Clinical medicine profile
Racecadotril
Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class)
- Route
- See product SmPC
- Schedule
- POM
- ATC
- Not assigned
- PPB status
- registered
This profile needs source confirmation
Some sections contain general class guidance rather than medicine-specific evidence. 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
- Hypersensitivity to the active substance or excipients.
- Additional absolute contraindications are indication- and product-specific — consult SmPC.
Precautions
- Obtain allergy and medication history.
- Adjust for renal/hepatic impairment, pregnancy, lactation, extremes of age and interacting drugs.
- Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest appropriate duration.
- Monitor for expected class adverse effects.
Dosing matrix
Population and organ-function guidance, shown together for faster comparison.
100mg TID for adults and 1.5 mg/kg TID for children.
See label paediatric section if present; otherwise use paediatric formulary — do not extrapolate adult doses.
Review renal impairment dosing; many agents need CrCl/eGFR adjustment.
- CrCl 0–120: Confirm renal dosing in product SmPC / primary label.
Review hepatic impairment dosing; monitor LFTs if agent is hepatically cleared or hepatotoxic.
Use, effects & interactions
Indications
- Therapeutic use is agent- and indication-specific within the class (Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class)).
- Use according to culture results, national guidelines (Kenya STG/EML where applicable) and the current product SmPC.
- Diarrhoea.
Adverse effects
- Adverse reactions vary by agent.
- Counsel on common predictable effects and serious warning symptoms (allergy, severe rash, jaundice, unusual bleeding, severe GI symptoms, neurological changes).
- Report suspected ADRs via national pharmacovigilance channels.
Drug interactions
Open multi-drug checker ↗- Professional use: confirm indication, dose, duration, monitoring and patient counselling points against current Kenya STG / EML and the product SmPC.
- Document allergy status and key interactions.
Mechanism & disposition
It is rapidly converted in the body to thiorphan which is a potent enkephalin- ase inhibitor.
Read complete mechanism
It is rapidly converted in the body to thiorphan which is a potent enkephalin- ase inhibitor. Enkephalins are endogenous opioid peptides secreted by myenteric and sub mucosal neurons in the digestive tract. The enkephalins activate the opioid receptor, inhibiting the secretion of Cl and fluids thus reducing the loss of fluids and electrolytes during diarrhea.
Product-specific
Product-specific
See product SmPC
are product-specific. Consider food effects, protein binding, hepatic CYP/UGT
when adjusting for organ impairment, age and drug interactions. Verify parameters in the current SmPC.
Pregnancy, lactation & diet
Use only if potential benefit justifies potential risk; prefer agents with better reproductive data when alternatives exist.
Assess infant risk vs benefit of maternal therapy; prefer agents with lactation data.
Brands & loaded prices
| Brand | Manufacturer | Pack | Observed price |
|---|---|---|---|
| HIDRASEC CHILDREN 30 mg | Abbott Laboratories S.A. (Pty) Ltd | Granules For Oral Suspension 30mg | Unavailable |
| HIDRASEC INFANTS 10 mg | Abbott Laboratories S.A. (Pty) Ltd | Granules For Oral Suspension 10mg | Unavailable |
Sources & review state
Decision support only. Confirm patient-specific decisions against the current product SmPC, Kenya STG/EML, and professional judgement.