CALCITONINA SANDOZ SPRAY ® - Salmon calcitonin

CALCITONINA SANDOZ SPRAY ® is a salmon calcitonin based drug

THERAPEUTIC GROUP: Drugs affecting bone metabolism

IndicationsAction mechanismStudies and clinical effectiveness Usage and dosage instructionsWarnings Pregnancy and lactationInteractionsContraindicationsUndesirable effects

Directions CALCITONINA SANDOZ SPRAY ® - Salmon calcitonin

CALCITONINA SANDOZ SPRAY ® has proven effective in reducing the incidence of vertebral bone fractures following post-menopausal osteoporosis.

Mechanism of action CALCITONINA SANDOZ SPRAY ® - Salmon calcitonin

CALCITONINA SANDOZ SPRAY ® is a drug that allows the intake of synthetic calcitonin, generally administered parenterally, via the nasal route.

Once administered endonasally, it is easily absorbed by the nasal mucosa, reaching maximum plasma concentrations within an hour of intake.

Despite the low bioavailability, made such by the action of the various proteases present in the respiratory tree, inhaled calcitonin succeeds in acting effectively by improving calcium metabolism and preventing, as demonstrated in various studies, the incidence of vertebral fractures.

This very important therapeutic effect is guaranteed by particularly complex mechanisms of action which see the aforementioned hormone engaged at the renal level in facilitating the excretion of calcium, at the intestinal level in reducing the absorption of this mineral but above all at the bone level, inhibiting the osteoriasorbente activity of osteoclasts, responsible for the demineralization that is observed during pathologies such as osteoporosis.

Studies carried out and clinical efficacy

1. BIOAVAILABILITY OF THE CALCITONINA BY ENDONASAL

Despite the research in the pharmaceutical field has proposed numerous forms of synthetic salmon calcitonin for intranasal use, at the moment all are equivalent in pharmacokinetic terms failing to overcome the big limit of bioavailability

2. CALMITONIN OF SALMON AND OSTEOPOROSIS

Interesting work that shows how salmon calcitonin, even when taken intranasally, can be effective in reducing the incidence of vertebral fractures in women with post-menopausal osteoporosis. This treatment was particularly effective even in patients for whom estrogen intake was poorly indicated

3. THE EFFORTS OF RESEARCH IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE PHARMACOCINETIC PROPERTIES OF CALCITONIN

Yet another effort of pharmaceutical research in the development of alternative formulations of salmon calcitonin endonasally able to improve its bioavailability. In addition to the choice of excipients, genetic engineering and molecular biology could be important in the definition of peptides with the same activity as calcitonin but resistant to the proteolotic action of proteases.

Method of use and dosage

CALCITONINA SANDOZ SPRAY ®

Nasal spray: 200 IU doses of synthetic salmon calcitonin:

the treatment of post-menopausal osteoporosis should include, besides the intake of calcitonin in the most serious cases, also that of vitamin D and calcium, in order to optimize the phases of bone mineralization.

In principle, the most common dosing schedule is to take 200 IU once a day.

In any case the correct dosage and the relative therapeutic procedure must necessarily be established by a specialist doctor.

Warnings CALCITONINA SANDOZ SPRAY ® - Salmon calcitonin

Given the particular route of administration, treatment with CALCITONINA SANDOZ SPRAY ® should be preceded by a careful medical examination to assess the patency and integrity of the respiratory tract and in particular the nasal mucosa, the site of absorption of the active ingredient.

The treatment should therefore be immediately suspended following the appearance of respiratory diseases or allergic manifestations.

For this reason, before taking synthetic salmon calcitonin, it would be indicated to undergo allergy tests.

The presence of benzalkonium chloride as a preservative could increase the risk of irritation and edema of the nasal mucosa.

Long-term administration of calcitonin has in some cases been associated with the appearance of anti-calcitonin antibodies, which are responsible for reducing the therapeutic efficacy of the medicinal product.

PREGNANCY AND BREASTFEEDING

Despite the studies carried out on calcitonin taken endonasally, without having demonstrated the presence of embryotoxicity or fetal teratogenicity, the intake of CALCITONINA SANDOZ SPRAY ® remains contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation given the absence of therapeutic indications and clinical trials significant.

Interactions

At the moment active ingredients are not known whose contextual assumption could determine significant pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic variations of synthetic salmon calcitonin.

Contraindications CALCITONINA SANDOZ SPRAY ® - Salmon calcitonin

The use of CALCITONINA SANDOZ SPRAY ® is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to the active ingredient or to one of its excipients and in case of hypocalcemia.

Undesirable effects - Side effects

The intake of synthetic salmon calcitonin intranasally may be responsible for side effects concentrated at the level:

Gastrointestinal with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain;
Dermal with the appearance of rash and hypersensitivity reactions;
Respiratory with rhinitis, alterations of the sense of smell, epistaxis, sinusitis and pharyngitis;
Nervous with the appearance of headache and motor instability.

More rarely, the intake of CALCITONINA SANDOZ SPRAY ® has led to the appearance of systemic adverse reactions such as edema, musculoskeletal pain and vasomotor symptoms.