Clinical medicine profile
Mefenamic Acid /Dicyclomine hydrochloride
NSAID / analgesic–anti-inflammatory
- Route
- ORAL / TOPICAL / RECTAL / IM (agent-dependent)
- Schedule
- POM
- ATC
- Not assigned
- PPB status
- registered
This profile needs source confirmation
A traceable source link is not attached to this profile. Confirm prescribing decisions against the current SmPC and Kenya STG/EML.
Safety essentials
The information most likely to change a prescribing or dispensing decision.
Contraindications
- Allergy to the drug or any other component of the product
- intestinal obstruction
- faecal impaction
- colonic atony
- infants below 6 months
- lactation [apnoea is known to have occurred in infants].
- Severe renal impairment
Precautions
- [From component Mefenamic Acid] Renal impairment, asthma, infection and other treatable organic causes before prescribing for menorrhagia, possible NSAIDs cross sensitivity.
- 10a, 12, B
Dosing matrix
Population and organ-function guidance, shown together for faster comparison.
Dosing is indication-, age-, weight- and organ-function-specific for this INN. Do not use class averages for high-risk patients. Confirm the exact regimen in the current SmPC and Kenya Standard Treatment Guidelines. Typical professional workflow: (1) confirm indication, (2) check renal/hepatic function, (3) screen interactions/allergies, (4) select dose/route/duration, (5) define monitoring.
Paediatric dosing is weight- and age-based; use a paediatric formulary / SmPC. Do not extrapolate adult tablets without calculation.
Haemodynamically mediated AKI risk — high alert in volume depletion and renin-angiotensin blockade.
- CrCl 0–120: Confirm renal dosing in product SmPC / primary label.
Rare idiosyncratic hepatitis; more concern with prolonged high doses/diclofenac in some datasets.
Use, effects & interactions
Indications
- Therapeutic use is agent- and indication-specific within the class (NSAID / analgesic–anti-inflammatory).
- Use according to culture results, national guidelines (Kenya STG/EML where applicable) and the current product SmPC.
- Spastic pain, menstruation cramps
Adverse effects
- Dizziness
- headache
- allergic reaction
- constipation
- transient bradycardia followed by tachycardia and other anti-muscarinic side effects
- reversible skin rashes, blood dyscrasia.
Drug interactions
Open multi-drug checker ↗- Fixed-dose/multi-ingredient product.
- Clinical details partially inherited from component monographs: Mefenamic Acid, Dicyclomine.
- Confirm combination SmPC for exact dosing.
Mechanism & disposition
Mefenamic acid is an Inhibitor of cyclo-oxygenase [COX-1 and COX-2] enzymes that catalyzes the conversion of arachidonic acid to PGH2, an opioid receptor agonist.
Read complete mechanism
Mefenamic acid is an Inhibitor of cyclo-oxygenase [COX-1 and COX-2] enzymes that catalyzes the conversion of arachidonic acid to PGH2, an opioid receptor agonist. Dicyclomine blocks the activity of acetylcholine on muscarinic receptors on the surface of muscle cells
30–60 minutes
4–12 hours (agent-dependent)
ORAL / TOPICAL / RECTAL / IM (agent-dependent)
of metabolites. Half-lives vary widely (ibuprofen short; naproxen longer; oxicams long).
Pregnancy, lactation & diet
[From component Dicyclomine] 8.1 Pregnancy Pregnancy Category B Adequate and well-controlled studies have not been conducted with dicyclomine hydrochloride in pregnant women at the recommended doses of 80 to 160 mg/day. However, epidemiologic studies did not show an increased risk of structural malformations among babies born to women who took products containing dicyclomine hydrochloride at doses up to 40 mg/day during the first trimester of pregnancy. Reproduction studies have been performed in rats and rabbits at doses up to 33 times the maximum recommended human dose based on 160 mg/day (3 mg/kg) and have revealed no evidence of harm to the fetus due to dicyclomine. Because animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response, this drug should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed.
[From component Dicyclomine] 8.3 Nursing Mothers Dicyclomine hydrochloride is contraindicated in women who are breastfeeding. Dicyclomine hydrochloride is excreted in human milk. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in breast-fed infants from dicyclomine hydrochloride, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother [see Use in Specific Populations (8.4) ] .
Brands & loaded prices
| Brand | Manufacturer | Pack | Observed price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meftal Spas | Bluecross | mg/ 10mg 60's | Unavailable |
Sources & review state
Decision support only. Confirm patient-specific decisions against the current product SmPC, Kenya STG/EML, and professional judgement.