tinidazole

Tinidazole is an antibacterial drug belonging to the class of nitroimidazoles. It is effective against anaerobic bacteria, but finds applications especially in the treatment of infestations with parasites and protozoa.

Tinidazole - Chemical Structure

Indications

For what it uses

The use of tinidazole is indicated for the treatment of:

Urogenital infections caused by Trichomonas vaginalis (a protozoan) in patients of both sexes;
amebiasis;
Lambliasis (or giardiasis).

Warnings

Before taking tinidazole, it is advisable to inform your doctor if you are in one of the following conditions:

If you are allergic to any other type of medication;
If you are suffering from diseases of the central nervous system;
If you suffer from alterations in blood composition (blood dyscrasia).

Tinidazole treatment should also be extended to the partner, in order to avoid the "ping-pong" phenomenon of protozoan transmission.

If abnormal neurological signs occur during tinidazole therapy, treatment with the drug should be discontinued immediately.

Interactions

During the therapy based on tinidazole it is good to reduce the intake of alcoholic beverages, otherwise there is an increased risk of onset of symptoms such as vomiting, cramps in the abdomen and reddening of the face.

Concomitant administration of tinidazole and azole antifungals (such as, for example, ketoconazole) may increase the risk of occurrence of adverse effects.

In any case, it is advisable to inform your doctor if you are taking - or have recently been - medicines of any kind, including non-prescription medicines and herbal and / or homeopathic products.

Side effects

Tinidazole can induce various side effects, although not all patients experience them. This depends on the different sensitivity that each individual has towards the drug itself. Therefore, it is not said that all adverse effects occur with the same intensity in each patient.

Below are the main side effects that may occur during tinidazole therapy.

Gastrointestinal disorders

Nausea and vomiting may occur during tinidazole treatment. However, these effects rarely occur.

Leukopenia

Tinidazole therapy can cause a mild and temporary leukopenia, ie a decrease in the number of leukocytes in the bloodstream.

Nervous system disorders

Tinidazole treatment can cause:

Dizziness;
incoordination;
Drowsiness;
Ataxia.

Overdose

If you suspect you have taken an overdose of tinidazole, you need to go to the nearest hospital.

Gastric lavage can be useful to eliminate excess drug from the body, then the patient must be kept under observation.

Action mechanism

It appears that tinidazole is metabolically activated by the protozoan by reduction of the nitro-group present in its chemical structure.

Nitro-group reduction leads to the formation of radical oxygen species that are extremely toxic to the cell. In this way, the microorganism is killed.

Mode of Use - Posology

Tinidazole is available for oral administration as tablets.

The dose of tinidazole to be administered and the duration of treatment must be established by the doctor depending on the type and severity of the infection to be treated.

Below are some indications on the doses of tinidazole usually used in therapy.

If deemed necessary, the doctor can change the dosage of the drug, therefore, it is necessary to strictly adhere to its indications.

Trichomonas vaginalis infections

For the treatment of infections caused by Trichomonas vaginalis, the dose of tinidazole usually administered is 2 g, to be taken in a single dose.

Usually a single administration is sufficient, but if the infection recurs, the treatment should be repeated after eight days.

Amoebiasis and lambliasis

For the treatment of amoebiasis and lambliasis, the dose of tinidazole usually used varies from 500 mg to 1.5 g of active ingredient per day.

The amount of drug administered is established by the doctor depending on the type of infection to be treated. The duration of treatment is usually five days.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

The use of tinidazole by pregnant women should be done only under the strict control of the doctor and only after a careful evaluation - always by the doctor - of the relationship between the expected benefits for the mother and the potential risks to the fetus .

It has been observed that drugs whose chemical structure is similar to that of tinidazole are excreted in breast milk, so they could be potentially dangerous to the fetus.

Therefore, as a precautionary measure, the use of tinidazole by breastfeeding mothers is not recommended.