Mefenamic Acid Capsules Research Articles

The Efficacy and Safety of Leard-Ngam Remedy Powder versus Mefenamic Acid for Relieving Primary Dysmenorrhea

Background: Primary dysmenorrhea refers to uterine contractions and pain during menstruation. Leard-ngam remedy (LG) is listed as a Thai Herbal Medicine Product for the treatment of the menstrual period. Objective: To study the efficacy and side effects of LG compared with mefenamic acid (MFA) for reducing menstrual pain in primary dysmenorrhea. Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted at Thammasat University Hospital in women diagnosed with primary dysmenorrhea. The numerical rating scale (NRS) was used for the pain score assessment, which was scaled from 0 to 10. The LG group received two capsules of 1 g, three times a day before meals for three days. The MFA group received two capsules of 500 mg, three times a day after meals for three days. Matching placebo capsules before and after meals were to be taken the same way as the LG and MFA capsules. Both groups started from the first day of menstruation and were told to repeat the same treatment for the subsequent two menstrual cycles. Results: Eighty-nine participants were enrolled, with 45 in the LG group and 44 in the MFA group. The groups had similar baseline demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics. Both drugs reduced menstrual pain when given for the first three days of the menstrual cycle. The mean pain scores in the first three months, as M1 to 3, were 5.22, 3.38, and 1.76 in the LG group versus 5.00, 4.16, and 2.24 in the MFA group on the first-, second-, and third-day period, respectively. They were not significantly different, and pain recurred when both drugs were stopped. Conclusion: LG was effective and well tolerated in young women with primary dysmenorrhea.

The effect of Citrus aurantium L. flower extract on the severity of primary dysmenorrhoea: a double-blind, randomised, controlled clinical trial

PurposeThis study aimed to assess the effect of Citrus aurantium L. flower on the distance between two cycles, physical activity, days of bleeding, and intensity of dysmenorrhoea (primary objectives), and complications of interventions or adverse effects (secondary purpose). MethodsThis double-blind, randomised controlled clinical trial was conducted on 105 girls (15–20 years old) with primary dysmenorrhoea. In the intervention cycles, from the first to the third day, participants received 250 mg C. aurantium flower hydro-alcoholic extract capsule, Mefenamic acid (MA) capsule, or placebo three times a day based on the study groups. ResultsThe results showed that the severity of dysmenorrhoea in the groups consuming C. aurantiumflower and MA was significantly lower than that before the intervention and compared to the placebo group (P< 0.001), which this reduction in the severity of pain in the C. aurantium flower group was also significantly higher than that of the MA group (P< 0.001) at the first and second days. ConclusionC. aurantium flower had higher efficacy and satisfaction rate and lower side effects in reducing the severity of primary dysmenorrhoea compared to MA.

Drug-drug interaction of ciprofol injectable emulsion with mefenamic acid capsules in healthy subjects.

To investigate the drug-drug interaction (DDI) of ciprofol injectable emulsion and mefenamic acid capsules in healthy subjects. Twenty healthy subjects were enrolled in this single-centre, open-label, two-period DDI study. Ciprofol (0.4mg kg-1 ) was administered as a single dose on days 1 and 5. A 500-mg oral loading dose of mefenamic acid was given on day 4 followed by a 250-mg maintenance dose every 6h (a total of eight doses). Blood samples for pharmacokinetic analyses were collected. Depth of anaesthesia was monitored using the Modified Observer's Assessment of Alertness and Sedation (MOAA/S) scale and Bispectral Index scores (BISs). Compared with administration of ciprofol alone, administration with mefenamic acid showed no significant difference in exposure. The geometric mean ratios (GMRs) and their 90% confidence intervals (CIs) for maximum plasma concentration (Cmax ), area under the plasma concentration-time curve calculated from 0 to the last measurement point (AUC0-last ) and AUC to infinity (AUC0-inf ) were 91.6% (86.5-96.9%), 103.3% (100.3-106.4%) and 107.0% (101.2-113.2%), respectively. The MOAA/S and BIS curves for the two treatment periods essentially coincided, indicating that the anaesthesia effect of ciprofol was not affected by mefenamic acid. Seven subjects (35%) reported eight adverse events (AEs) when ciprorol was administered alone and 12 subjects (60%) reported 18 AEs when ciprofol was administered in combination with mefenamic acid. All AEs were mild. Mefenamic acid, a UGT1A9 inhibitor, had no significant effect on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ciprofol in healthy subjects. Ciprofol was safe and well tolerated when administered with mefenamic acid.

