Belcid Forte

Aluminium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, simethicone.

Each 5 mL contains: Aluminium Hydroxide Gel equivalent to Aluminium Hydroxide 306 mg, Magnesium Hydroxide USP 110 mg, Simethicone USP 30 mg.

Pharmacology: Pharmacodynamics: Pharmacological actions: BELCID FORTE has an action of antacid, antiflatulence.
BELCID FORTE acts by neutralizing the gastric acid and also has antifoaming action.
Mechanism of actions: The clinical use of antacids is based on their ability to increase the pH of gastric secretions: Aluminium hydroxide or oxide reacts with hydrochloric acid to form aluminium chloride and water.
Magnesium hydroxide rapidly reacts with hydrochloric acid to form magnesium chloride and water.
Simethicone acts by coagulating the mucus-surrounded gas bubbles in the GI tract and expelling them.
Pharmacokinetics: Aluminium hydroxide or oxide is slowly solubilized in the stomach after neutralizing hydrochloric acid to form aluminium chloride, about 17 - 30% of the aluminium chloride is absorbed and is rapidly excreted by the kidney in patients with normal renal function.
Magnesium hydroxide neutralizes hydrochloric acid in the stomach to form magnesium chloride and about 15 - 30% of the magnesium chloride is absorbed and is rapidly excreted by the kidney in patients with normal renal function.
Simethicone is not absorbed from GI tract and is excreted unchanged in feces.

Use as an antacid for symptomatic relief of hyperacidity associated with the diagnosis of peptic ulcer, gastritis, peptic esophagitis, gastric hyperacidity, heart-burn, or hiatal hernia.
As an antiflatulent to alleviate the symptoms of gas, including postoperative gas pain.

Adults and Children ≥12 years: BELCID FORTE: 1 - 3 teaspoonfuls 4 times daily between meals, at bedtime.
BELCID FORTE SACHET: 1 sachet 4 times daily between meals, at bedtime.

Acute Overdosage: Acute Overdosage with antacid may cause osmotic catharsis, leading to fluid and electrolyte losses. Hypermagnesemia and central nervous system depression may follow overdoses of magnesium-containing antacid.
Treatment: Specific treatment is rarely needed in either suicidal or non-suicidal patients. Gastrointestinal decontamination is not indicated unless toxic coingestants are suspected.
Hypermagnesemia may be treated with fluids and loop diuretics. Hemodialysis reduced plasma levels of magnesium.
Aluminium may be removed with deferoxamine followed by hemodialysis.

Should not take this medicine longer than 2 weeks.
Do not take the other medicine within 2 hours of administration of this drug.

BELCID FORTE may cause dose-related rebound hyperacidity because they may increase gastric secretion or serum gastrin levels.
Use this drug with care in patients who have recently suffered massive upper GI hemorrhage.

BELCID FORTE should only be given in pregnancy when benefit outweighs risk. (Please discuss and take as directed by the doctor.)
Pregnancy: Antacids are generally considered safe as long as chronic high doses are avoided. Adequate and well-controlled studies in humans have not been done; however, there have been reports of antacids causing such adverse effects as hypercalcemia, hypomagnesemia, hypermagnesemia, and increased tendon reflexes in fetuses and/or neonates whose mothers were chronic users of aluminium, calcium and/or magnesium-containing antacids, especially in high doses. Studies have not been done in animals.
Lactation: Problems in humans have not been documented; although some aluminium, calcium and magnesium may be distributed into breast milk, the concentration is not great enough to produce an effect in the neonate.

The most common adverse effect with prolonged administration of antacids are constipation from Aluminium and diarrhea from Magnesium.

BELCID FORTE may interfere with drug by: Increasing the gastric pH altering disintegration, dissolution, solubility, ionization and gastric emptying time.
Absorption of weakly acidic drugs is decreased, possibly resulting in decreased drug effect (e.g. digoxin, phenytoin, chlorpromazine, isoniazid, chlordiazepoxide, indomethacin, iron salts). Doses of these drugs should be spaced as far apart as possible from doses of BELCID FORTE. Weakly basic drug absorption is increased possibly resulting in toxicity or adverse reactions (e.g. pseudoephedrine, levodopa).
Adsorbing or binding drugs to their surface resulting in decreased bioavailability (e.g. tetracycline); therefore, doses of tetracyclines should be spaced 1 - 2 hours from doses of BELCID FORTE.
Increasing urinary pH affecting the rate of drug elimination. The effect is inhibition of the excretion of basic drugs (e.g. quinidine, amphetamines) and enhanced excretion of acidic drugs (e.g. salicylates).

Do not store above 30°C. Avoid freezing.

Antacids, Antireflux Agents & Antiulcerants

A02AF02 - ordinary salt combinations and antiflatulents ; Belongs to the class of antacids with antiflatulents.

NP