Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Sulindac (generic for Clinoril)

Our today's topic is arthritis and NSAIDs. Human joints have to do a lot of work every day, gradually getting worn out. Heredity comes into play, too, as gout, etc may be inherited through generations in the family. People really suffer from different forms of arthritis that include rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis (found in the spine). The pain caused by stiffness and inflammation sometimes may become unbearable. What can help? Among other ways of treatment, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-infammatory drugs) can be administered.

Mylan Pharmaceuticals manufactures a range of NSAIDs. One of these drugs is Sulindac (generic version of the well-known brand Clinoril). The medication is used to relieve the inflammation, swelling, and joint pain caused by different form of arthritis, bursitis, tendinitis, and other types of pain. It is available as 150mg and 200mg round yellow-colored pills indexed with 'MYLAN' letters and the numbers 427 and 531 respectively. Sulindac pill dosages are aptly determined for different cases of treatment. E.g., rheumatoid arthritis is normally treated with 150mg doses taken two times a day while acute painful shoulder (subacromial bursitis / supraspinatus tendinitis) usualyy requires higher Sulindac dosages of 200mg taken twice daily.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Omeprazole (Prilosec)

Among various stomach drug available nowadays, Omeprazole (also marketed under the brand name Prilosec) is perhaps the most popular and widely used all around the world. Brand names may differ, they can also appear and disappear, generic names remain in time and do not vary from country to country. The story with Omeprazole is very indicative in this sense.

The medication was initially marketed in the United States under the trade name Losec as early as 1989. But the brand name sounded so much like Lasix (generic Furosemide) that the FDA demanded to change it in order to prevent possible confusion. As a result, Losec became Prilosec. However, the generic name was not affected, and now we may come across a number of different brands that include: Antra, Audazol, Ceprandal, Demeprazol, Dudencer, Emeproton, Gastrimut, Mepral, Ocid, Osiren, Parizac, Prilosec Otc, Ramezol, Sanamidol, Ulceral, Victrix, Zepral, etc, but all of them contain the same Omeprazole as the active substance. Omeprazole lowers the level of acid produced in the stomach. So, all of these brands are used to treat symptoms of conditions caused by excess stomach acid, especially gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Mylan Pharmaceuticals markets the medication under its generic name, Omeprazole. Mylan's Omeprazole is available as green colored capsules indexed "Mylan 5211" and "Mylan 6150" (10mg and 20mg in strenth respectively).

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Fexofenadine HCl (generic Allegra)

We launched this blog one month ago with a little notice about Fexofenadine Hydrochloride, comparing it to Allegra. The latter, perhaps, is better known and more popular, but the point is that we often have to overpay for such popularity. In fact, Fexofenadine HCl and Allegra are the very same substances, but the brand name of Allegra is copyrighted, that is why it costs more than Fexofenadine HCl. Much more. Why pay more if you can get the same result for less money? Mylan's generic variation of Allegra, called Fexofenadine hydrochloride, relieves symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis as perfectly as Allegra made by a different manufacturer. Mylan Fexofenadine HCl pills are easily recognized by their bright blue color, though their shapes can be different (round, as in case with 30mg strength, and oblong, as in case with 180mg). In adults and children aged 12 and older, the recommended dose of Fexofenadine HCl is 180 mg once daily, or 60 mg taken twice during the day. The medication is also used to treat uncomplicated skin manifestations of chronic idiopathic urticaria in adults and children of 6 months and older.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Clonidine (Catapres)

Another medication which is used for the treatment of hypertension is called Catapres. It is a well-known brand name all over the world although the medication can be found under other names, too. What would you say about Duraclon? The same. They are both the same substance marketed under different names in different areas by different manufacturers. What is of more importance, it is the active ingredient in the drug - the substance that makes it effective. And often, this substance's name is the generic's name. In Catapres and Duraclon, the name of the active substance is Clonidine. And Mylan's generic version of Catapres is marketed as Clonidine.

