Hikem Tablet

Hikem Tablet – Hydroxychloroquine Sulphate BP 200 mg by Bioceutics

Hikem from Bioceutics Inc contains Hydroxychloroquine Sulphate BP 200 mg in a film-coated tablet, used in rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and malaria. Its history is one of the odder ones in medicine. Hydroxychloroquine was developed as an antimalarial, and it was soldiers taking it for malaria prophylaxis in the Second World War who reported that their joint pain and rashes improved – an observation that turned an anti-parasitic into a foundational treatment for autoimmune disease. The mechanism behind that accident is now reasonably well understood: hydroxychloroquine concentrates inside lysosomes and raises their internal pH, which interferes with the processing and presentation of antigens and blunts signalling through toll-like receptors 7 and 9. The result is a broad but gentle damping of the immune response, rather than the targeted suppression of a modern biologic. Strip of 10 tablets.

Key Features

• Hydroxychloroquine Sulphate BP 200 mg, film-coated tablets
• Damps immune signalling by raising lysosomal pH – broad but gentle
• An antimalarial that became a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug
• Colour: Titanium Dioxide IP. Made by Cu-V-Kar Genetic Medicines
• Strip of 10 tablets from Bioceutics Inc.

Composition

• Hydroxychloroquine Sulphate BP – 200 mg
• Colour: Titanium Dioxide IP. Excipients q.s. As printed on the pack

Uses & Benefits

• Used long term in rheumatoid arthritis to reduce joint pain, swelling and stiffness
• A cornerstone treatment in systemic and discoid lupus erythematosus
• Helps control the skin and joint symptoms of lupus and reduces flare frequency
• Also used in the treatment and prevention of malaria, as prescribed
• One of the better-tolerated disease-modifying drugs, with no routine blood monitoring required
• Taken once or twice daily as a tablet, alongside other treatment where needed

Directions for Use

• Swallow the tablet whole with a meal or a glass of milk – taking it on an empty stomach is the main cause of the nausea
• Take it exactly as your doctor prescribes. The dose is set from your body weight, not a standard number
• Take it at the same time each day. If you miss a dose, take it when you remember unless the next is nearly due – never double up
• Allow weeks to months for the full effect in rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, and keep taking it in the meantime
• Keep your eye-screening appointments for as long as you are on it, and do not take antacids within four hours of a dose

Precautions

• Hydroxychloroquine can damage the retina, and the damage is not reversible. The risk rises with daily dose above 5 mg per kg of actual body weight, with more than five years of use, with kidney impairment and with tamoxifen. A baseline eye examination and regular screening thereafter are part of the treatment, not optional
• Report any change in vision immediately – blurring, difficulty reading, missing patches, altered colour vision or light sensitivity
• Tell your doctor if you have G6PD deficiency, porphyria, psoriasis, epilepsy, liver or kidney disease, or any heart rhythm problem. It can prolong the QT interval and can trigger a severe psoriasis flare
• It can cause low blood sugar, sometimes severe, even in people who are not diabetic. If you take diabetes medicines, your doses may need reducing – monitor closely
• Do not stop it on your own. In lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, stopping frequently brings on a flare. It also takes weeks to months to work, so early lack of benefit is not failure
• Nausea, stomach upset, diarrhoea, headache and rash are the usual early effects and are much reduced by taking it with food. Report unusual muscle weakness, unexplained bruising, sore throat or fever

Storage

• Store in a cool, dry and dark place. Protect from light and moisture at a temperature not exceeding 25°C, as printed on the pack
• Keep the tablets in the blister until use
• Keep out of reach of children

Disclaimer

Schedule H prescription drug – to be sold by retail on the prescription of a Registered Medical Practitioner only. Hydroxychloroquine requires baseline and periodic eye examinations and long-term medical supervision. This information is for general awareness and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.