Tizanidine 4mg

Zanaflex is a brand name for Tizanidine. Other brand names are also available. Zanaflex may be produced in the following medical forms:

- zanaflex 4 mg white, round tablets

- zanaflex 2 mg blue capsules

- zanaflex 4 mg white and blue capsules

- zanaflex 6 mg light blue capsules with white stripe

Zanaflex blocks nerve impulses sent to a patient’s brain which causes pain. It is to reduce pain sensations by relaxing muscle tone. Zanaflex reliefs spasticity due to its short-action muscle relaxing effect.

Zanaflex produces only a temporal effect and is used to reduce excessive muscle tonus or relief pain caused by muscle spasticity. It may also be used for treating other conditions if prescribed by doctor.

Zanaflex contains tizanidine, so it should not be used by people suffering from the following deseases:

- allergy to tizanidine

- liver disease

- kidney disease

- high or low blood pressure

- history of “Long QT syndrome”.

 Zanaflex also should not be used together with the antidepressant fluvoxamine (Luvox), or the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (Cipro).

If you have any of the deceases or take the medicines mentioned above you may have to undergo special tests before treatment.

While being pregnant a patient should careful about taking Zanaflex as it may do harm to an unborn baby. There hasn’t been done any research work on whether Zanaflex can pass into breast milk. A patient should consult a doctor if being pregnant or breast-feeding a baby, or planning to get pregnant.

It may take longer time for Zanaflex to clear from the body of older patients. Each patient should follow a doctor’s instructions while undergoing treatment and taking Zanaflex.

Clinical Pharmacology

Tizanidine (Zanaflex) is an agonist at α2-adrenergic receptor sites. It is to reduce muscular tonus by increasing motor neurons presynaptic inhibition. While doing pharmacological studies in animals no direct effect on skeletal muscle fibers or the neuromuscular junction, and no major effect on monosynaptic spinal reflexes were discovered. Tizanidine causes a great effect on polysynaptic pathways. The general effect reached by these actions is suggested to reduce permeability of spinal motor neurons.

The imidazoline chemical structure of tizanidine is quite similar to that of clonidine and other α2-adrenergic agonists. While studying in animals a few similarities between the two compounds, clonidine and tizanidine, were revealed. But n comparison with clonidine tizanidine was discovered to have from one-tenth to one-fiftieth (1/50) of the potency of clonidine to low blood pressure. Continue reading →

If a patient is under fasted conditions Tizanidine capsules and Tizanidine tablets are considered to be bioequivalent to each other. Under fed conditions the bioequivalence is not obvious.

96 volunteers underwent a course of treatment when they administered a single dose of either two 4 mg tablets or two 4 mg capsules under fed and fasting conditions in an open label during four periods. The randomized crossover study showed that 81 of the volunteers were eligible for statistical analysis due to several factors. When a patient in the fasted state follows oral administration of either the tablet or capsule, 1 hour after dosing Tizanidine occurs in plasma in its peak concentration and has a period of half-life of approximately 2 hours.

When a patient administers two 4 mg tablets with food the mean maximal concentration of the drug in plasma increases by approximately 30%, while the period of time between the moment when the plasma concentration is minimal to the moment when it reaches its maximal point increases to one hour and 25 minutes. Continue reading →

Age Effect

The influence of Tizanidine on patients of different ages has not been evaluated, though the cross study of the data recovered from the research of Tizanidine effect showed that it takes four times more for the drug to clear from the elder subjects than the younger ones. The effect of Tizanidine has not been checked on children.

Gender Effects

Gender Effects of Tizanidine were not studied specifically. However, pharmacokinetic data analysis showed that there was no difference of pharmacokinetic between the subjects of different genders.

Race Effect Continue reading →

Before using Zanaflex a patient should consult a doctor. A patient should tell a doctor or a pharmacist that he/she has the following conditions/diseases:

• pregnancy or planning to get pregnant
• breast-feeding
• following the administration of any prescribed or non-prescribed medicine
• allergies to medicines or other substances
• liver problems
• kidney problems
• prostate problems
• high blood pressure
• low blood pressure.

Zanaflex can interact with any of the following medicines which may increase Zanaflex probable side effects:

• - acyclovir
• - antiarrhythmics (eg, amiodarone, mexiletine, propafenone)
• - cimetidine
• - famotidine
• - fluvoxamine
• - ciprofloxacin
• - hormonal contraceptives (eg, birth control pills)
• - quinolone antibiotics (eg, ciprofloxacin)
• - iclopidine
• - verapamil
• - zileuton. Continue reading →

A patient should not use Zanaflex if he/she also takes antidepressant fluvoxamine (Luvox), or the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (Cipro). Also, when a patient’s activity needs to assure safe balance or special movements Zanaflex should not be taken as it reduces muscle tonus.

Before changing the dosing or switching between Zanaflex tablets and capsules a patient should consult a doctor, otherwise, it may cause an increase in side effects or decrease pharmacological effect. If a patient notices any change in his/her condition while taking Zanaflex or having made any changes in administration of the Medicine he/she should immediately consult a doctor.

A patient should not take more than 3 doses (36 mg) of Zanaflex a day (24 hours). Exceeding of the dosage may cause liver problems.

Sleepiness caused my taking allergy or cold medicines, anti-nausea pills, narcotic painkillers, other muscle relaxing preparations, medicines preventing seizures, antidepressants can add to side effects of Zanaflex. A patient should consult a doctor if a period of administration of the medical above concurs with the period of administration of Zanaflex.

Drinking alcohol can increase some of the side effects of Zanaflex, especially such as drowsiness, dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting.

A patient should strictly follow a doctor’s prescriptions and should not exceed the dose mentioned on the label.

Take Zanaflex orally. Continue reading →

The patient administrating Zanaflex should get emergency medical help when having any of the following signs:

• hives
• difficulty breathing
• swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
• feeling light-headed
• fainting
• slow heart rate
• hallucinations
• confusion
• unusual thoughts or behavior
• nausea
• stomach pain
• low fever
• loss of appetite
• dark urine
• clay-colored stools
• jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)
• burning or pain when urinating
• drowsiness or dizziness
• feeling anxious or nervous
• numbness or tingling
• stomach pain
• diarrhea
• constipation
• vomiting
• fever
• dry mouth
• muscle weakness
• back pain
• increased muscle tone or spasms
• sweating
• skin rash Continue reading →

Overdosing

When having overdosed a patient may experience any sign from the list of the side effects of Zanaflex or the side effects may intensify. In case the side effects occur or intensify a patient should get emergency medical help.

The most wide-spread symptoms of overdosing are:

- fainting

- loss of consciousness

- severe drowsiness

- trouble breathing Continue reading →