Comparison of effect of auriculotherapy and mefenamic acid on the severity and systemic symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea: a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundPrimary dysmenorrhea (PD) is the most common complaint in young women and adolescents. Side effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can limit their use. Therefore, non-pharmacological pain relief methods such as auriculotherapy may play an important role in PD management. This study was conducted to compare the effect of auriculotherapy and mefenamic acid on the severity and systemic symptoms of PD.MethodsIn a randomized clinical trial, 83 students were randomized into two groups. In the auriculotherapy group, electrical stimulation of the ear was conducted once a week for two menstrual cycles. In each cycle close to menstruation, ear seeds were inserted on pressure points to be pressed in times of pain. In the mefenamic acid group, subjects took mefenamic acid capsules upon seeing the initial symptoms of menstruation until the pain reduces. The primary outcomes were mean pain intensity and systemic symptoms associated with it. Pain intensity was measured through the visual analog scale (VAS) and the verbal multidimensional scoring system (VMS). Systemic symptoms were assessed using VMS, as well as the yes/no question form.ResultsMean pain intensity with the VAS was significantly lower in the auriculotherapy group than the mefenamic acid group in the first and second cycles of intervention. There was a significant difference in VMS grade between both groups during the second cycle of intervention. In terms of the systemic symptoms in the second cycle of intervention, no subjects had dysmenorrhea grade 3 (common systemic symptoms) in the auriculotherapy group. Whereas in the mefenamic acid group, 16.7% of the subjects still had dysmenorrhea grade 3. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the frequency of systemic symptoms of PD. There was a significant decrease in the frequency of fatigue and diarrhea in both groups. However, there was a significant reduction in the frequency of nausea, headache, and anger in the auriculotherapy group.ConclusionMean pain intensity with the VAS was lower with the auriculotherapy. Also, 65.9% of auriculotherapy group subjects were in the dysmenorrhea grades 0 and 1. Therefore, auriculotherapy is recommended because of its fewer complications and more effect on PD.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov IRCT20181207041873N1. Registered on February 24, 2019. https://en.irct.ir/user/trial/35967/view

Effectiveness of Homeopathic Treatment for Abnormal Uterine Bleeding: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is a major health problem for many women. Homeopathy is one of the treatments for this disease. Objectives: This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of homeopathic Ipecacuanha (Ipecac) in the treatment of bleeding, pain, and in the quality of life in patients with AUB compared to the control group. Methods: This double blind randomized clinical trial study was performed on women aged 35-55 years with AUB in Tehran, Iran during the years 2017-2018. In this study, patients were assigned to first group: 25 patients with routine treatment (mefenamic acid capsule) + homeopathic “Ipecac” and second group: 25 patients with mefenamic acid + placebo. Pictorial Blood Loss Assessment Chart (PBAC) score, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) questionnaire, and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) were utilized to assess bleeding, pain, and quality of life, respectively. Results: This study was performed on 50 women with AUB. In this study, the two groups were similar in demographic characteristics. The results showed that despite the relative improvement in PBAC score, duration of bleeding, and depression score in the homeopathic treatment group, this decrease was not statistically significant. The homeopathic treatment group compared to the control group showed more improvement in pain score, physical symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction, and mental health. Conclusion: Considering the efficacy of homeopathic “Ipecac” in reducing pain and increasing the quality of life of women with AUB in this study, it can be suggested in AUB without the complication of this treatment.

