9 best drugs for spasm

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

Each of us, of course, knows what cramps and spasms are, and in my life I have repeatedly encountered this unpleasant phenomenon. However, if you start to understand, you can notice some vagueness of these definitions. So, by convulsions, most often in everyday life, they mean painful contraction of any muscle group that is subject to our will. The most common cramps are caviar cramping in cold water while swimming, or cramps in the same calf muscles after taking a large amount of diuretics, due to the development of hypokalemia.

The second thing that immediately comes up as an example is muscle cramps that occur during an epileptic seizure. But epilepsy is a separate topic, and we will not skate it here. After all, epileptic seizures are, as a rule, a contraction of muscle groups, which themselves are not 'to blame', there are no disorders in them, and the order for their massive contraction is given by epileptic discharges of the cerebral cortex, in which the first, main motor neurons for muscles lie the opposite half of the body.

What are spasms?

What, then, is called a spasm? Very often, painful and muscle contractions are called spasms, which do not in any way relate to striated muscles, but come from smooth muscles that are innervated by the autonomic nervous system. The simplest example of smooth muscle spasm is, for example, an attack of renal or hepatic colic, heaviness and aching pain in the intestines with the development of spastic constipation, and other similar conditions. The difference between skeletal muscle cramps and smooth muscle spasms is clear.

Smooth muscles control the work of internal organs, many of them reduce various sphincters, carry out peristalsis, and also innervate the vessels. However, when it comes to spasms, here we will not mean vasoconstriction, since generalized and local vascular spasm, that is, vasospasm, is treated, sometimes with other drugs. However, antispasmodics in complex therapy are used to treat certain vascular diseases, and high blood pressure is also successfully removed by ambulance, especially if it is not too high.

This review will focus on those medicines that help get rid of the painful contractions of the smooth muscles of the internal organs. Therefore, this drug review is unlikely to be of interest to patients who suffer from seizures due to epilepsy, they have their own groups of drugs, which were written about in the next article. Also, there will be nothing interesting here for those patients who have long-term spastic conditions in the muscles that develop after a stroke, and which is called post-stroke spasticity. Despite the obvious similarities between the words 'spasm' and 'spasticity', there is a significant difference.

Muscle spasm that occurs in the muscles of the internal organs most often occurs for local reasons (for example, the presence of parasites in the bile ducts, inflammation, the presence of sand or kidney stones, the irritating effect of feces in the presence of spastic constipation). Almost never here we are talking about the central mechanism, when the spasm is influenced by the main neurons located in the autonomic nervous system.

Who is this article useful and to whom?

Post-stroke spasticity is caused by damage to the central motor neuron, which lies in the cerebral cortex, and the absence of inhibitory influences on secondary neurons, which are already in the anterior horns of the spinal cord. Being deprived of 'top' control, they disinhibit, and therefore, after a stroke, patients in some cases develop persistent muscle spasm, which causes pain and contractures in the affected muscles of the arms and legs. It was these muscles that controlled the dead neurons that got into the stroke focus, into the zone of necrosis, and died in a cerebral accident. Other drugs are used to treat spasms. These are not antispasmodics, but muscle relaxants, and at the same time – of central action. We have repeatedly described them in various articles about chronic back pain, as a means for the treatment of osteochondrosis, relief of symptoms of intervertebral hernias and protrusions. These are drugs such as, for example, Midocalm, Sirdalud or Baclofen. These drugs will also not be considered in this review, since they do not have a vegetotropic effect, and an effect on smooth muscles.

We will not talk about the classic cramps of the gastrocnemius muscles, since in case of an overdose of diuretics, it is necessary to compensate for hypokalemia by taking potassium, for example, immediately, together with furosemide, give the patient 1/2 tablet of Panangin or Asparkam. In this case, potassium enters the body from the outside with a certain reserve, and prevents hypokalemia. Therefore, the painful syndrome in the calves does not develop at night.

