CORVALOL - COMPOSITION, BENEFITS AND HARMS, WHAT IT HELPS FOR

Corvalol

- a combination drug consisting of several active ingredients. The composition of Corvalol is as follows (starting with the strongest component and ending with the weakest):

• Ethyl alcohol 95%
  . According to many doctors, this is almost the main active ingredient of Corvalol. Ethyl alcohol (aka alcohol) has a sedative (calming, inhibitory) effect on the nervous system, and through it on the entire body. Its second effect is an analgesic, and this effect applies to all types of pain. In large doses it can cause a state of anesthesia with complete loss of consciousness and pain sensitivity. It is a psychoactive substance that can change and darken consciousness and cause mental and physical dependence.
• Phenobarbital
  . Sleeping substance. Just like alcohol, it has an inhibitory effect on the central nervous system, causing a decrease in pain sensitivity. The second most powerful active ingredient (after ethyl alcohol) is Corvalol. Just like ethyl alcohol, it is a psychoactive substance and can cause addiction. When combined with alcohol, phenobarbital produces a strong sedative effect that affects all psychosomatic symptoms.
• Peppermint leaf oil
  . The main component is menthol, which provides a slight analgesic and calming effect.
• Ethyl bromoisovalerianate
  (ethyl ester of alpha-bromoisovaleric acid). It is the active ingredient of the essential oil of a plant such as Valerian officinalis (or “Cat grass”). This perennial herb has been known for its calming effects since antiquity.

Available in bottles of 15 and 25 milliliters. The recommended dose of Corvalol is 15-30 drops orally at a time, up to 2 or 3 times a day.

Medicines similar to Corvalol are common in our country: valocordin, valoserdin, corvaldin.

Compound

Valocordin contains several active components:

• ethyl ether or ethyl bromoisovalerate. This substance has a sedative effect, a mild hypnotic effect, and relieves spasms;
• Phenobarbital – suppresses the activity of the central nervous system, which makes it possible to relieve emotional stress.

Among the auxiliary components are hop and mint oil, ethanol, purified water.

Valocordin drops are a clear liquid with a distinct odor.

Important! The product contains psychotropic substances in limited quantities. Considering this, the medicine should be used strictly as prescribed by the doctor.

Effect of the drug

The use of Valocordin allows you to achieve several goals at once, thanks to the combined composition of the drug. Phenobarbital is used to dilate blood vessels and eliminate nervous tension. Provided the correct dosage is used, the drops have a mild hypnotic effect and promote rapid falling asleep and restful sleep.

Ethylbromoisovalerate regulates the state of the central nervous system, helps a person overcome attacks of panic, anxiety, fear, and helps relieve excessive emotional excitability.

Peppermint oil enhances the therapeutic effect of the above-described components and has a mild antispasmodic and analgesic effect.

The mechanism of action of the drug and its composition

The effect of the drug is due to the complex influence of several individual pharmacological compounds.

The main effects that Valocordin exhibits when used are:

• sedative (reducing anxiety, irritability);
• hypnotic (facilitation of falling asleep, increase in sleep duration).

An additional effect is the ability to reduce spasm of the vascular wall.

Who is the medicine prescribed to?

Indications for the use of Valocordin are quite extensive. These include:

• neuroses of various etiologies;
• vegetative lability;
• attacks of angina pectoris against the background of coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular pathologies;
• spasms in the intestines not caused by intestinal obstruction;
• comprehensive treatment of excessive gas formation;
• the initial stage of hypertension. Valocordin reduces blood pressure during frequent increases;
• panic attacks due to heart disease, stress;
• the patient has a headache that occurs periodically or is constant (migraine);
• pain in the sternum caused by spasm of the coronary vessels;
• decreased quality of sleep, insomnia;
• severe emotional stress provoked by stressful situations.

The main indication for use is high blood pressure

For high blood pressure, Valocordin is prescribed as an auxiliary therapy. Its use as an independent remedy for stage 2 and 3 hypertension is inappropriate.

Directions for use and doses

To achieve an optimal therapeutic effect, it is important to know how to take Valocordin. The standard treatment regimen is from 15 to 30 drops of the product three times a day before meals. For a single dose, a dosage of 40 drops is allowed.

How many drops are given to a child? For children, the drug is prescribed strictly under the supervision of a specialist. The dosage for them is usually no more than 15 drops.

Important! The exact dosage and duration of treatment should be determined by the doctor individually.

Directions for use and dosage

Before taking the drug, you should consult your doctor.

According to the official instructions, Valocordin is available in the following forms, which must be used in accordance with the recommended dosage.