Efficacy of Mefenamic acid and Ginger on Pain Relief in Primary Dysmenorrhea Among Basic Sciences Students of Nepalgunj Medical College

Introduction: Primary dysmenorrhea has been reported as the most common cause of regular absenteeism among young women. Pain affects daily activities and quality of life. The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy between mefenamic acid (Meftal) and ginger capsules (Remezy) among Basic Sciences Students of Nepalgunj Medical College (NGMC), Chisapani. Adverse effects, if any, were also observed in both Meftal and ginger groups.&#x0D; Methodology: This was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted from July 2018 to February 2019. Out of 104 students, 87 were suffering menstrual pain. These 87 individuals received Mefenamic acid (Meftal) 500mg twice a day for three days and the same 87 individuals, in their next month of period, took ginger capsules (Remezy) 500mg twice daily for three days. Medication was started on the first day of their menstruation. The severity of pain before and after the medication was recorded with the help of a multi-dimensional scoring system (MSS). All the data were directly entered into SPSS 20.0 and compiled, analyzed and expressed in tables and charts.&#x0D; Results: Out of 104, 87 (83.7%) students had experienced menstrual pain. The mean±S.D age of the students was 19.64±1.02 while the mean±S.D menarche age was 13.21±1.01. The pain severity of dysmenorrhea was significantly reduced (p&lt;0.05) with both meftal and ginger intake in both the first and second months consecutively. However, a comparison of efficacy between the two medications showed no statistically significant difference (p&gt;0.05). Adverse effects were found to be significantly higher in students receiving meftal tablets. &#x0D; Conclusion: A high proportion of students had dysmenorrhea. Similar efficacy of ginger and meftal was observed with minimal adverse effects in ginger. Findings suggest the need for educating students on appropriate and effective management of dysmenorrhea.

The effect of plantain syrup on heavy menstrual bleeding: A randomized triple blind clinical trial

Given the importance of heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), we investigated the effect of plantain syrup on HMB. This randomized clinical trial was performed on 68 women with HMB who were referred to the traditional medicine clinics of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. The intervention group received placebo capsule and plantain syrup, whereas the control group received mefenamic acid capsule and placebo syrup in the first 5 days of menstruation for three menstruation cycles. Patients were asked to complete pictorial blood assessment chart one cycle before the intervention and three intervention cycles. Hemoglobin was measured at the beginning and at the end of the study. The results showed that the bleeding duration and severity diminished in both groups. No significant difference was observed between two groups in severity of bleeding after intervention (Cohen's d = .24), but duration of bleeding in mefenamic acid group was reduced significantly in comparison with plantain group (Cohen's d = .57). Although mean hemoglobin alterations in mefenamic acid group had a significant difference before and after the intervention, there was no significant difference between the two groups in mean hemoglobin alterations postintervention. Plantain syrup could be suggested as a complementary treatment for HMB, but further studies are required.

A double-blind controlled crossover study to investigate the efficacy of salix extract on primary dysmenorrhea

ObjectivesPrimary dysmenorrhea in the absence of pelvic pathology is a common gynecologic disorder affecting the quality of life of women of reproductive age. This study evaluates the effect of salix extract on primary dysmenorrhea. DesignThis study was a randomized crossover clinical trial. SettingThe study population included 96 female students with level two or three of primary dysmenorrhea: 48 students in the treatment group (sequence I) followed by control (sequence II) and 48 students in control group (sequence I) followed by treatment (sequence II). InterventionsThe intervention was salix capsule (400 mg daily) and the active control was mefenamic acid capsule (750 mg daily) as. Main outcomesPain intensity, measured by the visual analog scale (VAS), amount of bleeding, and severity of dysmenorrhea symptoms were outcomes. Generalized estimating equations were used for data analysis. ResultsThe demographic and menstrual characteristics of the students were homogenous between the groups. The results showed that the students in mefenamic acid group had a significantly higher level of VAS than the students in the salix group over time (1.61 ± 0.06, P < 0.001). The estimated odds of the bleeding level in the salix and mefenamic acid group were not significantly different (P = 0.31). In average, 77.39%±16.18 of the students in salix group showed no symptoms followed by 22.18%±14.08 of the students who experienced mild symptoms. Averagely, 44.58%±20.16 of the students in the mefenamic acid group had mild symptoms followed by moderate symptoms (28.12%±15.29). ConclusionsSalix extract significantly decreased dysmenorrhea in comparison to mefenamic acid, as the standard treatment of dysmenorrhea.

