Unifex

Unifex Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Food Interaction and all others data.

Cephalexin is a semisynthetic analogue of Cephalosporin C. It kills bacteria by interfering in the synthesis of the bacterial cell wall. Peptidoglycan is a heteropolymeric structure that provides the cell wall with mechanical stability. The final stage in the synthesis of peptidoglycan involves the completion of the cross-linking and the terminal glycine residue of the Pentaglycine Bridge is linked to the fourth residue of the pentapeptide (d-alanin). The transpeptidase enzyme that performs this step is inhibited by penicillins and cephalosporins. As a result the bacterial cell wall is weakened, the cell swells and then ruptures. Cephalexin is a first generation cephalosporin that is active by mouth.

Cephalexin (also called Cefalexin) is a first generation cephalosporin antibiotic. It is one of the most widely prescribed antibiotics, often used for the treatment of superficial infections that result as complications of minor wounds or lacerations. It is effective against most gram-positive bacteria through its inihibition of the cross linking reaction between N-acetyl muramicacid and N-acetylglucosamine in the cell wall, leading to cell lysis.

The prototypical uricosuric agent. It inhibits the renal excretion of organic anions and reduces tubular reabsorption of urate. Probenecid has also been used to treat patients with renal impairment, and, because it reduces the renal tubular excretion of other drugs, has been used as an adjunct to antibacterial therapy.

Probenecid is a uricosuric and renal tubular blocking agent and is used in combination with colchicine to treat chronic gouty arthritis when complicated by frequent, recurrent acute attacks of gout. It inhibits the reabsorption of urate at the proximal convoluted tubule, thus increasing the urinary excretion of uric acid and decreasing serum urate levels. Effective uricosuria reduces the miscible urate pool, retards urate deposition, and promotes resorption of urate deposits. At the proximal and distal tubles, probenecid competitively inhibits the secretion of many weak organic acids including penicillins, most cephalosporins, and some other β-lactam antibiotics. This results in an increase in the plasma concentrations of acidic drugs eliminated principally by renal secretion, but only a slight increase if the drug is eliminated mainly by filtration. Thus, the drug can be used for therapeutic advantages to increase concentrations of certain β-lactam antibiotics in the treatment of gonorrhea, neurosyphilis, or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

Unifex
Uses
Dosage
Side Effect
Precautions
Interactions
Uses during Pregnancy
Uses during Breastfeeding
Accute Overdose
Food Interaction
Half Life
Volume of Distribution
Clearance
Interaction With other Medicine
Contradiction
Storage

Trade Name	Unifex
Generic	Cephalexin + Probenecid
Type	Capsule, Tablet
Therapeutic Class
Manufacturer	Bestochem Formulations India Ltd
Available Country	India
Last Updated:	September 19, 2023 at 7:00 am

Uses

Cephalexin is used for the treatment of the following infections when caused by susceptible organisms.

Respiratory tract infections: Acute and chronic bronchitis and infected bronchiectasis.
Genito-urinary tract infections: Acute and chronic nephritis, cystitis, urethritis and prostatitis, prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections.
Skin and soft tissue infections: Caused by staphylococci and/or streptococci.
Ear, Nose and Throat infections: Otitis media, mastoiditis, sinusitis, follicular tonsillitis and pharyngitis.
Bone infections: Caused by staphylococci and/or P. mirabilis.

Probenecid is a medication used to treat gouty arthritis, tophaceous gout, and hyperuricemia.

For the reduction of serum uric acid concentrations in chronic gouty arthritis and tophaceous gout in patients with frequent disabling gout attacks. Has also been effectively used to promote uric acid excretion in hyperuricemia secondary to the administration of thiazide and related diuretics.

Unifex is also used to associated treatment for these conditions: Bone Infection, Genitourinary tract infection, Otitis Media (OM), Respiratory Tract Infections (RTI), Skin and skin structure infections, Acute ProstatitisBacterial Infections, Chronic Gouty Arthritis, Elevated Serum Uric Acid, Gout Chronic, Hyperuricemia, Infection

How Unifex works

Cephalexin is a first generation cephalosporin antibiotic. Cephalosporins contain a beta lactam and dihydrothiazide. Unlike penicillins, cephalosprins are more resistant to the action of beta lactamase. Cephalexin inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis, leading breakdown and eventualy cell death.