There are several more groups of seizures and spasms that are treated with special drugs, for example, for:

1. hypovitaminosis;
2. blepharospasm, which is an extrapyramidal disorder;
3. Overdose of certain drugs, such as spasm of the cervical muscles with excessive administration of haloperidol, especially in drug addicts;
4. tetanus, which usually develops in the presence of deep puncture wounds contaminated with earth, and begins to manifest itself with convulsive contraction of the facial muscles, causing the so-called trismus of the chewing muscles, and 'sardonic laughter.'

Muscle spasms and cramps can occur when the body is overheated, with sunstroke, with excessive thickening of the blood caused by dehydration, such as cholera. All these pathological conditions, although they are spasms and convulsions, are not related to the subject of this article.

Who will be interested in this material? This is a large group of patients with gastrointestinal tract pathology: with gastritis, pylorospasm, duodenitis, cholecystitis and cholecystopancreatitis. These are patients with urolithiasis who suffer from renal colic, persons with various forms of constipation, and, first of all, with spastic constipation, when intestinal motility suffers due to excessive and prolonged contraction of smooth muscles. All these diseases are regularly accompanied by long-term and persistent painful conditions, which have several characteristic features. What are the symptoms of muscle cramps?

Manifestations and clinical signs

Spasms of smooth muscles of internal organs are inaccurately localized pains. When a patient shows this pain, he most often uses the palm of his hand, and much less often – accurately points with his finger. If we are talking about the striated muscles of the body and extremities, then the pain syndrome is usually localized quite clearly, and its zone can be indicated precisely.

This is due to the difference between the somatic nervous system, which innervates muscles, and the autonomic nervous system, which innervates the internal muscles of the body. They do not work so quickly, they are 'economic' muscles, and too detailed localization of the feeling of internal pain is simply not needed, unlike external danger.

In addition, spasm, in addition to pain, is often accompanied by other symptoms. For example, damage to the gastrointestinal tract causes symptoms of upper, or gastric dyspepsia. These are, most often, heaviness, belching and heartburn, bloating, discomfort in the upper abdomen, or in the epigastrium. A spasm of the smooth muscles of the gallbladder and biliary tract, in addition to pain in the right hypochondrium, leads to the appearance of nausea, vomiting, and bitter taste in the mouth associated with the release of bile into the duodenum.

Renal colic has its own specific symptoms. Severe spasm of the ureters, causes pain at a large vertical distance: often this pain radiates from the lower back to the groin, which radiates to the back, is accompanied by dysuric disorders, and can lead to obstruction of the urinary tract with stones or sand.

Painful muscle spasms often occur in gynecological patients, and may even be a variant of the norm. So, the syndrome of painful periods is known, (algodismenorrhea), in which it is also necessary to fight spasms.

Readers have already guessed that a group of drugs that fights spasms are called myotropic antispasmodics, that is, they eliminate spasms of smooth muscles of internal organs.

How to Treat Spasms: Antispasmodics

It has already been said above that the smooth muscles of the internal organs are innervated by involuntary, autonomic muscles. And since the role of the autonomic – sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system in the innervation of the smooth muscles of internal organs is a decisive factor, there are quite a few drugs among myotropic antispasmodics that affect the activity of the autonomic nervous system. So, the anticholinergic platyphyllin relaxes the muscles by blocking muscarinic cholinergic receptors, and directly with the help of this sharp drop in smooth muscle tone, pain syndrome is also reduced in case of intestinal colic and gastric ulcer, pancreatitis, dyskinesia of the pathways and so on. Antispasmodics relax the vascular wall, reduce pressure, and can affect the work of the heart, bronchial tone, and cause various vegetative effects.

Before proceeding to the review of myotropic antispasmodics and drugs for spasms, almost all of which, with the exception of platyphylline hydrotartrate, are sold without a prescription, it should be said about another very important role of these drugs: their use in acute inflammatory lesions of the abdominal organs.

Only antispasmodics, no painkillers!

It is this phrase that can be the motto of a surgeon who conservatively observes a patient who is suspicious of a catastrophe in the abdominal cavity: for example, with an attack of acute appendicitis. It is known that if such a patient is not operated in a timely manner, serious complications may develop, such as perforation of the appendix, its rupture, the outflow of pus into the abdominal cavity, and the development of diffuse inflammation, that is, peritonitis.