Comparison of Intra-Socket Bupivacaine Administration Versus Oral Mefenamic Acid Capsule for Postoperative Pain Management Following Removal of Impacted Mandibular Third Molars

Surgical removal of impacted third molar teeth is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Postoperative pain is a common and predictable occurrence after maxillofacial surgery. This randomized double-blind clinical trial was conducted with a crossover design in which each patient served as his or her own control. Forty-six patients with similar bilateral impacted lower third molars were selected. In each patient, the intervention and control sides of the mandible were randomly determined at the end of surgery. If the removed tooth was in the intervention side, then the patient would receive bupivacaine and a placebo of mefenamic acid. If the impacted tooth was in the control side, then the patient would receive a mefenamic acid capsule and a placebo of bupivacaine. Pain severity was assessed using a visual analog scale. Data were analyzed using paired-sample t test and a P value less than .05 was considered statistically significant. Of 46 participants originally recruited, 43 were included in the present study. The mean postoperative pain score in patients who received bupivacaine was increased to a maximum 4hours, with marked improvements after this time. The mean intensity of pain after administration of bupivacaine was lower than that of mefenamic acid capsules at different time points. Statistical analysis showed a relevant difference in pain intensity between the 2 study groups. The results of the present study showed that local administration of bupivacaine relieves postoperative pain after surgical removal of impacted third molar teeth.

Comparison of Rosemary and Mefenamic Acid Capsules on Menstrual Bleeding and Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Clinical Trial.

Background:Primary dysmenorrhea is the most common complaint of women. Imbalance secretion of prostaglandin from the endometrium during menstruation cycle is effective in primary dysmenorrhea and menstrual bleeding. The aim of this study was to compare rosemary capsule and mefenamic acid on menstrual bleeding and primary dysmenorrhea.Materials and Methods:This randomized double-blinded study was conducted on 82 students with primary dysmenorrhea in the Islamic Azad University of Mashhad in 2016. Participants had moderate dysmenorrhea and normal menstrual bleeding. No intervention was carried out at the two cycles. During the next two cycles, participants were randomly divided into two groups (rosemary and mefenamic acid(. Participants in the intervention group received 250 mg rosemary capsules and the control group received 250 mg mefenamic acid capsules in the first 3 days of menstruation. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to determine the severity of pain and Hingham chart to determine the amount of bleeding in menstruation. Independent t-tests, Mann--Whitney were used for statistical analysis. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:Pain intensity score standard deviation (SD) before and after intervention for rosemary group were 40.39 (11.41) and 23.57 (12.78) (t41 = 9.90, p < 0.001). For the control group, they were 46.75 (13.32) and 28.29 (17.21) (t39 = 9.10, p < 0.001). Menstrual bleeding score (SD) before and after intervention for rosemary group were 55.21 (21.32) and 46.30 (24.16) (t41 = 2.60, p = 0.01). For the control group, they were 51.05 (23.87) and 43.43 (29.47) (t39 = 2.10, p = 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference between the pain severity and menstrual bleeding score SD in these two groups.Conclusions:Rosemary capsules reduce the menstrual bleeding and primary dysmenorrhea the same as mefenamic acid capsules.

Therapeutic Effects of Standardized Formulation of Stachys lavandulifolia Vahl on Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Crossover, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study.

