Comparing Adaptol and Afobazol | Determining the best

Update date: 09/17/2020 15:31:12 8530 Share:

Author: Maria Feldshtein

*Review of the best according to the editors of simplerule.ru. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective in nature, does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before purchasing, consultation with a specialist is required.

In modern medicine, neuroses and the consequences of stress are treated not only with psychotherapy. Medications that can relieve anxiety and fear, improve mood, normalize sleep and return a person to normal life come to the rescue. These are drugs from the group of anxiolytics, and today we will compare two such drugs - Adaptol and Afobazol. What is the difference between them, read the article.

Indications for prescribing anxiolytics

According to the official instructions, the drugs Adaptol and Afobazol are prescribed for the treatment of anxiety conditions and neuroses accompanied by irritability, anxiety and fear. These anxiolytics are used only in adult practice. For children under 18 years of age with similar symptoms, other remedies are recommended.

For other indications, anxiolytics differ.

Adaptol is recommended in the following situations:

1. cardialgia (pain in the heart) not associated with ischemic heart disease and other organic causes;
2. nicotine addiction – in complex therapy as a means of reducing cravings for tobacco;
3. when taking antipsychotics and tranquilizers - to improve their tolerability.

Afobazole is prescribed for the following conditions:

1. in complex therapy of various somatic diseases - for example, bronchial asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, arrhythmia;
2. dermatological and oncological diseases;
3. premenstrual syndrome;
4. alcohol withdrawal;
5. cardiopsychoneurosis.

Indications for therapy are determined by the doctor after examining the patient.

Description of Adaptol

The anti-anxiety medicine Adaptol is based on mebicar. It is available in tablet form of 200 and 500 mg. Produced by the famous company Olainfarm in Latvia.

Mebicar is similar to natural human metabolites. It also helps cope with tension and increased irritability.

Acts as a membrane stabilizer and cerebroprotector. Affects all parts of the neurotransmitter system. Has a normosthenic effect. Helps in quitting smoking by easing withdrawal symptoms.

Research and effectiveness

Mebicar affects the emotional zones of the hypothalamus and affects 4 neurotransmitter systems. Has a nootropic effect. Research confirms that Adaptol helps increase coherence and logic of thinking, improve memory and attention.

Due to the fact that neurotic and autonomic disorders are frequent companions to pathologies of the digestive system, anti-anxiety drugs should be considered in the complex therapy of gastrointestinal diseases. Afobazole is a good remedy for this, since it does not have the disadvantages of other tranquilizers and has a high safety profile.

Sources:

1. Mebicar. Encyclopedia of medicines and pharmaceutical products. Radar Patent. Instructions, application and formula.
2. Evaluation of the effectiveness of Adaptol in the complex treatment of patients with diseases of the digestive system in combination with somatoform autonomic dysfunction. Skripnik I.M. 2007.

Contraindications

Adaptol is not used if the active ingredients are intolerant. Prescribed with caution by a doctor when there are disturbances in the functioning of the kidneys and liver. There are certain risks with arterial hypertension, since the drug can lower blood pressure.

There is no wholesale use in pediatrics, so the medicine is not prescribed to children.

The drug does not reduce the rate of reactions, but due to the fact that it can reduce blood pressure, caution must be exercised when operating vehicles and complex mechanisms.

Adaptol penetrates into all fluids and tissues, so its use during pregnancy is highly not recommended. There is not enough data on its use during pregnancy.

Side symptoms

The development of such undesirable symptoms as:

1. drop in blood pressure;
2. dyspeptic manifestations;
3. bronchospasm;
4. allergy;
5. temperature increase by 1-1.5 degrees.

Directions for use and dosage

Adults – 300-500 mg 2-3 times. The course lasts up to 3 months and can be repeated. When treating nicotine addiction, 500-1000 mg is prescribed.

When a doctor decides to prescribe medication to a child after 10 years of age, the dosage is 300-500 mg/day, 250 mg 1-3 times a day.

Adaptol can be combined with antipsychotics, sleeping pills, antidepressants, tranquilizers, and psychostimulant medications.

Who is it suitable for?

Adaptol can be used effectively for anxiety, increased irritability, and emotional instability.

It also helps with withdrawal symptoms when quitting smoking. Supports condition during stress factors.

How do anti-anxiety medications work?

In the medical literature, anxiolytics are also known as tranquilizers. By influencing the central nervous system, they relieve or reduce the severity of anxiety, restlessness, fear and emotional stress.

The mechanism of action of anxiolytics has not been fully elucidated. It is assumed that they reduce the excitability of the subcortical centers of the brain (hypothalamus, thalamus and limbic system). At the cellular level, the effect of different drugs is different, and we will talk about this in more detail.

