What is meticorten?
Meticorten is the trade name for prednisone, synthesized by Aspen®laboratories(1). Prednisone is the precursor to prednisolone, which is part of glucocorticosteroids, a class of corticosteroids. They areanti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs.
Meticorten® decreases the inflammatory process byinhibiting the synthesis of inflammatory proteins, the migration of inflammatory cells and fibroblasts to the inflammatory focus(2). Its mechanism of action has provided great uses in therapeutics or as an adjuvant.
Note: Meticorten®comes as 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg, and 50 mg tablets. The preferential route of administration is oral. The initial and maintenance dose of the drug depends on the disease being treated.
What is meticorten for?
Meticorten® is useful fortreating many autoimmune or inflammatory conditions. Next, we will mention the most common:
1. Allergic reactions
In this case we talk about phenomena such asurticaria or angioedema, whose symptoms are treated with this meticorten®.
To highlight: According to theEuropean Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology, the dose is 20 mg to 40 mg for 3 to 4 days(3). Meticorten® is also used inbronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis.
2. Skin and eye conditions
. In this case, in addition to its oral presentation, meticorten® is also administered in the form of creams or ointments.
Important: The use of prednisone (a component of meticorten®) in a patient with Stevens Johnson syndrome is still controversial , as it may be useful in certain cases and not in others. (4)
3. Respiratory and hematological diseases
Meticorten® is included in the treatment against Respiratory diseases , such as atypical pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis jirovecii in HIV -positive patients and in patients with tuberculosis, as well as sarcoidosis.
On the other hand, for hematological processes, meticorten® is used in autoimmune thrombocytopenia, autoimmune hemolytic anemia and in cancer (lymphomas and multiple myeloma).
You should know: Meticorten® is also used to treat systemic rheumatic conditions such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, polyarteritis nodosa, etc.
4. Gastrointestinal, liver and kidney disorders
, inflammatory bowel syndrome, autoimmune hepatitis, subacute liver necrosis, chronic active hepatitis, and nephrotic syndrome.
Side effects of meticorten
It is natural that, with a mechanism of action that acts on almost any tissue in the body, the adverse reactions of meticorten ® are equally numerous, such as the following:
- Cushing’s syndrome and other hormonal disorders. Treatment with corticosteroid hormones for a long time can induce this syndrome or hormonal suppression.
- Atrophy of the skin layers and healing problems due to a decrease in fibroblasts.
- Arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, bradycardia and fluid retention. (5)
- Exacerbation of symptoms in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. (6)
Important: In the event of any of the aforementioned side effects, it is necessary to discontinue the use of meticorten® and seek medical attention.
Meticorten contraindications
There are several types of conditions in which corticosteroids should be used prudently, to decrease the risk of an adverse response. Next, we will name the most common meticorten® contraindications:
- Known hypersensitivity to prednisone.
- Dermatitis herpetiformis.
- Diverticulitis.
- Certain infections, such as chickenpox and measles.
To highlight: If you suffer from gastrointestinal tract , eye, liver, kidney, neurological (epilepsy) or thyroid conditions, let your doctor know before starting treatment for more information .
Key Findings
- Meticorten® is the trade name for prednisone, a medication used as a treatment for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases .
- Meticorten® is used in ocular, skin, allergic, hematological, oncological, gastrointestinal disorders and many more.
- Its adverse effects are varied, from mild to potentially serious , such as elevated blood pressure, Cushing’s syndrome, among others.
- Before starting treatment with meticorten®, it is necessary to know the contraindications to avoid unwanted reactions.