Valocordin tablets retain their name, but the active ingredient in this drug is doxylamine. It has similar effects:

• sleeping pills (pronounced, the main one for this medication);
• sedative (implemented later);
• antihistamine.

Since the composition contains mint oil, when the effervescent tablet is dissolved in water, the taste and smell resembles Valocordin (a sedative). However, it is recommended to take this drug half an hour before the desired time of falling asleep, as a remedy for insomnia.

Directions for use: dissolve the required number of drops in 100-150 ml of clean water at a comfortable temperature. Take before meals.

Some doctors allow the possibility of using the drug with sugar (add to water or drop Valocordin directly onto a piece of sweets).

How does the drug affect blood pressure?

Patients often ask: “Does Valocordin increase or decrease blood pressure?” As already mentioned, the drug has a vasodilating effect. Increasing the lumen in the veins and capillaries leads to a decrease in blood pressure. This is what allows Valocordin to be used in the initial stages of hypertension.

It follows that the drug should not be used by patients with low blood pressure. Even a small dose of medication can cause undesirable consequences and greatly reduce the mercury level.

Mechanism of action

The active substance leads to inhibition of the activity of the nervous system, eliminates spasm of blood vessels, thus inducing sleep.

The tableted drug does not have a pronounced therapeutic effect, since it is not used in the treatment of diseases of the heart and blood vessels. The drug is intended to reduce negative symptoms of nervous disorders and improve the general condition of the patient.

The active components of the drug can lead to a decrease in blood pressure, so taking the drug is contraindicated for hypotensive patients. In some situations, specialists prescribe tablets for the complex treatment of arterial hypertension to gradually reduce blood pressure levels.

Main contraindications

Contraindications for the drug are as follows:

• acute and chronic pathologies of the kidneys and liver;
• Valocordin should not be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding;
• patient age under 18 years;
• personal intolerance to the main or auxiliary substances of the drug;
• Quincke's edema;
• vascular collapse.

The medicine is strictly contraindicated for people with vegetative-vascular dystonia and hypotension. It is not prescribed for other conditions characterized by low blood pressure.

Valocordin is prohibited in childhood

What is the danger of Valocordin

Many patients take Valocordin to lower blood pressure or normalize sleep without a doctor's prescription. Is it really that safe? The drug can bring not only benefits to the body, but also harm. More often, the side effects of Valocordin are caused by improper use of the drug or the individual characteristics of the patient.

Once in the body, phenobarbital promotes the synthesis of microsomal enzymes in the liver. Against this background, other medications taken that are metabolized in the liver do not have the desired therapeutic effect.

Phenobarbital, which is part of the medication, is a narcotic substance and is prohibited in some countries. If the dosage is strictly observed, this component does not cause negative consequences. If you violate the doctor’s recommendations or take the drug for too long, there is a risk of addiction, disruption of the functioning of the central nervous system or the development of withdrawal syndrome.

In addition, the drug can affect concentration and memory. After taking it, driving vehicles and operating potentially dangerous machinery is prohibited.

A combination such as Valocordin and alcohol poses a serious threat to human life and health. Ethyl alcohol enhances the narcotic effect of phenobarbital, so when taking alcoholic beverages, the use of Valocordin becomes extremely dangerous.

Side effects

The instructions for use of the drug indicate the possibility of developing the following side effects of the drug:

• nasal congestion, allergic rhinitis;
• the appearance of irritability, drowsiness, nervousness;
• development of the inflammatory process of the mucous membrane of the eyes;
• deterioration of orientation in space;
• allergic manifestations on the skin, urticaria, itching.

In the absence of a response to these signs or with a single dose of the drug in an amount significantly exceeding the dose, an overdose of Valocordin occurs. Doctors distinguish between mild, moderate and severe stages of the severity of this condition. With a mild overdose, the patient notes drowsiness, apathy, and decreased blood pressure. The average degree is accompanied by a deterioration of the condition; it happens that it is difficult to wake a person, breathing and heart rate are impaired. The severe stage carries the threat of lethargic sleep, precoma and coma.

Important! If symptoms of overdose are detected, immediate action must be taken. The patient needs to rinse his stomach, and if his condition worsens, take him to the hospital.

Headache and malaise are considered side effects of the drug

What are the symptoms of a drug overdose?

Even if the instructions for using Valocordin are followed exactly, an overdose of the drug is possible. This depends on the individual level of activity of liver truss systems (the speed of their interaction with foreign substances) and the amount of protein in the blood. Excess Valocordin is manifested by the following symptoms:

• numbness and pathological fatigue;
• restless sleep;
• depressed mood, apathy;
• runny nose;
• conjunctivitis;
• acne on the skin;
• hemodynamic disorders (increased heart rate, hypotension; collapse, shock - fatal complications);
• depression of reflexes and coma.

