathing

If you have any of the above mentioned allergic symptoms, consult your doctor immediately.

Can I drive after taking it?

No, you cannot drive after taking it. This drug at some time may cause lack of concentration, sleepiness, dizziness or drowsiness which makes the person impossible to drive a vehicle or to operate any heavy types of machinery.

Can it be taken with food?

No, this drug cannot be taken with food. This drug is advisable to take before food as it may cause interactions with food substances.

Can it be taken on an empty stomach?

Yes, this drug is indeed can be taken on an empty stomach. It should be consumed one hour or two hours before your meal to get the better result and to avoid any harmful interactions.

Can it be taken with alcohol?

No, it cannot be taken with alcohol. As a minor side effect, the drug interacts with alcohol to cause dizziness or drowsiness and as a major and serious side effect, this interaction would increase the side effects in liver and damage its functions.

What are the Side effects?

This drug shows some of the common side effects which are observed in different patients. Those side effects are listed below,

Diarrhoea
Abdominal pain
Tightness in chest
Black or tarry stools
Joint pain
A runny nose
Ringing or buzzing effect in the ears
Numbness in the hands and legs
Pain and weakening of the muscles
Sneezing
Fever along with chills
A headache
Nausea and vomiting
Fatigue
Loss of consciousness
Irregular heartbeats (too fast or too slow)
Muscle aches
Dysfunction of liver
Difficult or painful breathing
Tendonitis
Seizures, tremors or convulsions

Does this medicine has any drug interactions?

This drug has proved to interact with other drugs. This kind of drug to drug interactions would reduce the potency of both drugs and will lead to increase the side effects. Below the list of those drugs,

Nelfinavir
Medications used to treat HIV or Hepatitis
Vitamin supplements and Herbal drugs
Digoxin
Ketoconazole
Warfarin
Methotrexate
Antacids

Precautions

Here is the list of precautions and warnings have to be followed while taking this drug,

Let your physician know if you are allergic to the active ingredient present in this drug.
Always consult your doctor if you have any previous medical history of liver, kidney or blood disorders.
Avoid consuming alcohol and stop smoking which can intensify the side effects.
Consult your doctor beforehand, if you are taking any other drugs like a vitamin or herbal supplemental drugs to avoid serious drug interactions.
Do not use this drug for influenza, common cold or any other viral infections.

Is it safe to use if I am pregnant?

As there are no reports regarding the use of this drug during the period of pregnancy, it is better to take advise from your physician to avoid undesirable side effects.

Is it safe to use if I am breastfeeding?

No, it is not safe to use if you are breastfeeding as it is observed to pass through the breast milk which affects the health of the infants.

Can this medicine be given to Children and infants?

No, this medicine cannot be given to children and infants. It is indeed not recommended for children under 12 years unless it is prescribed by the doctor. It is because this drug may cause joint pain and reduced joint movement in children.

Is this medicine available as over the counter (OTC) product?

Yes, this medicine is available as over the counter (OTC) product.

Frequently asked questions

How can you store this drug?

Keep the drug away from direct heat, light and moisture.
Always keep the children and pets away from this drug.
Don’t keep the drug open for a long time as it leads to losing the potency.
Always close the container of the drug after taking it.
Don’t store the drug in the refrigerator or deep freezer at cold temperature (unless it is specifically mentioned in the package of the drug).
Instead always store this drug at room temperature of about 15 degrees to 25-degree Celsius.
Expired drugs or the drugs which are no longer needed should be discarded in a safe way. Avoid flushing it in sink or toilet as it may contaminate the environmental conditions and affect the human health.

How to take this drug?

This drug is available in different forms such as tablets, liquids, ophthalmic drug and the solution could be injected. These tablets should be taken with a glass of water. It should be taken before your meal that is one hour or two hours before the meal. Swallow the tablet wholly and do not crush, chew or break it. This medicine should be taken once or twice in a day. Although the symptoms begin to fade, don’t stop to take the drug until you finish the dosage.

What happens if I take an expired drug?

If you consume the drug after its expiration, this drug will not possess the potency to treat or prevent the bacterial infections. But it is safe to consult your doctor if you feel unwell or sick after taking the expired drug.

What is the effect of this drug on organs?

This drug may cause damage in the functioning of the liver and the symptoms included are

Pain in the stomach
Loss of appetite
Dark coloured urine
Skin or white part of the skin becomes yellowish

It can affect the tendons, is a tissue which connects muscles to the bones. It can tear it or cause swelling it and the symptoms include pain and swelling of the heel of the foot, ankle, foot, knee, shoulder or elbow.

It also infects the intestine which includes,

Severe diarrhoea
Bloody stool
Stomach cramps
Fever with chills

It can affect the nerve problems in different parts such as arms, feet, legs or hands which have the symptoms as,

Pain
Burning
Tingling
numbness

This drug affects the brain by causing mood and behavioural changes. The symptoms are,

Anxiety
Hallucinations
Suicidal thoughts
A troubled sleeping
Restlessness
Depression

If the older people who have diabetes, consume this drug, it leads to the following,

Passing out and coma
Dizziness and shakiness
Confusion and weakness
Unusual sweating

What is the price of this drug?

A pack of 10 tablets with the strength of 500 mg costs about Rs. 25.

What are the substitutes of Ciprotab?

There are few medicines which are proved to have the same ability to show the same response like Ciprotab. They are,

Cipic
Ciprobid
Cipronit
Ciptec
Medicip

What happens if this drug is abruptly stopped?

When this antibiotic drug is abruptly stopped, it may result in adverse side effects. It would tend to increase the proliferation of bacterial cells in the body which leads to various infections.

When to avoid this drug?

If you are experiencing some of the medical conditions, it is not advisable to consume this drug as it may worsen the effect of the disease. Such conditions are