In brief, Clonidine is a drug that is used to treat high blood pressure. It helps blood vessels relax, so that blood could flow more easily through them and heart could work with less load. But Clonidine is used for other purposes, too, even for those that are not approved by the FDA. Painful menstrual periods, menopausal flushing, diabetic diarrhea, Tourette's Syndrome, ADHD, postherpetic neuralgia, ulcerative colitis, withdrawal symptoms from dependence on narcotics, alcohol, or nicotine (smoking) - all of these unpleasant conditions can be relieved by means of using Clonidine.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Mylan's Hydrochlorothiazide

Hydrochlorothiazide is a rather long name. The drug is better known under various brand names that include Apo-Hydro, Aquazide H, Dichlotride, Esidrex, Hydrodiuril, HydroSaluric, Microzide, and Oretic. But when we speak of Mylan generics, we more commonly use the medication index - e.g. Mylan 810. Mylan's 12.5 mg capsules with hydrochlorothiazide have these letters and numbers imprinted on them. The medictaion is used to to treat high blood pressure and swelling caused by fluid retention or edema (extra liquid in the body) in patients suffering from congestive heart failure, cirrhosis of the liver, or kidney disorders. So, it is a diuretic which can be used for the treatment of hypertension.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Indomethacin (Indocin)

Indomethacin is marketed under various brand names that include Indocin, Indocid, Indochron E-R, and Indocin-SR. But, like in case with other medications, Mylan Pharmaceuticals manufactures the generic version of the drug, so it is called Indomethacin. Mylan's Indomethacin is available in green-colored capsules of 25 and 50 mg in strength. Indomethacin belongs to the group of NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), and is used to treat fever, pain, and
swelling - mainly in patients suffering from different forms of arthritis, to reduce fever and pain associated with malignant tumors, and also as a pain-killer for headaches, and menstrual cramps. 25mg oral dose of Indomethacin is said to be as effective as 300mg Aspirin.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Mylan's Loperamide Hydrochloride

Among hydrochloride salts manufactured by Mylan Pharmaxeuticals we find Loperamide Hydrochloride. This medication is well-known under its generic name. Mylan produces the drug in the form of brown-colored capsules indexed with the number 2100. Loperamide HCl is used to treat diarrhea. Each pill contains 2mg of Loperamide HCl.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Generics & Brands

Most of drugs are available as brands and generics. After all, what is the difference? Is the drug marketed under a famous brand name really better than its generic analogue? Comparing their prices, one may jump to conclusion that brands are better, as a quality product has to be more expensive... But why do brands cost more? The answer is very easy. It takes time to make a new medication. Pharmaceutical companies invest lots of money into developing new formulas and improving the old ones. Then, advertising and promotion... It costs pretty sums of money, too. When a company at last gets a new drug, it wants to make the invested money work. It wants to make some profit. Therefore brands cannot usually be cheap. At least, in their first years on the market. And the companies' rights are guarded by licence agreements. Even if another company learns the formula and technology of manufacturing the drug, it is not able to start selling the medication of her own without violating the law...

But there is a way out! When a brand name cannot be used, and the licence for using it costs too much, a generic form of the medication can be produced and put on the market.

What is a generic name? It is usually the name of the active substance in the drug. It may be not so well-known and popular as the brand name, but it is the very same matter with the very same properties. With the only slight difference: this name is not usually protected by copyright. Really, what copyright can be found about international names of chemical substances, such as fexofenadine hydrochloride? You have never heard of such word combination? Perhaps, Allegra speaks louder? Well, in fact, they are the same medicine used to treat seasonal allergic rhinitis! Apart from their names (the generic and the brand one), the only difference between them is the price. The very same packet of pills bought as Allegra will cost nearly twice as much as the packet of Fexofenadine Hydrochloride!

We are staring this blog to make you more familiar with some products by Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., an American company founded in 1961 and famous now for its high-quality generic versions of well-known brands (that include Fexofenadine HCl, too! :)