In Iranian folklore medicine, boiled extract of Stachys lavandulifolia Vahl is reputed to have therapeutic effects in painful disorders. This study evaluated the efficacy of the standardized formulation of S. lavandulifolia Vahl in reducing pain in primary dysmenorrhea, which is known to be a common disorder with significant impact on quality of life. A randomized, double blind, crossover, placebo-controlled pilot study. Bu-Ali Hospital affiliated with Tehran Medical Branch, Islamic Azad University. Twenty-nine patients with primary dysmenorrhea. Patients were enrolled according to medical history and gynecologic sonography. Standardized capsules of S. lavandulifolia were prepared. All the patients were allowed to take mefenamic acid up to 250 mg/q6h if they needed, in the first menstruation cycle to estimate the analgesic consumption at baseline. By the use of an add-on design in the next cycle, they were randomly assigned to receive either herbal or placebo capsules every 4-6 h. Then, they were crossed over to the other group during the course of the trial. At the end of the fourth day of each cycle, the intensity of pain was measured by visual analogue scale and McGill pain questionnaire. Statistical significance was evaluated using repeated-measures one-way analysis of variance. Pain intensity was significantly decreased during consumption of Stachys lavandulifolia capsules in comparison with basic and placebo cycles (p < 0.05). Interestingly, the consumption of mefenamic acid capsules was reduced dramatically in the S. lavandulifolia cycle in comparison with basic and placebo cycles (p < 0.001). It was demonstrated that S. lavandulifolia-prepared formulation can reduce menstrual pain, and can probably be recommended as an add-on therapy or even an alternative remedy to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with fewer side effects in primary dysmenorrhea.

Comparison of the effect of honey and mefenamic acid on the severity of pain in women with primary dysmenorrhea.

Primary dysmenorrhea starts simultaneously with menstruation or before it and usually continues for 48-72h. As a prevalence disorder, it affects about 80-97% of women in the reproductive age. The conventional treatment modalities of primary dysmenorrhea are associated with complications and side effects. In addition, there is a lack of knowledge of the effect of honey on the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of honey on the severity of pain in women with dysmenorrhea. A randomized crossover clinical trial was conducted on 56 female students. Subjects were randomly assigned to two groups. Groups I and II received honey and mefenamic acid in the 'first treatment period', respectively. In the 'second treatment period', the intervention methods were reversed between the groups. Samples recorded the severity of pain during the first 3days of menstruation. There were no significant differences in the most severe level of pain in the first and second months of the first treatment period, and the first and second months of the second treatment period between the groups. Honey and the mefenamic acid capsules led to the same amount of pain relief in women with primary dysmenorrhea. Honey is suggested to be used for pain relief due to its lower side effects and pharmacological complications.

Pain Control of Medical Abortion with Misoprostol in the First Trimester of Pregnancy

Background: Abortion is the most common subjects of obstetric which has applied two methods including surgical and medical approaches. Pain is the most common complication of medical abortion and pain relief is one the most important items in these patients. Objectives: Evaluated the effect of three non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in pain reduction of medical abortion in less than 14 weeks gestation with forensics declaration. Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort in 66 pregnant women with less than 14 weeks gestation referred to Yas hospital for medical abortion that were assigned to three groups based on sedative drugs: A) Mefenamic acid capsules 250 mg, B) Diclofenac tablets 100 mg and C) Ibuprofen tablets 400 mg. The standardized visual assessment scale was assessed before and after drug administration that presented in medical records of patients. Results: Comparison of visual assessment scale means before and after using of three non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs demonstrated that all three drugs lead to pain relief after the abortion that was significant statistically (P value=0.001). There was a significant difference in termination time of pregnancy between three groups, (P value= 0.016). In the case of hemoglobin drop, diclofenac lead to the lowest hemoglobin drop (P value=0.004). The amount of receiving narcotic among three groups revealed the significant difference (P value= 0.000). There were not significant differences in pain relief (P value=0.327) and demographic data between three groups. Conclusion: It was indicated that the three NSAIDs drugs, had a significant effect on the management of pain, diclofenac expended less termination time of pregnancy, narcotic drug usage and also hemoglobin drop than other groups. What does this study add? Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are effective in pain management of medical abortion and some of them are preferred to others. Diclofenac can reduce abortion time and also hemoglobin drop after abortion and additional dose of other narcotics too.

Evaluation of mint efficacy regarding dysmenorrhea in comparison with mefenamic acid: A double blinded randomized crossover study.

