What Is Viramune?
Viramune is a drug that is used in modern antiretroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS, in particular HIV1, as well as for the prevention of this disease. As a rule, it is recommended to use it together with other antiretroviral drugs.
The active ingredient in Viramune is Nevirapine. The drug is available in the form of a suspension for oral administration, as well as in the form of film-coated tablets.
Nevirapine is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) of HIV-1. (Read about nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor here). This substance binds directly to reverse transcriptase (RT) and blocks RNA- and DNA-dependent reactions of DNA polymerase, destroying the catalytic center of the enzyme. The action of Nevirapine is not competitive with nucleosides and nucleoside triphosphates. At the same time, the drug doesn’t block HIV-2 reverse transcriptase and eukaryotic DNA polymerase (human DNA polymerase alpha, beta, gamma or delta).
Viramune is used in the treatment of HIV infection in combination with other antiretroviral drugs, because monotherapy with this drug quickly and almost always develops resistance of the virus, so Viramune therapy should be supplemented with at least two other antiretroviral drugs.
Viramune is effective in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1, particularly in pregnant women who are not receiving antiretroviral therapy during labor. Viramune is indicated and can be used as monotherapy in the mother as a single oral dose during labor and in the child, also as a single oral dose after birth. In order to minimize the risk of HIV-1 transmission to the baby, it is recommended that combination therapy be given to the mother before delivery, when possible.
Viramune Generic
Viramune is the brand name for nevirapine. To date, the patent protection for the original drug has already expired, so cheaper analogues are available to patients, which are also known in the pharmaceutical world as generics.
Since it is necessary to take Viramun, like other antiretroviral therapy, for a very long time, the issue of saving is more than acute. Therefore, the good news for HIV patients is that since 2014 the pharmaceutical market has Viramune generics from such large manufacturers as Sandoz, Mylan, Cipla, Macleods Pharms and others. These companies offer Viramuna generics both in the form of tablets with a dosage of 100 and 400 mg, and in the form of a suspension containing 10 mg of nevirapine in one milliliter.
Viramune Side Effects
Taking Viramune can lead to the development of a number of side effects, despite the fact that their number is quite high. Rarely does one patient experience more than three unpleasant sensations or symptoms at the same time. In addition, as the drug is taken, the body adapts to it, and after about a month, side effects in most cases decrease.
Dermatological side effects include a maculopapular erythematous skin rash, sometimes accompanied by itching. It is localized on the body, face or limbs. In most cases, the rash resolves after a month of treatment.
On the part of the digestive system, an increase in the activity of peristalsis is often canceled. There may be an increase in the activity of ALT, AST (about ALT AST), alkaline phosphatase and the level of total bilirubin, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. In isolated cases, jaundice, severe hepatotoxic reactions are observed.
Allergic reactions include fever, arthralgia, myalgia, lymphadenopathy. The latter condition may be accompanied by one or more of the following symptoms, such as hepatitis, eosinophilia, granulocytopenia, impaired renal function, and symptoms indicative of damage to other internal organs.
Side effects from the hematopoietic system include granulocytopenia (more often in children), from the side of the central nervous system – increased fatigue, headache, drowsiness.
It is noteworthy that many modern generics of Viramune are better tolerated by the body than the original medicine, and the patient experiences less pronounced side effects. This is due to the fact that generic manufacturers pay extra attention to the thorough purification of the active substance and the selection of auxiliary components.
Viramune Herbal
It should be noted that with the simultaneous use of Nevirapine and drugs containing St. John’s wort or its extracts, it is possible to reduce the concentration of Nevirapine in the blood below the therapeutic level. This can lead to the loss of virological efficacy of the drug and the development of viral resistance to nevirapine. In connection with this, the simultaneous use of Viramune and many herbal medicines containing St. John’s wort is not recommended.
Viramune Manufacturer
The original Viramune is manufactured by the American subsidiary of the German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim International gmbh. It is a group of companies that are engaged in the discovery, development, production and sale of innovative healthcare products. The company’s headquarters is located in Ingelheim, Germany. One of the priority areas of the company’s work is the production of medicines for the treatment of chronic diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, HIV, diabetes, hepatitis. The history of the company has more than a hundred years.
A significant proportion of Nevirapine generics is produced in India, since the huge volume of products sold helps to save on production costs, resulting in an affordable drug price for the general consumer. Indian generics of Viramuna are well-deservedly popular among US residents, since Indian drugs are generally of high quality. Patients do not run the risk of counterfeiting or placebo when ordering from a major international or national Indian online pharmacy.
Buy Viramune without Prescription
Viramune refers to drugs in the United States that are dispensed from pharmacies exclusively by prescription, which is understandable in connection with the disease for which this drug is used. However, the consumer may need to buy Viramune without a prescription for one reason or another. As a rule, this happens when the prescription is out of date, and the supply of tablets has already run out. In this case, overseas online pharmacies will be a great option, as when buying generics from India, you almost never need to provide a prescription. It is important to note that the possibility of acquiring this medicine without a prescription is a convenient bonus, however, one should not forget that therapy with this drug can only be started after receiving a clear indication from the doctor and an appropriate prescription. Also, the doctor must choose a dosing regimen and dosage suitable for a particular patient.
Viramune XR 400 Mg
Viramune xr 400 mg is an oral tablet formulation of Nevirapine that is characterized by extended release period. The long-term release of the active ingredient in high-dose tablets (and 400 mg is the maximum daily dosage of nevirapine) allows you to take a tablet only once a day. This greatly improves the patient’s convenience of antiretroviral therapy, given that most drugs that are used in combination with Nevirapine must also be taken once a day. However, as a rule, therapy begins with taking 200 mg twice a day.
Viramune Price
Viramune can hardly be called a cheap medicine available to any patient, despite the fact that more and more HIV drugs are included in the scope of various types of medical insurance, and their cost can be at least partially compensated for the patient. If we talk about branded medicine, then the cost of the suspension is about $ 215 per 240 ml. In terms of pills, 90 100mg tablets cost about $850. A monthly supply (30 pieces) of Viramune XR 400 mg tablets will cost about $ 900. As it is not difficult to understand, such amounts hit the pockets of most patients very painfully. It is the inflated cost of branded medicines that is the main reason that more and more consumers prefer Viramune generics, which are several times cheaper.