Adaptol

The drug works through the emotiogenic zones of the hypothalamus. The chemical composition of Adaptol is similar to the body's natural metabolites - its molecule consists of two urea fragments. Once in the body, it affects all major neurotransmitter systems: GABA-, choline-, serotonin- and adrenergic. The drug harmonizes their work and thereby reduces anxiety, worry and fear, and eliminates internal tension.

What you need to know:

1. The calming effect of Adaptol is not accompanied by side reactions characteristic of other similar drugs, such as muscle weakness and impaired coordination of movements.
2. It does not reduce mental and motor activity, so it can be prescribed during the day.
3. Does not cause drowsiness, but enhances the effect of sleeping pills.
4. Improves mood, but does not lead to euphoria.
5. It has a nootropic effect: improves attention and memory, stimulates mental performance.

Afobazole

Afobazole binds to sigma-1 receptors in brain cells, stabilizes the functioning of GABA receptors and restores their sensitivity to mediators - special substances that trigger inhibition processes in the nervous system. It also acts as a neuroprotector: it reduces the permeability of nerve cell membranes, increases their stability and accelerates recovery.

Afobazole works both as an anti-anxiety and a stimulant drug. It reduces or completely eliminates anxiety, relieves emotional tension and irritability, and normalizes sleep. The drug also removes somatic manifestations of anxiety (rapid heartbeat, upset bowel movements, muscle weakness, feeling of shortness of breath, etc.). At the same time, it improves attention and memory.

The effect of the drug is observed after 5-7 days from the start of therapy, reaches a maximum in the 4th week and persists after completion of the course for two weeks.

According to the instructions, Afobazole is most effective in people with asthenic character traits, prone to suspiciousness and anxiety, and emotional lability.

Afobazole

An original anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) drug.

Afobazole is a non-benzodiazepine anxiolytic and has a new mechanism of action: through the sigma receptor system, it is able to activate the natural anti-anxiety defense of nerve cells (“endogenous anxiolysis system”).

Afobazole has a special clinical profile that is different from all other anti-anxiety drugs:

1. the effect develops from the first week of administration and persists after completion of treatment;
2. does not cause daytime sleepiness, dependence and addiction, as well as withdrawal syndrome;
3. has not only an anti-anxiety, but also an activating effect;
4. suitable for the treatment of sleep disorders associated with anxiety, as well as premenstrual syndrome and withdrawal syndrome when quitting smoking;
5. compatible with most other somatotropic drugs, does not interact with ethanol.

Question answer

Is it possible to take Afobazol together with herbal sedatives and glycine?

Afobazole does not interact with herbal sedatives and glycine, so it can be taken together. However, when using combination therapy, you should consult your doctor.

What is the maximum duration of Afobazolm therapy?

Afobazole does not accumulate in the body, does not cause addiction or dependence, which makes it possible to safely carry out long courses of therapy. The duration of a course of drug use is usually 2–4 weeks; if necessary, the duration of treatment can be extended up to 3 months. As a rule, the duration of the course depends on the initial condition, its changes during therapy, concomitant diseases, and the presence of external stress factors. Upon completion of the course of therapy, it is necessary to consult with your doctor to decide on further treatment tactics.

How often can Afobazole courses be repeated? How much break should I take between courses?

Afobazole can be taken without interruption for 3 months. After stopping treatment, the effect of the drug lasts for 1-2 weeks. The duration of breaks between courses of therapy depends on your condition and is determined in each individual case by the attending physician based on the results of an assessment of your condition.

Is Afobazol compatible with alcohol?

The simultaneous use of Afobazole and alcohol is not contraindicated. However, it must be remembered that alcohol can have an adverse effect on the central nervous system, including in the presence of anxiety disorders. In addition, drinking high doses of alcohol is harmful to the body and can increase the symptoms of various diseases.

Hello, is it possible to use Afobazole together with birth control pills?

No interaction between Afobazole and oral contraceptives has been identified; joint use is not contraindicated.

How long before you can plan a pregnancy after stopping the drug?

Afobazole is quickly eliminated from the body. At the same time, after discontinuation of any drug, it is necessary to ensure that the symptoms of the condition for which the drug was prescribed have completely resolved and there is no need to continue treatment with this or any other drug. Therefore, we recommend planning pregnancy no earlier than 2 weeks after discontinuation of the drug.

Tell me, is it possible to take Afobazole during pregnancy? Thank you in advance

During pregnancy, the use of many medications is contraindicated, incl. Afobazole. Despite the fact that, according to experimental studies, Afobazole does not have a negative effect on fetal development in animals, the effects of Afobazole in pregnant women have not been sufficiently studied.

Hello, is it possible to take Afobazole while driving a car?

Afobazole does not have a sedative effect, and also does not cause a deterioration in concentration and speed of psychomotor reactions, therefore it can be taken by people driving vehicles whose activities require increased attention and quick response.