Background:Menthol is the most important active material in mint and different mechanisms have been suggested for the way mint functions, most of which emphasize its analgesic effect owing to the presence of a group of temporary protein receptors. This study investigates the efficacy of peppermint capsule in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea, in comparison with Mefenamic Acid and placebo.Materials and Methods:This was a prospective, double-blinded, crossover study and was conducted on 127 girl students studying in Hamadan University of Medical Sciences who had experienced primary dysmenorrhea. Each participant was asked to take one of the drugs including Mefenamic Acid and Mint, starting from the first menstruation for 3 days. At the end of each period, a questionnaire was used to gather information; through the volunteer herself, pain intensity was recorded according to visual analog scale (VAS), duration of pain according to COX questionnaire, and bleeding amount according to pictorial blood loss assessment chart (PBAC) chart (Hygham).Results:Average pain intensity and duration of pain were significantly lower after intake of Mefenamic Acid and Mint (P < 0.05). Average bleeding was significantly lower in those taking Mefenamic Acid capsule than in those taking peppermint extract (P < 0.05). Nausea and diarrhea were lower in the mint group than in Mefenamic Acid group. But analgesic usage was lower in Mefenamic Acid group than in peppermint group (P < 0.05).Conclusions:While the bleeding amount did not significantly change, pain and its severity and all the clinical signs and symptoms decreased after taking peppermint extract. Because the side effect of herbal drugs is lower than other medicinal drugs, using mint is advised for treating dysmenorrhea symptoms.

The Comparison of Fennel and Mefenamic Acid Effects on Post- Partum after Pain

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Postpartum pain and painful uterine contractions normally occur after childbirth and are regarded as one of the most common problems after delivery. Postpartum pain is significantly intensified by increased parity. Therefore, mothers are forced to use chemical drugs to inhibit this pain. Considering the side-effects of chemical drugs and the growing tendency towards herbal medicines, we aimed to compare the effects of fennel extracts and mefenamic acid on postpartum pain. METHODS: This single-blind, clinical trial was conducted on 86 mothers with postpartum pain after vaginal delivery at Baharloo Hospital in Tehran, Iran in 2014-2015. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups (43 cases per group), receiving fennelin (fennel extracts) and mefenamic acid capsules. Postpartum pain was measured two hours after childbirth, using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Volunteers with scores higher than four were included in the study. Pain intensity was measured by VAS before and one hour after each round of intervention. Subjects used the medicines four times a day (with 4-6 hour intervals). The collected data were statistically analyzed (IRCT: 2014020515338N2) FINDINGS: The mean score of pain before the intervention was 6.47±0.797 in the mefenamic acid group and 6.35±0.752 in the fennel group. In both groups, pain score significantly reduced one hour after using medicines in comparison with the pre-treatment period (1.90±0.56 and 1.70±0.74 in the mefenamic acid and fennel groups, respectively) (p<0.05). During the study, fennel was more effective than mefenamic acid in pain reduction. The same finding was reported after the study during the fourth round of intervention (88±0.70 and 1.19±0.76 in the fennel and mefenamic acid groups, respectively). CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, fennel, similar to mefenamic acid, could be suggested as an effective herbal medicine for pain reduction in mothers with complaints of postpartum pain.

Effect of rhubarb (Rheum emodi) in primary dysmenorrhoea: a single-blind randomized controlled trial.

The aim of this study was to investigate and evaluate the efficacy of Rheum emodi in the management of primary dysmenorrhoea. A randomized, single-blind, standard controlled trial compared efficacy of R. emodi against mefenamic acid on diagnosed subjects of primary dysmenorrhoea for three consecutive cycles. Experimental group (n=30) received capsules of R. emodi powder two times a day, two days before the expected date of menstruation, and continued first three days of menstruation, while control group (n=15) participants received mefenamic acid capsules three times a day on the same protocol. The primary outcome measures were reduced in severity and duration of pain, assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) and verbal multidimensional scoring system (VMSS), and secondary outcome measures were overall improvement of dysmenorrhoea and improved in quality of life (QOL). Statistical analysis was done by repeated measures analysis of variance and Chi-square/Fisher Exact test. The menstrual pain was significantly decreased in both groups after three-cycle intervention. Significant changes were observed in VAS (p<0.001) and VMSS (p<0.001) in the experimental group. There is a significant (p<0.001) reduction in duration of pain in both the groups. Associated symptoms and QOL were markedly improved after treatment (p<0.001). It has been clear from the above result that R. emodi is an effective herb in alleviating symptoms of primary dysmenorrhoea. It can serve as an alternative treatment without any apparent side effects. These results deserve further investigations.

