E-DRUG: Analgin as an antispasmodic & Hoechst's marketing
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1) According to my knowledge, and confirmed through Martindale, Analgin
(Metamizole, dipyrone), is used as an analgesic, antiinflammatory & antipyretic.
2) In a Indian Drug Index, use of Novalgin, (the brand of Hoechst's
Analgin), is also an analgesic, antiinflammatory & antipyretic.
3) Hoechst used to and still markets Novalgin (Analgin) as an antipyretic,
antiinflammatory & analgesic.
4) Hoechst used to market a brand 'Baralgan' which contained Analgin,
pitofenone, & fenpiverinium. This was recommended for renal, biliary colic,
and spasms of female reproductive organs.
5) Because of hectic campaigning by activists, and after a long battle in
court, the Government of India finally succeeded in banning the combination
of Analgin with any other drug, and at last Baralgan (which made sales of
millions of tablets annually), was discontinued.
[As far as I remember, it was not the activists but the German Drug Regulatory
Authority (in Hoechst' home country!) that banned 10 years ago ALL combinations
of metamizole (=analgin, dipyrone) with pitofenone and other antispasmodics, as
there was NO EVIDENCE that the combination worked better than the actual
antispasmodic itself. And as metamizole itself hs all kinds of risks, the
combination products were banned as the addition of metamizole to nti-spasmodics
only added risks and no benefits. Unfortunately, despite this, Hoechst continued
to sell combinations in other, mainly developing countries. WB]
6) Hoechst, heavily hit by the loss in business from one of its bestsellers,
hit upon an idea, which is :
"The company is now marketing 'Baralgan M' which contains only Analgin 500
mg. It is also continuing to market the brand Novalgin (which also contains
Analgin 500mg). The drug literature accompanying the box of 'Baralgan M'
says that Baralgan M is a non-narcotic analgesic, antipyretic,
antiinflammatory, & antispasmodic(!! WOW !!) agent."
So the company markets Novalgin (Analgin 500mg) as an analgesic,
antipyretic & antiinflammatory,
AND,
Baralgan M (Analgin 500 mg) as an antispasmodic besides the above three
indications !
My Query :
1) Does anyone know whether lately (or ever before) Analgin is recommended
as an antispasmodic ?
My self thought out conclusion :
Even a mega company like Hoechst Marion Roussell stoops so low to sell a
drug ! A drug that has been long banned in other countries because of
adverse effects. It configures a NEW use for ANALGIN from God knows where &
how ! It markets the same drugs under two brand names, with different uses
! Analgin unofficially has OTC status in India, with huge sales. The
company even offers schemes to retailers, e.g. 1 strip free on purchase of
19 strips (even though it is a prescription only medicine) !!
I am flabbergasted !
Raj Vaidya
Raj Vaidya, M.Pharm,
Community Pharmacist,
Hindu Pharmacy,
P.B.No. 149,
Panaji - Goa - India 403001
Email : rajvaidya@bigfoot.com
[I am too, and so should all prescribers in India be. This is all caused by the
fact that Hoechst wants to keep the brandname "Baralgan" which was apparently
selling well. Hoechst did the same in Netherlands, where the brandname product
Baralgan also contained only the metamizole after most European countries had
banned the combination products. WB]
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