Practin 4 mg Tablet

Practin 4 mg Tablet – Cyproheptadine Hydrochloride IP 4 mg by Dr Reddy’s

Practin from Dr Reddy’s Laboratories is an uncoated tablet of Cyproheptadine Hydrochloride IP 4 mg (anhydrous). The strip carries a detail most people miss: it is marked Schedule G, not Schedule H. Schedule G is a smaller and less familiar category under India’s drug rules, and its defining feature is the exact wording printed on this pack – “it is dangerous to take this preparation except under medical supervision”. It covers drugs whose risks come less from abuse than from being taken unsupervised: antihistamines that sedate, hormones, some cytotoxics. For cyproheptadine the concern is real. The pack also states the dose plainly – one tablet three to four times a day – which at four doses is 16 mg, enough sedation and anticholinergic effect that self-medicating is a poor idea. Strip of 10 tablets.

Key Features

• Cyproheptadine Hydrochloride IP 4 mg (anhydrous), uncoated tablets
• Marked Schedule G – to be taken only under medical supervision
• Pack dose: 1 tablet, 3 to 4 times a day, or as the doctor directs
• Carries the drowsiness and driving caution on the strip
• Strip of 10 tablets from Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd.

Composition

• Cyproheptadine Hydrochloride IP (Anhydrous) – 4 mg
• Uncoated tablet. Excipients q.s. As printed on the strip

Uses & Benefits

• Relieves the itching, rash, hives and swelling of allergic reactions
• Used for allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis and skin allergies as prescribed
• Helps with itching from insect bites and some cold-related allergic symptoms
• Blocks histamine at H1 receptors and also blocks serotonin, which is why it increases appetite
• Prescribed under supervision as an appetite stimulant in selected cases
• A long-established first-generation antihistamine with decades of clinical use

Directions for Use

• Take it exactly as your doctor directs. The pack states 4 mg three to four times a day, but the dose is set by your doctor and is lower in children and the elderly
• Swallow the tablet with water. It may be taken with or without food; with food if it upsets your stomach
• Take the largest dose at bedtime if drowsiness is a problem, on your doctor’s advice
• Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how it affects you
• Do not take it for longer than your doctor advises

Precautions

• This drug causes drowsiness. The pack advises avoiding driving and operating machinery after taking it. Do not combine it with alcohol, sedatives or sleeping tablets
• Not for children under 2 years, and not for frail or elderly patients, in whom antihistamines of this class cause confusion, falls and urinary retention
• Avoid if you have narrow-angle glaucoma, an enlarged prostate or difficulty passing urine, a bladder-neck or bowel obstruction, or a stomach ulcer with narrowing
• Do not take it with, or within 14 days of, an MAOI antidepressant. Tell your doctor about every medicine you take
• Dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation, dizziness and increased appetite are the usual effects. Report difficulty passing urine, a fast or irregular heartbeat, or confusion
• Using it to gain weight is not a substitute for finding out why appetite or weight is low. Unexplained weight loss needs investigation, and any use for appetite should be a doctor’s decision, time-limited and monitored

Storage

• Store protected from light and moisture at a temperature not exceeding 30°C, as printed on the strip
• Keep the tablets in the blister until use
• Keep out of reach of children

Disclaimer

Schedule G prescription drug – the pack states it is dangerous to take this preparation except under medical supervision. This information is for general awareness and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Cyproheptadine causes drowsiness and should not be taken for appetite or weight gain except on a doctor’s advice.