Comparing the effect of mefenamic Acid and vitex agnus on intrauterine device induced bleeding.

Increased bleeding is the most common cause of intrauterine device (IUD) removal. The use of alternative therapies to treat bleeding has increased due to the complications of medications. But most alternative therapies are not accepted by women. Therefore, conducting studies to find the right treatment with fewer complications and being acceptable is necessary. This study aimed to compare the effect of mefenamic acid and vitex agnus castus on IUD induced bleeding. This was a double blinded randomized controlled clinical trial. It was conducted on 84 women with random allocation in to two groups of 42 treated with mefenamic acid and vitex agnus capsules taking three times a day during menstruation for four months. Data were collected by demographic questionnaire and Higham 5 stage chart (1 month before the treatment and 4 months during the treatment)., Paired t-test, independent t-test, chi-square test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measurements, and SPSS software were used to determine the results. Mefenamic acid and vitex agnus significantly decreased bleeding. This decrease in month 4 was 52% in the mefenamic acid group and 47.6% in the vitex agnus group. The mean bleeding score changes was statistically significant between the two groups in the first three months and before the intervention. In the mefenamic acid group, the decreased bleeding was significantly more than the vitex agnus group. However, during the 4(th) month, the mean change was not statistically significant. Mefenamic acid and vitex agnus were both effective on IUD induced bleeding; however, mefenamic acid was more effective.

Variance of Bioavailability of Pharmaceutical Preparations and Analysis of Factors Affecting It

AbstractFor Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

Variance of bioavailability of pharmaceutical preparations and analysis of factors affecting it

Phenytoin (pulverized powder), mefenamic acid (capsule), and sulpiride (film-coated tablet) are currently available on the Japanese market. For absorption of these drugs from their pharmaceutical preparations, they must disintegrate and dissolve during passage through the gastrointestinal tract. The bioavailability of these drugs differ among different pharmaceutical preparations and even for the same preparation. This led to a review of the influence of the features of pharmaceutical preparations and the physicochemical properties of film coating materials as well as the physiologic factors affecting drug bioavailability. The influence of coadministered drugs and concomitant intake of beverages and food on the bioavailability of drugs from pharmaceutical preparations is also described.

Novel colorimetric assay of mefenamic acid using 4-amino-3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid (ADBA)

Purpose: To develop a novel colorimetric assay method for mefenamic acid capsules. Method: The new method (aromatic ring derivatization technique) is based on a diazo coupling reaction using diazotized 4-amino-3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid (ADBA) as a chromogenic derivatizing reagent. Result: Optimization studies showed that the coupling reaction is very fast and completed in less than 1 minute. A 1:1 drug to reagent stoichiometric ratio was obtained for the azo dye formed. The azo adduct formed exhibits bathochromic shift with absorption maximum (lmax) at 490 nm, which was selected as the analytical wavelength. Lower limit of quantitation of mefenamic acid was 1 mg/ml. The assays were linear over the concentration range of 1 - 6 mg/ml and reproducible. This new method has been successfully applied in the assay of mefenamic acid capsules with accuracy similar to the official (B.P) titrimetric method of assay (p>0.05) and has the advantages of speed, high sensitivity, lower limit of detection and can be automated. Conclusion: The method developed could find application in in-process quality control of mefenamic acid capsules. Keywords: Mefenamic acid assay, 4-amino-3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid, colorimetry, diazotization Trop J Pharm Res, June 2002; 1(1): 15-22