Procarbazine: functions, dosage, side effects, how to use it

Functions & Usage

What is Procarbazine used for?

Procarbazine is a chemotherapy drug that is used together with other chemotherapy drugs to treat Hodgkin's disease (or Hodgkin's lymphoma). Procarbazine works by preventing cancer cells from growing and creating new cancer cells. Because procarbazine also affects the growth of normal body cells, you may experience side effects while using this medicine.

Procarbazine also acts as a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. (See also drug interactions for warnings about using procarbazine with other drugs and the need to limit the amount of tyramine in the diet.)

OTHER BENEFITS: This section contains benefits of this drug that are not listed on approved professional drug labels but may be prescribed by a professional healthcare provider. Use this medication for the conditions listed in this section only if it has been prescribed by a professional healthcare provider.

This drug may also be used to treat other cancers such as brain tumors.

What are the rules for using the drug Procarbazine?

Procarbazine is a strong dose drug and is used in conjunction with other medicines. Use them exactly according to the doctor's direction.

Dosage is based on medical condition, body weight, other drugs to treat cancer, and response to treatment. In children, the dosage is based on body size rather than body weight.

Use the medicine regularly for maximum benefits. To help you remember, take it at the same time each day.

Do not stop taking this medication, even if you feel nauseous or want to vomit. However, if you vomit shortly after a dose, contact your doctor immediately.

How do I store Procarbazine?

Store the medicine at room temperature away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom and freeze medication. Different brands of drugs may have different storage methods. Check the product box for instructions on how to store it, or ask the pharmacist. Stay away from children and pets.

It is forbidden to flush the medicine in the toilet or throw it into the drain if not told to. Properly discard this product if it is past the deadline or is no longer needed. Consult a pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more in-depth details on how to safely dispose of the product.

Precautions & Warnings

What should be considered before using the drug Procarbazine?

Before using drugs, first consider the benefits and risks. This is a decision you will need to make after discussing it with your doctor. For this drug, the following should be considered:

Allergy

Tell your doctor if you have had any unusual or allergic reactions to Procarbazine or any other medicines. Also, tell your healthcare professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as food, coloring, preservatives, or animals. For over-the-counter products, read labels or packaging materials carefully.

Children

Although there is no specific information about the benefits of Procarbazine in children, it is not considered to cause any different side effects or disorders in children than in adults.

Elderly

Side effects may be more common in elderly patients, who are usually more sensitive to the effects of procarbazine.

Is the drug Procarbazine safe for pregnant and lactating women?

There are no adequate studies regarding the risks of using this drug in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Always consult your doctor to weigh the potential benefits and risks before using this medication. This medication is a risk category B pregnancy (no risk in some studies).

Side effects

What are the possible side effects of Procarbazine?

Get emergency medical help if you experience any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Contact your doctor immediately if you experience side effects such as:

• Watery diarrhea
• Feel like passing out
• Numbness, burning, or tingling pain
• Confusion, hallucinations, visual or speech problems, difficulty walking or daily activities
• Feeling unstable, losing balance or balance
• Shaking, convulsions
• Cough, chest pain, difficulty breathing
• Fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms
• Easy bruising, unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum), purple or red spots on the skin
• Thrush or white spots in the mouth or on the lips
• Jaundice
• Black, bloody, or tar-like stools
• Coughing up blood or vomiting like coffee grounds

Milder side effects may include:

• Mild nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, stomach pain
• Dry mouth, constipation, mild diarrhea
• Mild hives or rash, temporary loss
• Muscle or joint pain
• Headache, dizziness, feeling tired
• Urinate more frequently
• Changes in menstrual periods

Not everyone experiences the following side effects. There may be some side effects not listed above. If you have concerns about certain side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Drug Interactions

What drugs can interfere with the drug Procarbazine?

Using this medication with the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this drug or change some of the drugs you take.

• Amitriptyline
• Amphetamine
• Apraclonidine
• Atomoxetine
• Benzphetamine
• Brimonidine
• Bupropion
• Carbamazepine
• Carbidopa
• Carbinoxamine
• Citalopram
• Clomipramine
• Cyclobenzaprine
• Cyproheptadine
• Desipramine
• Desvenlafaxine
• Dexfenfluramine
• Dexmethylphenidate
• Dextroamphetamine
• Dextromethorphan
• Diethylpropion
• Doxylamine
• Duloxetine
• Entacapone
• Escitalopram
• Fenfluramine
• Fluoxetine
• Fluvoxamine
• Guanadrel
• Guanethidine
• Hydroxytryptophan
• Imipramine
• Isocarboxazid
• Isometheptene
• Levodopa
• Levomethadyl
• Levomilnacipran
• Linezolid
• Lisdexamfetamine
• Maprotiline
• Mazindol
• Meperidine
• Methadone
• Methamphetamine
• Methyldopa
• Methylphenidate
• Milnacipran
• Mirtazapine
• Nefopam
• Nortriptyline
• Opipramol
• Paroxetine
• Phendimetrazine
• Phenelzine
• Phenmetrazine
• Phentermine
• Phenylalanine
• Phenylephrine
• Phenylpropanolamine
• Procarbazine
• Pseudoephedrine
• Rasagiline
• Reserpine
• Rizatriptan
• Rotavirus vaccine, live
• Selegiline
• Sertraline
• Sibutramine
• Sumatriptan
• Tapentadol
• Tetrabenazine
• Tranylcypromine
• Trazodone
• Trimipramine
• Tryptophan
• Venlafaxine
• Vilazodone
• Vortioxetine
• Zolmitriptan

Using this medication with the medicines below is usually not recommended, but may be needed in some cases. If the two drugs are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or the length of time you take one or both drugs.

• Acetophenazine
• Adenovirus type 4 vaccine, live
• Adenovirus vaccine type 7, live
• Albuterol
• Altretamine
• Amoxapine
• Arformoterol
• Avocado
• Calmette and guerin bacillus vaccines, live
• Bambuterol
• Bitter Orange
• Bromocriptine
• Buspirone
• Chlorpromazine
• Clenbuterol
• Clovoxamine
• Colterol
• Difenoxin
• Diphenoxylate
• Dixyrazine
• Dolasetron
• Dothiepin
• Doxepin
• Droperidol
• Ephedrine
• Ethchlorvynol
• Ethopropazine
• Femoxetine
• Phenoterol
• Fentanyl
• Fluphenazine
• Formoterol
• Frovatriptan
• Granisetron
• Guarana
• Hexoprenaline
• Hydrocodone
• Hydromorphone
• Indacaterol
• Influenza virus vaccine, live
• Iobenguane I 123
• Isoetharine
• Kava
• Levalbuterol
• Licorice
• Lofepramine
• Lorcaserin
• Ma Huang
• Mate
• Measles vaccine, live
• Mesoridazine
• Metaproterenol
• Methotrimeprazine
• Morphine
• Morphine Sulfate Liposome
• Mumps virus vaccine, live
• Naratriptan
• Nefazodone
• Olodaterol
• Oxycodone
• Palonosetron
• Perazine
• Periciazine
• Perphenazine
• Pipotiazine
• Pirbuterol
• Procaterol
• Prochlorperazine
• Promazine
• Promethazine
• Propiomazine
• Protriptyline
• Reboxetine
• Reproterol
• Ritodrine
• Rubella virus vaccine, live
• Salmeterol
• Chickenpox vaccine
• St. John's Wort
• Terbutaline
• Thiethylperazine
• Thioridazine
• Tolcapone
• Tramadol
• Tretoquinol
• Trifluoperazine
• Triflupromazine
• Tulobuterol
• Typhus vaccine
• Tyrosine
• Varicella virus vaccine
• Vilanterol
• Warfarin
• Yellow fever vaccine

Using this medication with any of the following medicines may increase your risk of side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If the two drugs are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or the length of time you take one or both drugs.

• Acarbose
• Acetohexamide
• Benfluorex
• Chlorpropamide
• Ginseng
• Gliclazide
• Glimepiride
• Glipizide
• Gliquidone
• Glyburide
• Guar Gum
• Insulin
• Aspart Insulin, Recombinant
• Degludec Insulin
• Insulin Detemir
• Insulin Glargine, Recombinant
• Glulisine Insulin
• Human Regular Insulin
• Lyspro Insulin, Recombinant
• Metformin
• Methotrexate
• Miglitol
• Repaglinide
• Tolazamide
• Tolbutamide
• Troglitazone

Can certain foods and drinks interfere with the work of the drug Procarbazine?

Certain drugs cannot be used with meals or when eating certain foods because drug interactions can occur. Consuming alcohol or tobacco with certain drugs can also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with a healthcare professional about using drugs with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

What health conditions can interfere with the performance of the drug Procarbazine?

The presence of other medical disorders may affect the use of this drug. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Alcohol addiction
• Angina (chest pain; wind sitting)
• Heart or blood vessel disease
• Heart attack or stroke (recent) - the drop in blood pressure caused by procarbazine may make problems associated with some of these conditions worse
• Chickenpox (including recent exposure)
• Herpes zoster (shingle) - risk of serious disease affecting other parts of the body
• Type 2 diabetes - Procarbazine might change the amount of diabetes medication needed
• Epilepsy - Procarbazine might alter seizures
• Headaches (severe or frequent) - You may not realize when a severe headache is caused by a dangerous reaction to procarbazine
• Infection - Procarbazine can reduce immunity to infection
• Kidney disease - effects may increase due to slower removal of procarbazine from the body
• Liver disease - Procarbazine can cause severe liver disease to get worse
• Psychiatric illness (or history) - Some cases of psychiatric illness may get worse
• Overactive thyroid — increases the risk of a dangerous reaction to procarbazine
• Parkinson's disease - may get worse
• Pheochromocytoma - blood pressure may be affected

Dose

The information provided is not a substitute for a doctor's prescription. ALWAYS consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment.

What is the dose of the drug Procarbazine for adults?

Usual adult dosage for Hodgkin's disease

For administration as a single agent: To reduce the nausea and vomiting experienced by most patients starting procarbazine therapy, single or separate doses of 2-4 mg / kg / day during the first week are recommended. The daily dose should be maintained at 4-6 mg / kg / day until the maximum response is achieved or the white blood cell count has decreased to less than 4000 or platelets less than 100,000. When the maximum response is achieved, the dose may be maintained at 1-2 mg / kg / day. When evidence of hematology or other poisoning is found, the drug should be stopped until the patient begins to recover. After the toxic side effects have disappeared, therapy may be continued according to the doctor's advice, based on medical judgment and appropriate laboratory studies, at a dose of 1-2 mg / kg / day.

When used with other anticancer drugs, the dose of procarbazine must be reduced appropriately, for example in the MOPP regimen, the dose of procarbazine is 100 mg / m2 / day for 14 days.

Usual adult dose for anaplastic astrocytoma

60 mg / m2 orally once daily on days 8 to 21, when given as part of a regimen that also includes lomustine (CeeNU) and vincristine. The PCV regimen may be continued for 29 days.

Usual adult dose for glioblastoma multiforme

60 mg / m2 orally once daily on days 8 to 21, when given as part of a regimen that also includes lomustine (CeeNU) and vincristine. The PCV regimen may be continued for 29 days.

What is the dosage of the drug Procarbazine for children?

Safety and effectiveness have not been confirmed in pediatric patients (less than 18 years).

In what dosages and preparations is Prorcarbazine available?

Capsules: 50 mg

What to do in an emergency or overdose?

In case of an emergency or overdose, contact the local emergency services provider (118/119) or immediately to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Overdose symptoms may include:

• Nausea
• Gag
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness or fainting
• Uncontrolled shaking in one part of the body
• Convulsions

What should I do if I forget to take medicine or forget to take medicine?

If you forget a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, when it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and return to the usual dosing schedule. Don't double the dose.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical consultation, diagnosis or treatment.