alverine citrate: clinical use

Prescribing considerations

• Confirm that recurrent abdominal symptoms have been appropriately assessed rather than treating an undiagnosed cause.
• Review new, worsening or persistent symptoms and red flags including rectal bleeding, unexplained weight loss, fever, vomiting, marked constipation, pallor or urinary symptoms.
• Dizziness may impair driving or machinery use.

Contraindications and cautions

• Paralytic ileus
• Intestinal obstruction
• Hypersensitivity to alverine citrate or any product excipient

Monitoring

• No routine laboratory monitoring is specified in the selected product information.
• Stop and assess promptly if jaundice or suspected hepatitis develops; liver-test abnormalities have been reported.
• When used during breastfeeding, consider infant monitoring for feeding or weight concerns, irritability, breathing difficulty, jaundice, vomiting or rash.

Clinical pharmacology

A direct smooth-muscle antispasmodic acting mainly on alimentary and uterine muscle. Oral alverine is rapidly converted to an active primary metabolite; metabolites have high renal clearance.

Formulation and product differences

• Both selected products are oral hard gelatin capsules, but their appearance, colouring agents, other excipients, packaging and storage requirements differ.
• One selected formulation contains tartrazine and carmoisine, which may cause allergic reactions in susceptible people; check the exact pack when excipient sensitivity matters.

Capsule

Route: Oral

Strengths: 60 mg, 120 mg