Such complications can arise against the background of self-medication, with a passion for painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, since they really dull pain and reduce inflammation, but are by no means able to eliminate the pathological process. Therefore, with acute appendicitis and with any other severe pain in the abdominal cavity, in general in the abdomen, and with any internal pain, when an abdominal operation is possibly necessary, it is strictly forbidden to use painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, for example, from the NSAID group.

You can only take myotropic antispasmodics. If this pain is really functional, for example, a spasm of the large intestine, then the patient will feel better, and, perhaps, he has no reason for surgery and a difficult diagnosis.

But if there is no muscle spasm, and the pain is caused by inflammation and suppuration, then no antispasmodic, no cure for spasms, for example, No-shpa and Galidor will not help. In this case, an operation is needed, and at the same time, there is no blurred clinical picture that can prevent the surgeon from determining the diagnosis, and is caused by taking painkillers. After all, the analysis of the quality of pain, its nature, localization, and symptoms of irritation of the peritoneum will not disappear and will not change. Thus, the appointment of antispasmodics, and only antispasmodics for acute and unexpected pain syndrome in the abdomen, avoids serious complications. We now begin to consider this diverse group of drugs for the treatment of spasms.

All medications will be reviewed according to the standard regimen. The INN, or international non-proprietary name, is listed first, if any. Then – the list of drugs, if possible, first – the original one, which was first produced by any pharmaceutical company, is the most studied, and on it there is the largest number of studies on efficacy, safety, contraindications and the presence of joint effects of other drugs. The original drug appears on the market for the first time, so this is usually the most expensive drug.

The names of some commercial copies, or generics from other companies, if available, are given. Their cost is lower than the original product. The price range given for medicines is relevant for November 2019, for pharmacies of all forms of ownership in the Russian Federation.

The sequence of presentation of drugs is not related to ratings, not to the assignment of any places in popularity, price or effectiveness, and is dictated by the position of drugs in pharmaceutical classifications, with their location on official sites that post pharmacy prices.

The best drugs for spasm

Nomination	a place	Name of product	price
Monocomponent antispasmodics	1	Bendazol (Dibazol)	RUB 13
	2	Bencyclan (Galidor)	RUB 519
	3	Platyphyllin (Platyphylline Hydrotartrate)	73 rbl.
	4	Oxybutynin (Driptan)	698 r
	5	Drotaverin (No-shpa Forte, Doverin, Spazmonet, Spazmoverin)	RUB 98
Multi-component products	1	Dicycloverin + paracetamol (Trigan-D, Dolospa-Tabs)	RUB 81
	2	Metamizole sodium + pitofenone + fenpiverinium bromide (Spazmalgin, Bral, Maksigan, Revalgin, Renalgan)	168 RUB
	3	Bellalgin (belladonna leaf extract + benzocaine + metamizole sodium + sodium bicarbonate)	RUB 45
	4	Plantex (fennel fruit)	286 r

Monocomponent antispasmodics

First of all, we will consider a group of drugs for painful and muscle spasms, which contain only one component: these are bendazole, bencyclan, drotaverine and other drugs that are used for increased spasm of the tone of smooth muscles of internal organs, or, if necessary, to obtain sufficient relaxation, for example, manipulations such as duodenal intubation, or endoscopic interventions.

Bendazol (Dibazol)

Popularity rating: 4.9

Dibazol is perhaps one of the cheapest and most affordable drugs. Ten 20 mg tablets produced by the domestic company Uralbiopharm cost in the range from 12 to 45 rubles. This is a classic myotropic spasmolytic, it acts not only on the muscles of the internal organs, but also on the muscles of the vessels. It can be used to mildly correct blood pressure downward, as it reduces cardiac output. This remedy can be used on an ambulance call, as it acts mildly, but the effect does not last long: even when administered intravenously for only two to three hours. Therefore, its use in hypertensive crisis is limited, and most often it is prescribed for spasms of smooth muscles of internal organs.

Prescribe Dibazol one to two tablets 2 to 3 times a day for a month, or more, as prescribed by a doctor, before meals or after meals. The drug is also used to treat diseases of the central nervous system, especially during the period of residual manifestations and recovery from trauma, trigeminal neuralgia, Bell's palsy, peripheral compression-ischemic neuropathies. Dibazol improves metabolism and increases blood circulation in tissues, including nervous tissue, after injuries and inflammatory processes.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantage of Dibazol is its ubiquity, low cost, the ability to lower blood pressure, use in neurology, including in the form of a means for physiotherapy – electrophoresis. A disadvantage can be considered its rather weak effect, and the presence of contraindications and side effects. Contraindications include convulsive syndrome and childhood, use in the elderly, especially in the parenteral form due to a possible sharp decrease in cardiac output, it should not be used by lactating and pregnant women.

Bencyclan (Galidor)

Popularity rating: 4.8

Halidor is a well-known highly purified drug of the Hungarian company Egis, which is produced both in tablets and in the form of ampoules for intravenous and intramuscular administration. This drug also affects the ugly muscle tone of internal organs, and vascular smooth muscles. Therefore, it is indicated not only for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, such as gastroenteritis, irritable bowel syndrome, stomach ulcers, spasm of the sphincter of Oddi, but also for other diseases. This is a vascular pathology – Raynaud's syndrome, vascular diseases of the upper and lower extremities. Halidor is prescribed if the patient has renal colic and excessive muscle spasm of the bladder.

The medicine is used on an outpatient basis in tablets, one tablet three times a day for a fairly long course, about 2-3 months, but not more than 400 mg per day. In case of severe muscle spasm of internal organs, you can take two Halidor tablets once, but not more than 4 tablets per day. Galidor is produced in tablets of 100 mg, and a pack of 50 pieces costs in the range from 518 to 580 rubles.

Advantages and disadvantages

Galidor copes well with various spasms, including vascular and intestinal, but it has its own contraindications. This is severe organ failure: hepatic, renal and respiratory. These are myocardial infarction and epilepsy, the presence of a craniocerebral injury even within a year before the prescription of the drug, children and adolescents, including up to 18 years old, pregnancy and lactation.

The doctor who prescribes the drug should be aware of its side effects. These are most often – dry mouth, dizziness and headache, weight gain and general malaise, especially with prolonged use in high doses. In the event that Halidor is prescribed to patients for a long time, it is necessary to conduct a coagulogram (to study the rheological properties of blood). There are a number of drug interactions, so only a doctor should prescribe the drug.

Its relatively high cost is a relative disadvantage, and it is not so often in pharmacies. However, with all this, Halidor is a reliable drug, the therapeutic effect of which is based on the blockade of calcium channels, the antiserotonin effect, and the blockade of sympathetic ganglia.

Platyphyllin (Platyphylline Hydrotartrate)

Popularity rating: 4.7

Platyphylline, which was mentioned above, is perhaps the only myotropic antispasmodic that is used as parenteral injections for subcutaneous administration. It is indispensable for providing emergency emergency care, with various painful spasms in an acute attack of pancreatitis, intestinal dyskinesia, in the presence of pathology of the bile ducts, in renal colic, in general – pain in the abdomen of unspecified etiology.

Since platyphylline is a pronounced anticholinergic, and a synthetic analogue of the alkaloid of the wild rose, it relieves spasms and pains caused by spasms very well, but does not affect the course of pain and inflammation, without causing a 'masking' of surgical pathology. With the effective use of anticholinergics in therapeutic doses, it can also dilate blood vessels and cause mydriasis, that is, dilated pupils. Also, platifillin can be used in emergency toxicology, in case of poisoning with boric acid, strong acids and arsenic compounds.

Curiously, topically, when instilled into the eyes, the drug is used in ophthalmology to dilate the pupils and improve the study of the fundus. Only doctors and ambulance paramedics can prescribe the drug and use it, it is also administered in hospitals, so we will not talk about dosages.

Since platyphylline is constantly included in the list of vital means, its cost is very low. A pack of 10 ampoules of 0.2% – 1 ml, which are produced by many domestic pharmaceutical plants, costs from 60 to 75 rubles. But most often it is used in hospitals, and therefore there is no need to buy it at a pharmacy.

Advantages and disadvantages

The disadvantages of platifillin are a continuation of its advantages: it is dry mouth, lower blood pressure, urinary retention and dilated pupils with accommodation disorder and visual impairment. All these are inevitable side effects of anticholinergics. However, this medication is inexpensive, and quickly relieves of very severe pain in spasms, for example, with suspected acute pancreatitis. Also, this drug can enhance the effect of phenobarbital and other barbiturates, and platyphyllin is contraindicated in various types of glaucoma, with a sharp decrease in intestinal tone, the development of paralytic obstruction, or with ulcerative colitis.

Oxybutynin (Driptan)

Popularity rating: 4.7

Perhaps Driptan is the only cure for spasms that is used exclusively in urology. It is used to treat various forms of urinary incontinence, with the so-called neurogenic bladder. Driptan is able to act very selectively: it relaxes the detrusor, that is, the muscle that contracts the bladder. Thus, it allows you to increase its capacity, reduce the number of urges, and reduce the frequency of detrusor contractions. Driptan is a highly specialized drug, since it allows you to reduce the frequency of urgent emissions, stabilize the bladder, and therefore is used, among other things, for the treatment of nocturnal enuresis, but only in children over 5 years old.

Driptan is a rather expensive drug. It is produced by the French company Recipharm Fontaine, and one package of 30 5 mg tablets will cost in the region from 615 to 780 rubles. Such pills should be used 1 tablet 2-3 times a day, so this package will last for 10-15 days.

Advantages and disadvantages

Driptan has high selectivity, but it cannot be used in various forms of glaucoma, in myasthenia gravis, as well as in urination disorders associated not with the 'capricious' behavior of the muscles of the urinary bladder, but with the presence of obstruction, that is, a mechanical obstruction to urination. These are various tumors, urolithiasis, strictures, the presence of an adenoma of the prostate gland, or its benign hyperplasia.

In addition, the medicine should not be used by lactating women, and it can cause side effects, for example, urinary retention, drowsiness or insomnia, and pupillary dilation, dry mouth, and decreased sweating (dry skin) characteristic of anticholinergics. A relative disadvantage is the price, but given the high selectivity of Driptan and the positive effect in the treatment of enuresis, one has to put up with it, given the lack of domestic generics.

Drotaverin (No-shpa Forte, Doverin, Spazmonet, Spazmoverin)

Popularity rating: 4.6

No-shpa, or drotaverine, in the hydrochloride form, is without doubt the most famous and widely advertised antispasmodic. The standard No-shpa tablet contains 40 mg of the active ingredient, No-shpa Forte is twice as strong, it is 80 mg of drotaverine hydrochloride. These are well-known yellowish tablets, on which the name of the drug has already been displaced.

Drotaverine affects smooth muscle by inhibiting phosphodiesterase. This allows it to be used for various spasms of the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract, with cholangitis and cholecystitis, various pathologies of the biliary and urinary tract. In urology, No-shpa is used for urolithiasis and cystitis, in gastroenterology it is pylorospasm and spastic colitis, spastic constipation and irritable bowel syndrome. These are a variety of functional disorders, postoperative spasms. In gynecology, it is pain during menstruation. Drotaverine is also included in medications that affect the vascular wall and help treat tension headaches.

It is advisable to use No-shpu forte in case of severe spasms, but not more often than 3 times a day, or 240 mg in the form of 3 doses a day. It is possible to treat spasms with No-spa without a doctor's prescription, but only in short courses, for one or two days. The Hungarian pharmaceutical company Hinoin produces No-shpu and No-shpu Forte, and 10 tablets of 80 mg each are inexpensive, no more than 70 rubles. There are even cheaper domestic analogues, but in the case of a very pronounced cheapness, it is worth considering the quality of the original substance.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantage of No-shpa is its fame, well-proven effectiveness and many years of accumulated experience, including for use both in tablets and in injections when providing ambulance services. However, No-shpa in the rarest cases can cause, especially in the form of intravenous administration, severe complications, which are expressed in cardiac arrhythmias, complete blockade of the bundle of His bundle. Therefore, in no case should you try to use ampouled forms of the drug yourself. But if you remember that it is contraindicated to enter it with heart blockages, especially severe ones, No-shpa, judging by its effectiveness and breadth of use, is one of the most famous and popular means, and at the same time has an affordable price.

Multi-component products

These preparations contain several components. Such a specially selected pharmaceutical recipe allows you to add any other influences to the anti-spasmodic effect. So, most often, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic paracetamol is used in multicomponent drugs. In some cases, Analgin is included, as well as drugs related to local anesthetics, or drugs that have the ability to reduce the secretion of, for example, gastric juice. Consider some spasm relieving medicines that are specially formulated by pharmacists from several ingredients.

Dicycloverin + paracetamol (Trigan-D, Dolospa-Tabs)

Popularity rating: 4.9

The medicine for relieving spasms Trigan-D is produced by the Indian pharmaceutical company Kadila, and the medicine is inexpensive: for a pack of 20 tablets, you will pay from 80 to 130 rubles. What do you get in return?

Trigan-D is a pain reliever that is combined with an antispasmodic. When using it, it must be remembered that it effectively helps with migraines and toothaches, with stones in the bile ducts, with renal colic and menstrual irregularities, in which painful periods occur. Such a drug combination can improve the condition with various types of headache (with the exception of acute increase in intracranial pressure and meningitis), with fever with chills, with pain in muscles and joints. But, however, it is necessary to remember what was said above: a person must be sure that this is indeed renal and hepatic colic. After all, unusual pain in the abdominal region requires the use of the 'pure' antispasmodics mentioned above. Trigan-D still contains paracetamol, which, although it has a weak analgesic effect, can still 'lubricate' the picture of acute appendicitis, or other acute abdominal pathology.

It is advisable to use Trigan-D in a dose of one tablet two to three times a day. During the day, you can take no more than 4 tablets for adults, and the maximum single use is no more than 2 tablets. You can treat painful spasms without consulting a doctor for no more than 5 days, using this medicine for spasms as an analgesic drug.

Advantages and disadvantages

The drug is inexpensive, and also helps with headaches, toothaches, and fever. At the same time, the combined effect of the two agents has an antispasmodic, analgesic and antipyretic effect. However, the more ingredients any drug contains, the more contraindications. These are separate contraindications to the components, various obstructive pathologies of the intestines, urinary and biliary tract. These are stones, scars, strictures, tumors and polyps of the intestine, intestinal obstruction. This medication is not used for exacerbation of stomach and duodenal ulcers, in pregnant and lactating women.

There are also multiple side effects, and therefore it is advisable to use the drug only as directed by a doctor, even for the shortest period. For example, this drug can increase the effects on the heart of certain anti-arrhythmia drugs. While taking cardiac glycosides, it can increase their concentration in the blood, it can reduce the effectiveness of drugs for gout, and so on. Therefore, a medical consultation before appointment is necessary.

Metamizole sodium + pitofenone + fenpiverinium bromide (Spazmalgin, Bral, Maksigan, Revalgin, Renalgan)

Popularity rating: 4.8

There are already three components in Maxigan, and one of them is an old friend Analgin. Pitofenone is an ingredient for combating spasms of the muscles of internal organs, and fenpiverinium is similar in its action to an anticholinergic, which additionally enhances the relaxing muscle activity.

As a result, this remedy is used for classic spasms of internal organs, with renal and hepatic colic, with intestinal spasm, with irritable bowel syndrome, dyskinesias, with symptomatic fever (with colds and various infectious and inflammatory diseases).

You can also use Maxigan as tablets, or as part of intramuscular injections after various operations and endoscopic diagnostic procedures, to relieve pain. At the same time, adults should not be given more than 6 tablets per day, and the duration of administration should not be more than 5 days. When the drug is administered to children, doctors are guided by age and body weight. Maxigan is produced by an Indian pharmaceutical company, and its cost in tablets is also very affordable: from 105 to 220 rubles per pack.

Advantages and disadvantages

Maxigan really helps to eliminate the flu-like syndrome for several days, but at the same time he has a lot of contraindications. After all, it already contains three components, and each of them must be taken into account. But the main ones are glaucoma, especially angle-closure, prostatic hyperplasia, a decrease in the number of granulocytes in the blood, because analgin causes their additional decrease (granulocytopenia), and chronic heart failure. It is contraindicated for various cardiac arrhythmias, and especially for tachyarrhythmias, in pregnant women and lactating women, during childhood up to 5 years for tablets and up to 3 months for injections. In the event that the remedy is used in short courses and according to indications, then the effect of stopping spasms will be good, with a low risk of side effects. It is only necessary to take into account that if the agent is used in doses close to the maximum, then the symptoms of an overdose will be a decrease in blood pressure, dry skin and dry mouth, dilated pupils, and all the unpleasant symptoms associated with the anticholinergic effect.

Bellalgin (belladonna leaf extract + benzocaine + metamizole sodium + sodium bicarbonate)

Popularity rating: 4.7

These soft-acting cramps are very well known to all gastroenterologists. At one time, Bellalgin was as popular as Valocordin. What does it consist of? As part of the anticholinergic agent – belladonna extract, or belladonna. It allows, together with analgin and anesthesin, to reduce pain sensitivity, block cyclooxygenase due to analgin and additionally cause blockade of muscarinic cholinergic receptors. As a result, Bellalgin has not only antispasmodic and analgesic, but also antacid, that is, anti-acid and hypoacid effect.

It is indicated for increased motility and excess gastric secretion. As a result, this medicine in the best way helps with various diseases of the upper digestive tract, such as gastritis, various duodenitis, pylorospasm, gastric ulcer, and the upper abdomen, when the patient does not have the likelihood of developing an emergency, that is, gastric bleeding, active , aggravated ulcer, and so on.

It is advisable to use Bellalgin on an empty stomach, in order to avoid increased secretion – 1 tablet 2-3 times a day, but no more than 3 tablets at a time, and no more than 10 tablets per day. It is prohibited to use the drug as self-medication. Bellalgin is produced at affordable prices by many domestic pharmaceutical companies, for example, Dalkhimpharm, and the cost of a package of 10 tablets, that is, the maximum daily dose, will cost from 5o to 80 rubles in November 2019 prices.

Advantages and disadvantages

Bellalgin's merit is in its good balance, in its emphasis on gastric pathology associated with hypersecretion. However, Bellalgin has recently ceased to be sold without a prescription, and due to the presence of belladonna acoloids. Since the side effects include dilation of the pupils, heroin addicts began to use this drug in order to dilate the pupils, narrowed to the point, caused by the injection of heroin.

Such an increased attention of a certain contingent of suspicious persons to Bellalgin, who in the same pharmacy stock up with syringes and various ingredients for the production of drugs, and led to the (absolutely undeserved) restriction of his free sales, however, like other anticholinergics.

Plantex (fennel fruit)

Popularity rating: 4.6

Smoothly moving on to a herbal antispasmodic, you can find out that they are all dispensed without a prescription, and Plantex, which is a granular, purified fennel fruit extract, can be considered such a mild and quite effective drug. Plantex is produced by the Slovenian company Lek. Granules, in bags, each of which contains 5 frames of extract (10 bags in a package) will cost from 250 to 330 rubles.

Such granules belong to herbal antispasmodics, and an additional effect of them is to improve peristalsis, shape the feces, increase the secretion of gastric juice and stimulate digestion in general. This leads to the fact that the agent not only helps to reduce pain in the abdomen, but also prevents the accumulation of intestinal gases, and improves their discharge.

Therefore, fennel is used even in newborns who have flatulence, bloating and other functional problems of the digestive system. Of course, this medicine is also indicated for adult patients. It is necessary to apply it by pouring the contents of the package into a glass, add half a glass of water, and wait, stirring, until the granules are completely dissolved. You need to take Plantex depending on the body weight and age of the baby, as prescribed by the pediatrician.

Advantages and disadvantages

The great advantage of this herbal cure for spasms is carminative action, elimination of flatulence, and resolution of spastic constipation. This mild drug can be considered specific for the treatment of functional bowel pathology. It is especially useful that the granules can be used starting from infancy, while the symptoms of overdose and contraindications, in addition to hypersensitivity, the presence of lactase deficiency and acute surgical pathology of the abdominal organs, were not detected in Plantex.

The popularity rating is based on the analysis of demand data from the wordstat.yandex.ru service.

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Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.