Can the drug be used in children?

According to the approved instructions, Afobazol is not used in children under 18 years of age, because No special studies have been conducted in this category of people.

Hello, is it possible to take Afobazole while taking antidepressants?

The simultaneous use of Afobazole and antidepressants is not contraindicated.

Can the drug help the first time you use it?

The drug Afobazole reduces the severity of anxiety disorders of various origins. The therapeutic effect does not develop immediately, but gradually. And although the first improvement can be felt quite quickly, a noticeable effect occurs on the 5-7th days of treatment. The optimal duration of therapy is 2-4 weeks; if necessary, taking Afobazole can be continued for up to 3 months.

Is it possible to take Afobazol during lactation?

Due to the lack of clinical data on the use of Afobazole during breastfeeding, the drug should not be taken during lactation. If it is necessary to take it, you should consider stopping breastfeeding.

What side effects can Afobazole cause?

Side effects of Afobazole include: allergic reactions; in rare cases, headaches have been described, which usually go away on their own and do not require discontinuation of the drug.

In what cases is the use of Afobazole contraindicated?

Taking Afobazole is contraindicated in case of individual intolerance to the drug, during pregnancy, during breastfeeding, as well as in children under 18 years of age.

Assessing the effectiveness of drugs

The effectiveness of drugs is determined based on the results of clinical studies and practical experience of use.

Adaptol

From the perspective of evidence-based medicine, Adaptol remains a controversial drug. The Cochrane Library contains studies confirming the effectiveness and safety of anxiolytics. There are several articles on the drug in the medical database PubMed, but none of them contain information about large placebo-controlled studies. One of them indicated that Adaptol is effective in asthenoneurotic syndrome against the background of muscular dystonia, but the sample of patients was small, and we cannot rely on these data.

In Russian-language literature, Adaptol is treated differently. Review articles indicate that the drug is used for. Clinical trials have shown that in the second week of therapy, patients’ anxiety decreases and concomitant autonomic disorders go away. Adaptol is also used in some other areas of medicine.

Afobazole

Afobazol, like Adaptol, does not have a serious evidence base. There is no mention in PubMed or the Cochrane Library that placebo-controlled studies have been conducted for the drug. And only in Russian-language literature can you find information about the drug:

Afobazole for neuroses associated with anxiety. A clinical study showed that the effect of the drug develops slowly, with improvement observed by the end of the 4th week of treatment. There are practically no side reactions.

Afobazole itself and for generalized anxiety disorders. The review article shows that long-term use does not reduce the effectiveness of the drug and does not increase the risk of adverse reactions.

Comparison of addiction between Afobazol and Adaptol

Like safety, addiction also involves many factors that must be considered when evaluating a drug.

So, the totality of the values ​​of such parameters as “syndrome o” in Afobazole is quite similar to the similar values ​​in Adaptol. Withdrawal syndrome is a pathological condition that occurs after the cessation of intake of addictive or dependent substances into the body. And resistance is understood as initial immunity to a drug; in this it differs from addiction, when immunity to a drug develops over a certain period of time. The presence of resistance can only be stated if an attempt has been made to increase the dose of the drug to the maximum possible. At the same time, Afobazole has a fairly low “syndrome” value, just like Adaptol.

Application diagram

The treatment regimen for the drugs is similar:

1. Adaptol is prescribed three times a day. The maximum single dosage is 3 g, daily dosage is 10 g. The drug should be taken orally regardless of food intake. The duration of therapy ranges from several days to three months and depends on the clinical picture.
2. Afobazole is prescribed three times a day. The maximum daily dosage is 30 mg. The course of therapy is 2-4 weeks. If necessary, you can increase the duration of treatment to three months.

Comparison of side effects of Afobazole and Adaptol

Side effects or adverse events are any adverse medical event that occurs in a subject after administration of a drug.

Afobazol's side effects are almost the same as Adaptol's. They both have few side effects. This implies that the frequency of their occurrence is low, that is, the indicator of how many cases of an undesirable effect of treatment are possible and registered is low. The undesirable effect on the body, the strength of influence and the toxic effect of Afobazole are similar to Adaptol: how quickly the body recovers after taking it and whether it recovers at all.

A little about the similarities

First, let's see how Afobazol and Adaptol are similar:

• will help with neuroses, stress and other conditions caused by a disorder of nervous regulation;
• are not addictive;
• taking the medication is not accompanied by drowsiness and decreased physical activity;
• enhance the effect of sleeping pills and tranquilizers;
• prohibited during pregnancy and lactation.

Without harm to the ongoing therapy, you can replace Adaptol with Afobazole or other analogues (Phenibut, Grandaxin), but the replacement of the medicine must be carried out by a doctor, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient.