Viartril-S is a medication used to treat and prevent degenerative joint conditions, such as spinal degeneration, back pain, arthritis, and bone fractures. The medication must be used correctly and at recommended dosages to achieve optimal therapeutic effects.
1. What is Viartril S?
Viartril-S is a medication used for prevention and treatment of degenerative joint conditions including periarthritis, spinal degeneration, arthritis, bone fractures with joint atrophy, back pain, subacute/chronic arthritis, and osteoarthropathy. Additionally, Viartril-S may be used for other indications not mentioned here - patients should consult their physician for detailed information.
The medication is currently available in two forms: oral suspension powder or capsules. It belongs to the group of medications that treat bone, joint, and gout conditions. The main component of Viartril-S is glucosamine sulfate, along with other excipients like sorbitol, aspartame, citric acid, and polyethylene glycol. Each formulation of Viartril-S contains different concentrations:
- 250mg Viartril s capsules
- 500mg Viartril s capsules
- 1500mg Viartril s powder sachets for oral suspension
2. Indications and Uses of Viartril S
2.1 Indications for Viartril S
Viartril-S is typically prescribed by doctors for the following conditions:
- Osteoporosis and osteoarthritis
- Periarthritis
- Primary/secondary joint degeneration, such as degeneration of hip, knee, hand, shoulder, or spine
- Bone fractures with joint atrophy
- Acute or chronic arthritis
As Viartril-S is a prescription medication, patients should only use it under medical supervision. Self-medication should be avoided as it may pose potential health risks.
2.2 Therapeutic effects of Viartril S
Pharmacodynamics
Viartril-S is a pharmaceutical therapy , including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antirheumatic drugs, and anti-inflammatory medications. The main active ingredient, glucosamine sulfate, is a salt form of glucosamine amino-saccharide that functions as a normal physiological substance in the body. This active ingredient is typically combined with sulfate groups to promote the biosynthesis of glycosaminoglycan in the joint cartilage matrix and hyaluronic acid in synovial fluid.
The mechanism of action for glucosamine sulfate involves stimulating the synthesis of joint proteoglycan and glycosaminoglycan. Additionally, glucosamine demonstrates excellent anti-inflammatory properties and helps inhibit cartilage degeneration by suppressing interleukin 1 (IL-1) – a cytokine closely related to the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. Studies have shown that glucosamine sulfate inhibits superoxide free radicals, cartilage-degrading enzymes (phospholipase A2 or collagenase), and lysosomal enzymes. This contributes to its mild anti-inflammatory effect in certain types of joint degeneration.
In addition, several short and medium-term clinical studies have demonstrated that glucosamine sulfate use significantly improves osteoarthritis symptoms after just 2-3 weeks of treatment. Furthermore, the therapeutic efficacy of Viartril-S compared to other pain medications or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs shows ideal results after continuous treatment periods of 3 or 6 months, with notably sustained effects lasting up to 2 months after discontinuation.
Continuous treatment with Viartril-S for 3 years can substantially improve degenerative joint symptoms and help slow the destruction of joint structure in patients. Additionally, the active ingredient glucosamine sulfate demonstrates excellent tolerability and rarely causes serious effects on the autonomic nervous system, central nervous system, respiratory system, or cardiovascular system.
Pharmacokinetics
After oral administration, glucosamine is absorbed and widely distributed throughout the body. The absolute bioavailability is typically 20-30%. When taking repeated doses of 1500mg/day of glucosamine, the peak plasma concentration at steady state is 8.9 μM (1602±425 ng/ml).
After absorption, Viartril-s is primarily distributed in extravascular compartments. The observed apparent volume of distribution is 37 times larger than the total body water volume. Currently, there are no specific studies on the drug's metabolic properties. In humans, the final plasma elimination half-life of glucosamine sulfate is typically over 48 hours after ingestion.
3. Dosage and Administration of Viartril-S
3.1 Dosage Guidelines
The dosage of Viartril-S is determined and adjusted according to each patient's age and condition. The following dosages are for reference only, and patients should consult directly with their doctors for precise dosing instructions.