Probenecid inhibits the tubular reabsorption of urate, thus increasing the urinary excretion of uric acid and decreasing serum urate levels. Probenecid may also reduce plasma binding of urate and inhibit renal secretion of uric acid at subtherapeutic concentrations. The mechanism by which probenecid inhibits renal tubular transport is not known, but the drug may inhibit transport enzymes that require a source of high energy phosphate bonds and/or nonspecifically interfere with substrate access to protein receptor sites on the kidney tubules.

Dosage

Unifex dosage

Adult:

The usual dose is 250 mg to 500 mg every 6 hour.
For skin and soft tissue infections, streptococcal pharyngitis and uncomplicated cystitis, in patients over 15 years of age: 500 mg of the drug may be administered every 12 hour.
In severe or deep seated infections the dose can be increased up to 3 g to 6 g daily.

Children: The dosage range is 25-100 mg/kg/day in divided doses to a maximum of 4 g dailyChildren's Weight Recommended Dose:

10 kg (22 Ibs):62.5 mg to 125 mg qid or 125 mg to 250 mg bid
20 kg (44 Ibs):125 mg to 250 mg qid or 250 mg to 500 mg bid
40 kg (88 Ibs):250 mg to 500 mg qid or 500 mg to 1 g bid

For streptococcal pharyngitis, skin and soft tissue infections and in patients over 1 year of age the total daily dose may be divided and administered every 12 hour. In the therapy of otitis media 75-100 mg/kg/day in four divided doses may be required. In the treatment of β haemolytic streptococcal infections a therapeutic dosage of the drug should be given at least for 10 days.

Side Effects

Side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal discomfort. Symptoms of pseudomembranous colitis may appear either during or after antibiotic treatment. Skin rash, angio oedema, rise in serum aminotransferases, eosinophilia, neutropenia have been reported very rarely. Superinfection with resistant micro organisms, particularly candida may follow the treatment.

Toxicity

Symptoms of overdose include blood in the urine, diarrhea, nausea, upper abdominal pain, and vomiting. An overdose is generally managed through supportive treatment as diuresis, dialysis, hemodialysis, and charcoal hemoperfusion are not well studied in this case.

The oral median lethal dose of cephalexin in rats is >5000 mg/kg. The oral LD50 in a monkey is >1g/kg and the lowest dose causing a toxic effect in humans is 14mg/kg.

Cephalexin has not been shown to be harmful in pregnancy and is not associated with teratogeniticy. Cephalexin is present in breast milk, though infants may be exposed to Label The effects of breast milk exposure to cephalexin have not been established and so caution must be exercised and the risk and benefit of cephalexin use in breastfeeding must be weighed.

Cephalexin has not been studied for carcinogenicity or mutagenicity. Cephalexin has no affect on fertility in rats.

Precaution

Cefalexin should be given with caution in patients with renal impairment. Under such condition, careful clinical observation should be made because safe dosage may be lower than the usually recommended. The urine of patients receiving Cefalexin may give a false positive reaction for glucose with copper reduction reagent. Positive results to Coombs’ test have been reported. Although there is no evidence of teratogenicity in animal tests, Cefalexin may be used during pregnancy when it is considered essential. Cefalexin is found in the milk of nursing mothers, hence caution should be taken when it is administered to nursing mothers.

Volume of Distribution

5.2-5.8L.

Elimination Route

Well absorbed from the upper gastrointestinal tract with nearly 100% oral bioavailability. Cephalexin is not absorbed in the stomach but is absorbed in the upper intestine.

Patients taking 250mg of cephalexin reach a maximum plasma concentration of 7.7mcg/mL and patients taking 500mg reach 12.3mcg/mL.

Half Life

The half life of cephalexin is 49.5 minutes in a fasted state and 76.5 minutes with food though these times were not significantly different in the study.

6-12 hours

Clearance

Clearance from one subject was 376mL/min.

Elimination Route

Cephalexin is over 90% excreted in the urine after 6 hours by glomerular filtration and tubular secretion with a mean urinary recovery of 99.3%. Cephalexin is unchanged in the urine.

Excreted principally in the urine as monoacyl glucuronide and unchanged drug. Alkalinization of urine increases renal probenecid excretion.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding use

Pregnancy Category B. Cefalexin may be used during pregnancy when it is considered essential. Cefalexin is found in the milk of nursing mothers, hence caution should be taken when it is administered to nursing mothers.