Persen's composition looks "frivolous". It contains only three plant components: familiar, tried, harmless, and soft. These are valerian, lemon balm and mint. Should I expect any side effects when taking this medication? Most people do not actually experience them, but in rare cases they are possible.
Read information about the side effects of Persen. If you have them, you will immediately understand what they are and will be able to react to them correctly.
Express test:
Take a comprehensive sleep test
Composition and release form
The drug is available in the form of tablets with a soluble coating. They are round, convex on both sides, and brown in color. Packaged in paper packaging with 1-8 foil blisters. Each contains 10 tablets.
The main substances are plant extracts: lemon balm, mint and valerian. Auxiliary components: talc, potato starch, magnesium stearate, lactose, silicon dioxide, crospovidone.
The soluble shell of the tablet form of the drug contains: sucrose, glycerin, calcium carbonate, brown dye, povidone, sodium carboxymethylcellulose.
Valerian
The plant is known as a sedative:
Calms;
Relieves nervousness;
“Muffles” emotions.
Biologically active substances from it reduce the activity of the cerebral cortex, which creates the listed effects.
It is valerian, as the main component of the drug, that sets the duration of action of Persen. The calming effect does not begin quickly: within 1-1.5 hours after administration, but it remains stable for the next few hours (about 4-5 hours).
Valerian also acts as an antispasmodic - it relaxes smooth muscles. In particular, due to this, it enhances the secretion of bile.
Express test:
Take a comprehensive sleep test
What is Persen medicine for?
The following indications for the use of a sedative are distinguished:
- Neuroses characterized by anxiety, severe anxiety, agitation and sleep disturbances, when there are no compelling reasons for prescribing potent drugs.
- Vegetovascular dystonia.
- The time period after patients discontinue potent sedatives.
- Prevention of symptoms of psychoemotional disorders among people exposed to stressful situations.
Drowsiness
This is an uncommon side effect of Persen, but there is a corresponding disclaimer in the instructions. The morning after taking the drug (this especially applies to Persen Night and Forte, which contain a high content of valerian), the following are possible:
- Difficulty waking up;
- Slight disorientation;
- Distraction of attention.
Therefore, people engaged in responsible activities should take the drug with caution. If you are an operator or dispatcher, if you drive in the morning, you do not need to take Persen (especially for the first time in your life or after a long break) or increase its dose. It is only allowed if you have been taking it for a long time and know that the drug will not affect your activity in the morning and throughout the day.
Contraindications
The following contraindications are determined for taking the drug:
- Pathologies of the biliary tract - cholangitis, stone formation.
- Low pressure level.
- Fructose and lactose intolerance.
- Poor absorption of glucose and galactose.
- Individual intolerance to the components of the drug.
- The period of breastfeeding and childbearing.
- Children under 12 years of age.
Prescribe a sedative with caution to persons with gastroesophageal reflux.
Allergy
Plant components are a protein foreign to the human body, that is, a potential allergen. Less than 0.1% of people may have an allergic reaction to the components of Persen. It is manifested by one or more of the following symptoms:
- The appearance of skin rashes;
- Itchy skin;
- Swelling of the face, eyelids;
- Facial redness;
- Difficulty breathing;
- Nausea, vomiting.
If you have such adverse reactions to Persen (especially for the first time in your life), do the following:
- Stop taking the drug;
- Take an antiallergic drug (suprastin, claritin, etc.);
- Contact an allergist and undergo the necessary examinations. The doctor will identify the current allergens, and you will know which drugs and foods to avoid in the future. This is important: if people are allergic to some herbs, people often have cross-allergies to other plants.
How to take Persen
According to the attached instructions, the drug is intended for oral administration; the tablets are washed down with the required volume of water.
The dosage for adult patients and children over 12 years of age is 3 tablets up to 3 times a day.
To combat insomnia, it is recommended to use no more than 3 tablets at a time before going to bed, half an hour to an hour before going to bed. The maximum permissible dose per day is 12 tablets.
Long-term use of the medicine is prohibited. You should not drink Persen for more than 6 weeks.
After completion of the treatment course, signs characteristic of drug withdrawal are not recorded.
Persen
Persen from the Slovenian pharmaceutical is a patented combined herbal remedy that has a sedative effect. Natural sedatives are one of the main attributes of the recently popular trend towards naturalization of the healing process. According to a WHO survey, about 80% of the world’s population prefer “natural products” to medicines. And the patient’s high trust in the treatment method used can significantly increase the effectiveness of the latter. Persen contains three plant extracts: valerian, lemon balm and peppermint. Valerian extract has long gained fame as a sedative. The conducted studies indicate that the action of valerian is aimed at stimulating GABAergic mediation. This is due to a decrease in the reflex reactivity of the central nervous system with a simultaneous increase in the processes of neuronal inhibition. Such qualities of valerian make it possible to use it as a sedative for excessive nervous excitement. Valerian has a positive effect on sleep, increasing its quality. Moreover, it is absolutely non-toxic and even in high doses does not cause surges in blood pressure. The list of adverse events that can be observed when taking valerian is limited to allergic reactions. The second “whale” on which the sedative effect of persen is based is lemon balm. Which, in itself having a sedative effect, potentiates that of valerian, which makes these two plants a truly “shock” combination used in many sedative herbal preparations.