For patients over 18 years old:
The typical dose is 6 capsules of 250mg Viartril-S, divided into three doses per day. For the powder suspension form, patients may take one 1500mg Viartril-S sachet once daily. The medication can be used alone or in combination with other drugs, such as chondroitin 1200mg/day. Treatment duration varies by individual, but patients should use the medication continuously for at least 2-3 months to ensure therapeutic effectiveness.
For adults:
- Capsule form: Take one 500mg capsule or two 250mg capsules, divided into three doses per day
- Powder suspension form: Take one sachet once daily after meals
For children:
Currently, there are no specific studies on appropriate Viartril-S dosing for children. Therefore, consult a healthcare professional thoroughly before deciding to use this medication for children.
3.2 Administration instructions
Viartril-S is taken orally, and patients should take it approximately 15 minutes before meals:
- For capsules: Swallow the capsule whole with plain water
- For powder suspension: Mix the powder with an appropriate amount of water, stir until completely dissolved before drinking
4. What to do in case of overdose or missed dose of Viartril-S?
4.1 Managing Viartril-S overdose
There have been no reported cases of accidental or intentional Viartril-S overdose. According to acute and chronic toxicity studies in animals, using up to 200 times the therapeutic dose of Viartril-S may not cause toxic symptoms. However, if toxicity occurs, patients require immediate emergency care for symptom treatment and standard supportive measures, such as electrolyte balance restoration when necessary.
4.2 Managing a missed dose of Viartril-S
If you miss a dose of Viartril-S, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is close to the time for your next scheduled dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular dosing schedule. Never double the prescribed dose on your own, as this could lead to potential health risks.
5. When is Viartril-S contraindicated?
Viartril-S should not be used in the following specific cases:
- Patients who are allergic to glucosamine or hypersensitive to other excipients in the medication.
- Individuals with allergies to crab/shrimp shells, as the main component is derived from these shellfish.
- People with phenylketonuria because Viartril-S powder suspension contains aspartame.
- Patients with fructose intolerance due to the presence of sorbitol in the powder suspension form.
- Individuals who cannot tolerate galactose, have glucose-galactose malabsorption, or lactase deficiency because the capsule form contains lactose.
- Children, pregnant women, or nursing mothers, as there are no reports on the efficacy and safety of the medication for these groups.
6. Potential side effects of Viartril-S
When using Viartril-S, patients may experience these notable side effects:
- Headache, dizziness, insomnia, drowsiness.
- Rapid heartbeat or peripheral edema.
- Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, constipation, heartburn.
- Itching, skin rash, hives.
This list does not include all possible side effects of Viartril-S, and other side effects may occur in some cases. If patients have any concerns about Viartril-S side effects, they should consult with their pharmacist or doctor.
7. Additional important notes when using Viartril-S
7.1 Drug interactions with Viartril-S
Patients should avoid using Viartril-S concurrently with tobacco, alcohol, fermented beverages, or alcoholic drinks. These beverages and stimulants may reduce the therapeutic effectiveness of the active ingredients and components in the medication.
Furthermore, when combining glucosamine sulfate with anticoagulant medications, it may enhance the anticoagulant effect of coumarin. Therefore, patients need to closely monitor their blood coagulation parameters at both the beginning and end of Viartril-S treatment. Additionally, oral Viartril-S treatment may increase tetracycline absorption in the patient's gastrointestinal tract.
7.2 Precautions when using Viartril-S
During the course of Viartril-S treatment, patients should observe the following precautions:
- The medication does not cause gastrointestinal disorders, allowing for long-term treatment. The Viartril-S treatment regimen should be repeated approximately every 6 months or shorter based on the patient's health status assessment.
- Caution is necessary when prescribing the medication to individuals planning pregnancy or currently pregnant. If Viartril-S use is necessary, it must be under specialist physician supervision.
- Viartril-S takes effect after 1 week of use; therefore, if patients experience significant pain, they may take anti-inflammatory pain medication during the first few days of treatment.
- Individuals with liver failure, hepatic coma, kidney failure, myasthenia, or gastric ulcers should exercise caution before using this medication.
7.3 Storage instructions for Viartril-S
Store Viartril-S at room temperature, away from light and high humidity. Never store the medication in freezers or bathrooms. As storage requirements vary by medication type, carefully read the storage instructions on the packaging or consult your physician.
Keep the medication out of children's reach and minimize contact with household pets. For expired or disposable medication, follow physician instructions for proper and safe disposal.
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