Seractil
How does it work?
Seractil tablets contain the active ingredient dexibuprofen, which is a type of medicine called a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). NSAIDs are used to relieve pain and inflammation.
Dexibuprofen works by blocking the action of a substance in the body called cyclo-oxygenase (COX). Cyclo-oxygenase is involved in the production of various chemicals in the body, some of which are known as prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are produced by the body in response to injury and certain diseases and conditions, and cause pain, swelling and inflammation. Dexibuprofen blocks the production of these prostaglandins and is therefore effective at reducing inflammation and pain.
Dexibuprofen is used to relieve pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis and other painful problems of the muscles and bones. It is also used to relieve other mild pain, such as toothache and period pain.
The tablets should preferably be taken with food to help avoid irritating the stomach.
What is it used for?
Osteoarthritis
Pain in the muscles, bones or joints
Period pain
Toothache
Warning!
This medicine may cause dizziness and so may affect your ability to drive or operate machinery safely. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how this medicine affects you and you are sure it won't affect your performance.
NSAIDs can occasionally cause serious side effects on the gut, such as ulceration, bleeding or perforation of the stomach or intestinal lining. This type of side effect is more likely to occur in elderly people and in people taking high doses of the medicine. The risk can also be increased by taking certain other medicines (see below). It is important that these people, as well as people with a history of disorders affecting the stomach or intestines, are closely monitored by a doctor while taking this medicine. If your doctor thinks you are at high risk of side effects on the gut you may be prescribed an additional medicine to help protect your gut. All people taking this medicine should stop treatment and consult their doctor immediately if they experience any sign of bleeding from the stomach or intestine during treatment, for example vomiting blood and/or passing black/tarry/bloodstained stools.
This medicine may mask the signs and symptoms of infection, such as fever and inflammation. This may make you think mistakenly that an infection is getting better when it isn't, or that an infection is less serious than it is. For this reason you should tell your doctor if you get an infection while you are taking this medicine.
If you have cirrhosis of the liver, heart failure or kidney disease, you are taking diuretic medicines, or you are recovering from major surgery, your kidney function should be assessed before starting and regularly throughout treatment with this medicine.
During long-term treatment with this medicine you should have regular check-ups with your doctor so that you can be monitored for possible side effects of the medicine. This might include routine blood tests to monitor your kidney function, liver function and levels of blood components, particularly if you are elderly.
Very rarely, NSAIDS may cause serious blistering or peeling skin reactions (eg Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, exfoliative dermatitis). For this reason, you should stop taking this medicine and consult your doctor if you get a skin rash or sores inside your mouth while taking this medicine. This side effect is very rare, but if it occurs, is most likely to happen in the first month of treatment.
Use with caution in
Elderly people
History of disorders affecting the stomach or intestines
Inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis
Alcoholism
Decreased kidney function
Decreased liver function
Heart failure
High blood pressure
History of asthma
History of allergies
Diseases affecting connective tissue, eg systemic lupus erythematosus
People with blood clotting disorders, eg haemophilia, or taking anticoagulant medicines
Not to be used in
People in whom aspirin or other NSAIDs, eg ibuprofen, cause allergic reactions such as asthma attacks, itchy rash (urticaria), nasal polyps, nasal inflammation (rhinitis) or swelling of the lips, tongue and throat (angioedema)
Active peptic ulcer or bleeding from the gut
People who have had recurrent peptic ulcers or bleeding from the gut (two or more episodes)
People who have experienced bleeding or perforation of the gut as a result of previous treatment with an NSAID
Flare-ups of Crohn's disease
Flare-ups of ulcerative colitis
Severe heart failure
Severely decreased kidney function
Severely decreased liver function
Third trimester of pregnancy.
The manufacturer has not studied the safety and efficacy of this medicine in children and adolescents under 18 years of age. It is not recommended for this age group.
This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy.
If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.
This medicine should not be used in the third trimester of pregnancy, as it may delay labour, increase the length of labour and cause complications in the newborn baby. It should only be used in the first and second trimesters if the potential benefit outweighs any potential risk to the foetus. Some evidence suggests that NSAIDs should also be avoided by women attempting to conceive, as they may temporarily reduce female fertility during treatment and may also increase the risk of miscarriage or malformations. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
This medicine may pass into breast milk, but in such small quantities that it is unlikely to harm the baby if the dose is low and treatment is short. However, as with all medicines, seek medical advice from your doctor before breastfeeding while taking this medicine.
Label warnings
Take this medication with or after food.
Side effects
Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
Disturbances of the gut such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, indigestion or abdominal pain
Headache
Dizziness
Balance disorders involving the inner ear (vertigo)
Drowsiness
Bleeding from the stomach or intestine
Stomach or duodenal ulcer
Retention of water in the body tissues (fluid retention), resulting in swelling (oedema)
Sensation of ringing or other noise in the ears (tinnitus)
Visual disturbances
Confusion
Depression
Abnormal reaction of the skin to light, usually a rash (photosensitivity)
Allergic reactions such as severe skin rashes, swelling of the lips, tongue and throat (angioedema) or narrowing of the airways (bronchospasm)
Kidney, liver or blood disorders
The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer.
For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.
How can this medicine affect other medicines?
It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to ensure that the combination is safe.
Dexibuprofen should not be taken in combination with painkilling doses of aspirin or any other oral NSAID, eg ibuprofen, as this increases the risk of side effects on the stomach and intestines. Selective inhibitors of COX-2 such as celecoxib or etoricoxib should also be avoided for the same reason.
There may be an increased risk of ulceration or bleeding from the gut if dexibuprofen is taken with corticosteroids such as prednisolone.
There may also be an increased risk of bleeding from the gut if dexibuprofen is taken with the following medicines:
anti-blood-clotting (anticoagulant) medicines such as warfarin
antiplatelet medicines to reduce the risk of blood clots or 'thin the blood', eg low-dose aspirin, dipydridamole, clopidogrel
SSRI antidepressants, eg fluoxetine, paroxetine, citalopram
venlafaxine.
There may be an increased risk of side effects on the kidneys if dexibuprofen is taken in combination with any of the following medicines:
ACE inhibitors, eg enalapril
angiotensin II antagonists, eg losartan
ciclosporin
diuretics, eg furosemide
tacrolimus.
Dexibuprofen may reduce the removal of the following medicines from the body and so may increase the blood levels and risk of side effects of these medicines:
digoxin
lithium
methotrexate.
Dexibuprofen may oppose the blood pressure lowering effects of certain medicines to treat high blood pressure, such as the following:
amlodipine
ACE inhibitors such as captopril
beta-blockers.
Other medicines containing the same active ingredient
There are currently no other medicines available in the UK that contain dexibuprofen as the active ingredient.
The documents contained in this web site are presented for information purposes only. The material is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner. The materials in this web site cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment. Conditions for use
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