Scientists suggest that the effect of lemon balm on the central nervous system is mediated by its interaction with acetylcholinesterase in the brain and suppression of the activity of muscarinic and nicotinic receptors in the cerebral cortex. The last member of this natural sedative triumvirate is peppermint, which has a wide range of uses: this plant object is used as an antispasmodic, sedative, vasodilator and analgesic. There is information that peppermint in the form of essential oil eliminates nervous tension, increases vitality, and relieves stress. Persen is widely used in pediatric practice because dThis drug is considered “pure”, not containing synthetic products and ethyl alcohol. Its use can be successfully combined with almost any psychotropic drug. The undeniable advantage of Persen is its good tolerability, which sets it apart from other drugs used to correct sleep disorders and anxiety conditions.
Persen is available in tablets and capsules (in the latter case, the drug contains a larger amount of valerian and “forte” is added to its name). It is recommended to take this medication 2-3 tablets 2-3 times a day (for increased excitability) and 2-3 tablets 1 hour before going to bed for insomnia. For children, the optimal dose is selected by the doctor. Capsules are taken in slightly smaller quantities: 1-2 at a time.
Reviews
Karina P .: “My child started school at the age of six and learning was difficult for him. He became irritable, aggressive, couldn’t cope with tasks, and eventually stopped sleeping at night. The doctor prescribed him Persen one tablet in the evening. About a week after the start of treatment, sleep was restored and the child gradually became calmer. Now he has no problems with mood or behavior.”
Doctor's review : “During the period of active growth and development, children often experience problems in the emotional sphere of the psyche. This does not always fit into any psychiatric diagnosis. More often, such a child can be helped with the help of a herbal sedative outside of a hospital setting. Persen works well against childhood irritability and insomnia, but dosages must be strictly observed, since there are known cases of the development of depression of consciousness and a persistent decrease in blood pressure due to an overdose of Persen.”
Content
Instructions for use PERSEN®
Sedative and hypnotic drug of plant origin.
The drug Persen® contains dry extracts of valerian (Valeriana officinalis L.), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) and peppermint (Mentha piperita L.).
The main active components of valerian root are the essential oil with monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and less volatile sesquiterpene carboxylic acids (valeric acid and derivatives), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamine, arginine and lignans.
The main active components of lemon balm leaves are essential oil with monoterpene aldehydes (geranial, neral and citronellal), flavonoids, monoterpene glycosides, hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives (caffeic and chlorogenic acids, rosmarinic acid), as well as triterpenes.
The main active components of peppermint leaves are menthol essential oil, various flavonoids, phenolic acids, and triterpenes.
The mechanism of action of these herbs is not fully explained.
Valerian root has a sedative effect and also improves the quality and duration of sleep. The active substances contained in valerian root have demonstrated affinity for GABA-A receptors, adenosine receptors, as well as barbiturate and benzodiazepine receptors. The sedative effect is enhanced by the high concentration of glutamine in the aqueous extract, while the lignan hydroxypinoresinol exhibits affinity for serotonin receptors.
The active substances of lemon balm leaves have a sedative and laxative effect, which has been confirmed in in vivo studies. Lemon balm leaves are traditionally used in herbal remedies that have a sedative and hypnotic effect.
The active substances of peppermint leaves have an antispasmodic effect on the smooth muscles of the digestive tract:
- they also have choleretic and laxative effects. Peppermint leaf is traditionally used together with valerian root in sedative herbal remedies.
The effect of the combination of valerian, lemon balm and peppermint is complementary. The combination has a mild sedative effect and is intended to relieve symptoms of temporary nervous tension (as a daily sedative for nervous tension, anxiety, increased excitability) and/or temporary sleep disturbance.
According to WHO recommendations, the level of evidence of effectiveness can be classified as type IIb (class B).
addictive
Persen is addictive. Please note that addiction is not synonymous with drug dependence. It's just a gradual decrease in effectiveness and the need to increase the dose. This phenomenon is noted by approximately every third of the people who take Persen for a long time. The annotation states that the drug should not be taken for longer than 1.5 months. Otherwise, there is a possibility of addiction to Persen.
However, if you get used to it, it’s okay. Just stop the drug for 1-2 months, and sensitivity to the components of the drug will be restored.
Use of sedatives in children
Children are subject to stress to a much greater extent than parents realize. Before the age of 5, a child is not yet fully aware of what is happening around him. At this time, the development of depression is impossible, since children do not fix their attention on problems. They may scream and cry if they don't like something and then quickly forget about it.
For the first time, the threat of developing depressive and anxiety states arises at the age of 6-7 years. A child goes to school, where a new environment, new people, and a heavy workload await him. Parents often believe that children's problems are trifles that are not worth paying attention to. In fact, even a small stressful situation can harm a child's psyche at this age.
Another dangerous period for the development of mental disorders is adolescence. Children often become irritable, get into conflicts, and have trouble sleeping. All this is a direct indication for the prescription of a sedative. In addition, sedatives can be used in stressful situations in children, starting from early school age. Preschoolers are prescribed such drugs when they have problems sleeping.
