The costs of the modern pace of life and current events are endless lack of sleep, frequent outbursts of aggression and irritability, fatigue and apathy. However, living in the ringing silence of Tibet or a dense forest is not at all a way to avoid the negative factors that accompany our everyday life. It is quite possible to learn to manage your bad mood. Moreover, pharmacology willingly helps with this with a wide variety of means.
Today we are talking about Afobazole, a popular drug for stress and anxiety. When can it be used, what is it good for and what effect to expect.
Manufacturer, composition, dosage form
Afobazole is produced by a Russian pharmaceutical company. The active ingredient of the drug, aphobazolum, is a selective tranquilizer. It does not affect benzodiazepine receptors, which are responsible for basic mental functions. The medicine stimulates sigma-1 neurons, which regulate emotional state, memory and fine motor skills.
The drug has one release form: flat-cylindrical tablets in dosages of 5 and 10 mg: white with a bevel. Pills are packaged in cell plates or plastic jars. The package contains from 10 to 100 pieces.
Instructions for use of Afobazole (Method and dosage)
In accordance with the instructions for use, Afobazol tablets are intended for oral administration. Before taking the pill, you need to eat.
A single dose of the drug is 10 mg. The recommended daily dose for use of Afobazole is 30 mg. The tablets should be taken in three doses (that is, one 10 mg tablet or 2 5 mg tablets at a time).
Since the maximum therapeutic effect of taking the drug develops only at the beginning of the 4th week, the duration of the course of treatment is usually from 2 to 4 weeks.
Before taking Afobazole, you must consult a doctor. This is due to the fact that certain conditions require an increase in the dose and duration of treatment. Thus, according to indications, the daily dose can be doubled, and the course of treatment extended to 3 months.
Mechanism of action of Afobazole
The drug belongs to the category of nootropic. It gently stabilizes the activity of specific CNS receptors, restores their sensitivity to inhibitory mediators, and protects nerve cells from damage. Afobazole has a pronounced neuroprotective effect, being both an anti-anxiety and a moderate stimulant. Reduces feelings of fear, emotional stress and irritation, reduces their vegetative manifestations: trembling, breathing problems, dizziness, muscle stiffness. With regular use, it eliminates the signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, restores good mood, improves concentration and performance.
It has been established that the effectiveness of taking Afobazole is higher in people of asthenic character:
- timid;
- overly suspicious;
- those who react painfully to changes in life;
- suffering from mood swings and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Treatment with the drug does not cause addiction, subsequent withdrawal symptoms, and does not provoke the development of drowsiness, absent-mindedness or physical weakness. After administration, the active substance is quickly absorbed from the stomach into the blood and interacts with plasma proteins. It is excreted unchanged from the body within 1–2 hours.
Afobazole - a drug for anxiety disorders
We are surrounded by a huge number of factors that cause stress, anxiety, tension, poor sleep, anxiety, and depression. Rest and change of environment are universal remedies, but sometimes they turn out to be insufficient, do not bring relief, anxiety states intensify, all this affects the usual rhythm of life. At this point you should consult a doctor. There is nothing shameful or wrong about this, because constant stress negatively affects the entire body, especially the cardiovascular system. If the indications are clear, the doctor may prescribe Afobazole.
Afobazole is a medicine belonging to the group of anxiolytics (tranquilizers). It has a moderate stimulating effect, and at the same time reduces anxiety. Mild sedation is more of a side effect than the main manifestation of the use of anxiolytics.
Figure 1 - Afobazole effectively copes with stress, tension, depression and anxiety
Tranquilizers inherently affect benzodiazepine receptors (unlike Afobazole), that is, they depress the nervous system, eliminate bad mood and nullify negativity, causing indifference. Moreover, tranquilizers can be addictive, which means that when the course ends, a “withdrawal syndrome” will appear. But don’t be afraid of the word “tranquilizer” in the description of the drug. Afobazole is a so-called “mild” or “daytime” tranquilizer. The active component of Afobazole does have a tranquilizing effect, reduces severe anxiety, but does not affect benzodiazepine receptors. That is, Afobazole tablets do not suppress the central nervous system, do not cause dependence, drowsiness, muscle relaxation, do not reduce memory, do not dull emotions, and they do not have a withdrawal syndrome.
Afobazole relieves tension from the muscles of the hollow organs and reduces the manifestation of vegetative-somatic disorders (dry mouth, sweating, dizziness).
Afobazole is prescribed for the therapeutic treatment of anxiety in people over 18 years of age, which is provoked by mental disorders or external traumatic factors. If a person has self-doubt, increased vulnerability and suspiciousness, poor resistance to stress and emotional instability, then the effect of Afobazol will be more pronounced.
The condition of a person taking Afobazole improves after about a week of regular use of the drug. The following effects are noted:
- anxiety and fear disappear;
- sleep improves;
- relieves nervous tension and psychological discomfort;
- the manifestation of vegetative-somatic disorders decreases;
- attention and memory improves.
Indications
Indications for the use of Afobazole are:
- increased anxiety, mental disorders, worries not associated with any specific subjects and objects, asthenic neuroses, adaptation disorders;
- anxiety disorders caused by various dermatological, oncological, somatic (lupus, hypertension, bronchial asthma, coronary artery disease, arrhythmia, etc.) and other diseases;
- anxiety states observed during VSD (in combination with other measures, since drug therapy for vegetative-vascular dystonia only temporarily relieves symptoms, but does not eliminate disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system);
- sleep disturbances resulting from increased anxiety;
- neurocirculatory dystonia (NCD);
- premenstrual syndrome in women (PMS);
- alcohol withdrawal (alcohol withdrawal syndrome);
- nicotine withdrawal.
Contraindications
There are not many contraindications for Afobazole, but they still exist:
- hypersensitivity or intolerance to the active substance or any of the auxiliary components of the drug;
- galactosemia (galactose intolerance);
- monosaccharide intolerance (glucose-galactose malabsorption);
- lactase deficiency (lactase deficiency);
- age under 18 years;
- pregnancy and lactation period.
Side effects
The list of side effects from taking Afobazole mostly consists of various types of allergic reactions:
- itching of the skin;
- dermatitis;
- hives;
- sneezing;
- rhinitis;
- angiitis, etc.
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and headache may occur.
How to take Afobazol
Afobazole tablets are taken after meals with a glass of clean water. One tablet contains 10 mg of the substance. Per day, according to the instructions for use, you can drink 30 mg. This dose is considered the maximum and should be divided into 3 doses throughout the day.
Figure 2 - How to take Afobzaol correctly
The duration of the therapeutic course is determined solely by the treating specialist. Since Afobazol does not accumulate, there is no addiction or dependence on the drug. That is why on average the therapeutic course lasts from 2-4 weeks. If the patient’s condition reveals the need to adjust the intake of Afobazole, the doctor may prescribe doubling the daily dose (60 mg) and prolonging treatment for up to 3 months. Then a 1-2 week break is required. At this time, the therapeutic effect remains.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding period
Figure 3 — Afobzaol is prohibited for pregnant women
Since there are no reliable clinical studies and data on the effect of Afobazole on the body of a pregnant woman, nursing mother, fetus and child, taking Afobazole is prohibited. During breastfeeding (lactation), since the active component passes into breast milk, it is necessary to consult with the supervising obstetrician-gynecologist and transfer the child to artificial formula.
Alcohol
Figure 4 - Taking alcohol with Afobazol
Instructions for use of Afobazole do not prohibit the consumption of alcohol, which distinguishes it from other tranquilizers. But it is worth remembering that alcoholic drinks have a negative effect on the central nervous system, increasing anxiety, irritability, suspiciousness and symptoms of various diseases.
Analogs
The pharmaceutical market provides a fairly wide range of Afobazole analogs for therapeutic effect. Among these drugs are Fabomotizol, Tenoten, Grandaxin, Stresam, Mebicar, Adaptol, Tranquilar, Novo-Passit, Grandaxin, Persen, Phenibut. Their effectiveness in a particular clinical case can only be assessed by the attending physician. It all depends on the individual tolerance of the active substance and components, the patient’s well-being, the individual characteristics of his body, and the severity of symptoms. Therefore, before buying a medicine at a pharmacy or replacing one with another, consult your doctor.
Figure 5 — Analogs of Afobazole by therapeutic effect
Adaptol, for example, just like Afobazol, is effective, low-toxic, does not cause drowsiness, addiction and, accordingly, withdrawal syndrome. It has a positive effect on cognitive functions and eliminates moderate heart pain that is not related to angina pectoris. Unlike Afobazole, Adaptol is used in pediatrics. It is approved for use by children from 10 years of age.
Tenoten is used as a sedative and nootropic. It strengthens the central nervous system, improves memory and increases concentration, and stimulates the body's resistance to stress. Tenoten, unlike Afobazole, is used to treat children from 3 years of age.
Novo-Passit is used as a muscle relaxant that has a hypnosedative effect. It is prescribed for the treatment of anxiety and psycho-emotional stress. Unlike Afobazole, Novo-Passit is a combination of medicinal plant extracts and guaifenesin. Novo-Passit can be used by children from 12 years of age. However, given the composition of Novo-Passit, adverse reactions in the form of allergies are more pronounced with the drug than with Afobazole.
Another effective analogue of Afobazole is Grandaxin. It is indicated for fairly severe stress, increased and pronounced anxiety, deep depression and panic attacks. Grandaxin can be prescribed during pregnancy, excluding the first trimester. But for such effectiveness you have to pay for a rather large list of side effects.
Persen is a herbal preparation with a targeted sedative effect. It has shown itself well in the treatment of insomnia and increased irritability. Persen normalizes the emotional state and sleep, but it is worth remembering that the plant base can cause a number of side effects (most often allergic reactions). But Persen does not eliminate the cause of the symptoms described above. Whereas Afobazol has a targeted effect.
Phenibut and Afobazole are tranquilizers. Also, Phenibut is a nootropic. It is low-toxic and, unlike Afobazole, is used for the treatment of children over 8 years of age in the prevention of motion sickness, treatment of tics and stuttering.
Afobazole, 10 mg, tablets, for anxiety and stress, 60 pcs.
Pharmstandard, Russia
Price from 324₽
There are contraindications. Specialist consultation is required.
Indications
The drug is prescribed for
- a state of high causeless anxiety;
- asthenic neuroses;
- violations of mental adaptation mechanisms;
- anxiety disorders provoked by serious illnesses, traumatic events and situations;
- somnic disorders with stress causes;
- disorders of the psychoemotional state during PMS in women;
- withdrawal syndrome caused by dependence on nicotine, alcohol;
- impaired concentration under stress.
Depending on the severity of the mental state, the drug is used independently and as part of complex treatment.
Contraindications for Afobazol
Contraindications for Afobazole are:
- hypersensitivity or intolerance to the active substance or any of the auxiliary components of the drug;
- galactosemia (galactose intolerance);
- monosaccharide intolerance (glucose-galactose malabsorption);
- lactase deficiency (lactase deficiency).
The drug is also contraindicated for children and adolescents under 18 years of age , women during pregnancy and women who are breastfeeding .
Side effects and interactions
In the first days of treatment, a reaction from the nervous system is occasionally recorded:
- mild dizziness;
- drowsiness.
After the body adapts to the drug, they disappear on their own. Exceeding recommended doses does not lead to severe intoxication.
With the simultaneous use of Afobazol and Diazepam, the nootropic effect is enhanced. An antiepileptic effect may be observed when used together with Carbamazepine.
