Orlistat caps (Xenical)

Pharmaceutical name: Orlistat

Orlistat is used together with a reduced-calorie diet and weight maintenance to treat obesity in people with certain risk factors (such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol or triglycerides).

Therapeutic actions:
Orlistat is a reversible inhibitor of lipases. It exerts its therapeutic activity in the lumen of the stomach and small intestine by forming a covalent bond with the active serine residue site of gastric and pancreatic lipases. The inactivated enzymes are thus unavailable to hydrolyze dietary fat in the form of triglycerides into absorbable free fatty acids and monoglycerides. As undigested triglycerides are not absorbed, the resulting caloric deficit may have a positive effect on weight control. Systemic absorption of the drug is therefore not needed for activity. At the recommended therapeutic dose of 120 mg three times a day, orlistat inhibits dietary fat absorption by approximately 30%.

What is it used for?:
Continuous therapy of obese people or patients with overweight, including people having associated with adiposity risk factors, in a combination with moderate hypo caloric diet.
In a combination with hypoglycemic medicines (metformin, Sulfonylurea drugs and/or insulin) or with moderate hypo caloric diet in patents having 2 type of diabetes and overweight or adiposity.

Contraindications and cautions:
It is not recommended to use Xenical if you:
- are allergic to any ingredient in Xenical;
- constantly have problems absorbing food (chronic malabsorption);
- have gallbladder problems;
- have cholestasis (a problem of bile flow from the liver to the intestines);

Side effects:
Bowel movement urgency; gas with discharge; inability to control bowel movements; increased number of bowel movements; oily discharge; oily or fatty stools; oily spotting.
Other serious side effects: severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); severe or persistent stomach pain.

Interactions:
Side effects, including risk of bleeding may be increased if taking Anticoagulants (eg. warfarin) simultaneously with Xenical.
Xenical may seriously decrease Cyclosporine's effectiveness. Cyclosporine should be taken at least 2 hours before or after orlistat to ensure maximum absorption of cyclosporine into the bloodstream.