If the described symptoms appear, you should consult a doctor to adjust the dose or discontinue the drug. If the overdose is so significant that it threatens a person’s life, emergency measures are necessary.

special instructions

If there is a need to use the drug during lactation, breastfeeding should be abandoned.

Valocordin is not prescribed to patients with alcohol dependence, as it contains ethanol.

The product has a relaxing sedative effect. It is dangerous for people whose work requires special care to take the medicine. This applies to drivers, pilots, workers operating complex mechanisms.

Taking the drug for too long can cause addiction, accumulation of bromine in body tissues, and toxic poisoning.

Can Valocordin be used during pregnancy?

Phenobarbital, which is the main active ingredient of Valocordin, can have a toxic effect on the embryo. Therefore, the use of this drug in the first trimester is classified as contraindications.

During pregnancy, Valocordin can be used at a later stage, with the permission of a doctor. However, this can lead to blood clotting disorders in the baby and postpartum hemorrhage in the mother.

Therefore, if there are no indications, you should avoid taking this drug during pregnancy.

The simultaneous use of Valocordin and oral contraceptives weakens their effect. The consequence of this may be pregnancy. If a woman does not notice changes in her condition in time and continues to take the drug, this may negatively affect the health of her unborn child.

Analogs

There are a large number of drugs similar in their composition and therapeutic effect to the drug in question. Analogs of Valocordin can be as follows:

• homeopathic Nott's drops - used for insomnia and excessive excitability of the central nervous system. The product has a relaxing effect and normalizes heart rate;
• Cavinton tablets are used as a vasodilator, help improve oxygen supply to the brain, and help utilize excess glucose. The drug is prescribed to patients with neuralgic and mental disorders caused by cerebral circulatory disorders;
• Sibazon tablets - eliminate spasms, have a relaxing effect, help get rid of seizures, and restore heart rhythm. Sibazon belongs to a number of psychotropic drugs;
• Corvalcaps capsules are prescribed to overcome excessive nervous excitability, normalize sleep, and lower blood pressure. Indications for use include insomnia, neuroses, conditions accompanied by spasm of the coronary vessels, and intestinal spasms.

Valoserdin is a popular analogue of Valocordin

Special attention should be paid to such an analogue as Valoserdin. Patients often compare these two drugs, asking which is better and what is the difference between these drugs? Valoserdin is a Russian medicine, Valocordin is a German drug. In terms of their therapeutic effect, both drugs are identical. Their difference is in composition and cost. Valoserdin contains oregano oil, Valocordin does not. Valoserdin costs almost half as much as the German drug.

Indications for use

Tablet forms of the drug are used for the symptomatic treatment of conditions associated with sleep disorders.

The medication is widely used to treat conditions associated with disorders of the onset and maintenance of sleep.

The drug is prescribed for diseases:

• neuroses of various etiologies;
• mental disorders accompanied by sleep disorders;
• sleep disorder associated with time zone change or work schedule;
• asthenic syndrome;
• allergic manifestations;
• stressful conditions;
• itching of the skin.

Tablets are used for complex therapy of colds and coughs. In this situation, the drug helps to calm the nervous system, thus relaxing the patient so that he recovers faster.

Patient reviews

Further in the article you can read reviews about Valocordin. Patient responses are predominantly positive and are of the following nature.

Anastasia, Irkutsk “I myself am a nervous and irritable person, I try with all my might to fight these qualities, but sometimes my nerves give in. Six months ago, I encountered a symptom such as panic attacks. People who have encountered this will understand me, the condition is simply terrible. Valocordin helped me cope with this. The drug acts quickly, literally after 3 - 5 minutes it becomes easier. I have only positive impressions about the product.”

Veronica, Moscow “Valocordin is always on our pharmacy shelf. My mother and grandmother take this product. One day I had to take it, because I was very worried before the upcoming interview, I was shaking, it was even difficult to speak. After 5 minutes of taking the drops, she calmed down and her heart stopped beating wildly. The only negative is that I didn’t dare get behind the wheel, because I read that the medicine reduces concentration.”

Ekaterina, Ufa “I always took Valocordin during times of severe anxiety or insomnia. This continued until I learned about the possible negative consequences and addiction to the product. Now I take it much less often and with caution. Pros: fast action, affordable price. Disadvantages: strong, repulsive smell, unpleasant taste.”