Overdose
An overdose of Afobazole (meaning a significant excess of the therapeutic dose) provokes the development of a sedative effect and increased drowsiness, which is not accompanied by a decrease in the tone of skeletal muscle tissue and a decrease in motor activity .
If symptoms of intoxication of the body of caffeine-sodium benzoate 20% solution for injection as emergency aid to the patient The drug should be injected 2-3 times a day.
Afobazole price, where to buy
The cost of Afobazol tablets depends on which city and which pharmacy chain sells this drug.
How much do tablets cost in Russia? Approximate prices: from 342 to 484 rubles. You can buy tablets in online pharmacies for an average of 360-470 rubles. The price of Afobazole in St. Petersburg is 350-450 rubles, in Moscow pharmacies - 330-460 rubles.
The price of Afobazol in Ukraine varies from 295 (in pharmacies in Lviv and Odessa) to 440 (in some pharmacies in Kyiv and Kharkov) UAH.
- Online pharmacies in RussiaRussia
- Online pharmacies in KazakhstanKazakhstan
ZdravCity
- Afobazole for anxiety and stress 10 mg tab.
60 pcs. JSC “Pharmstandard-Leksredstva” 359 rub. order - Afobazole Retard tab. with prolong. vysv. p/o captivity. 30 mg 20 pcsPharmstandard-Leksredstva OJSC
606 rub. order
Pharmacy Dialogue
- Afobazol (tab. 10 mg No. 60) FS.-Leksredstva
RUB 423 order
- Afobazol tablets 10 mg No. 60FS.-Leksredstva
RUB 477 order
- AFOBAZOLE RETARD (long-lasting high-release tablet vol. 30 mg No. 20) FS.-Leksredstva
612 rub. order
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Afobazole and alcohol
The instructions for the drug indicate that it has no effect on the narcotic effect of alcohol (which is why it differs from other tranquilizers that are incompatible with alcohol).
However, before consuming Afobazole with alcohol, you should weigh the pros and cons. After all, the drug is prescribed for a reason, but to relieve symptoms of neurosis and withdrawal syndrome , hormonal disorders in the female body, and normalize the function of internal organs.
Phenibut: compatibility with alcohol for neuroses
Neuroses mean various types of mental disorders that are the result of neuropsychic overload and stress . Since alcoholic beverages inhibit the activity of the central nervous system , some people try to combat such conditions with alcohol.
But if at first this partially gives a positive effect, then excessive alcohol consumption causes poisoning of brain cells , which, in turn, intensifies and aggravates the symptoms of neurosis .
This is especially true in people with severe alcohol dependence. A patient suffering from chronic alcoholism changes his character and behavior, his aggressiveness increases, he becomes touchy and irritable.
Afobazole has a completely opposite effect: that is, it does not inhibit, but, on the contrary, stimulates the activity of the central nervous system , eliminating signs of tension. Thus, by combining the drug with alcohol, you can simply negate its positive effect.
It is also a mistake to believe that Afobazole can be used to treat hormonal disorders in women when drinking alcohol. Alcohol has a toxic effect on the brain and, in particular, on the hypothalamus , which is responsible for the smooth functioning of the elements endocrine system .
That is, the simultaneous use of alcohol and Afobazole will only increase hormonal disorders . Moreover, somewhat dulled after drinking, the symptoms of hormonal disorders, as a rule, later return in an even more pronounced form.
Reviews about Afobazole
Reviews about Afobazole on forums are quite varied. The main advantages are the effectiveness of the drug for anxiety and panic attacks, availability, relatively low price and almost complete absence of side effects (sedative tablets do not cause drowsiness, weakness or addiction). The effect of their use is noted already on days 4-7 of the course of treatment.
A disadvantage in reviews of Afobazole is that the drug has contraindications (that is, it is not suitable for all groups of patients).
As for the reviews of doctors about Afobazole, they allow us to draw the following conclusion: the drug is effective, but only for conditions that are characterized as moderately severe. But with deep depression it is unlikely to help.
