Poorva Chavan
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Written By: Poorva Chavan | Updated : May 16, 2016 12:23 PM IST
Read this in Marathi
Combiflam is one of the most easily available OTC medicines in India and is widely used as a painkiller. It has now been recalled by the manufacturer, Sanofi, after the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation has included the drug on its list of drugs that are not of standard quality or are spurious, adulterated or misbranded for the month of April 2016. According to CDSCO website, the problem with this batch of Combiflam tablets is disintegration which means the tablets do not break down properly in the body.
The batch number of tablets under question is A150682 and was manufactured at the company's Ankleshwar unit. The manufacturing date of the batch is 06/2015, and the date of expiry is 05/2018.
Combiflam is a combination medicine containing Paracetamol and Ibuprofen. It is very commonly used, and people have the habit of popping a Combiflam for a toothache, ear pain, menstrual pain and every other pain. Here's why you should avoid taking a pain killer for menstrual pain?
So if the tablet doesn't disintegrate properly in the body, what will the effects it will have?
Dr Ratan Kumar Vaish,Astha Multi-Specialty Centre, Mumbai, says that when a tablet doesn't disintegrate properly, it's efficacy is reduced and that dose of medicine goes waste. When the efficacy is reduced the medicine becomes ineffective as it will not bring about the desired result. As a result of which many patients will try to consume more amount of the drug.
Dr Vaish pointed out that when the medicine doesn't disintegrate properly in the body, it will not be completely dissolved, and the kidney will have to excrete larger particles of medicine through urine. These large particles can damage the kidney. This can pose a bigger problem for patients with renal disease and patients on dialysis.
He also said that any allopathic medicine has side effects, and more dosage can be harmful if the patient is suffering from diseases like diabetes and hypertension. Dr Vaish says diabetes and hypertension medicines damage the kidneys to a certain extent and an overdose of painkillers like Combiflam can do more damage. He also says that patients with liver cirrhosis and those on long-term steroids can suffer from gastric bleeding if excess dose of Combiflam is taken.
However, if you must take Combiflam, just check the manufacturing date and the batch number on the strip to be on the safer side.
Image source: Shutterstock
