Description
Description
Active ingredient: penicillamine
Each all-enteric coated tablet contains 300 mg penicillamine
METALCAPTASE is European product (made in Germany) .
Indication
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Wilson’s disease
- Lead, mercury, copper, and zinc poisoning.
- Cystinuria with detected cysteine stones when recurrence of stones cannot be prevented by other methods (methionine-free diet, hyperhydration, alkalisation of urine) as well as in cases of advanced cysteine stone disorders involving special risks (e.g. after nephrectomy).
- There is some evidence that scleroderma may respond to treatment with Metalcaptase 300 mg
Dosage and route of administration
Dosage
Adults
- The daily dose for patients with rheumatoid arthritis is 150 mg penicillamine in the first two weeks, 300 mg in the third and fourth weeks, 450 mg in the fifth and sixth week and 600 mg from the seventh to the sixteenth week. If the effect is insufficient the daily dose is increased after the sixteenth week in 150 mg steps every two weeks according to the same schedule up to a maximum dose of 900 mg, or temporarily to as much as 1 200 mg. After the drug begins to take effect of action, the daily dose is gradually reduced to the individual maintenance dose of 300 to 600 mg of penicillamine. For the initiation of treatment and the gradual increase/decrease of the dosage tablets with reduced amount of active substance (150 mg penicillamine) are available. The daily dose should be distributed evenly over the day.
- Patients with Wilson’s disease should take 10 to 20 mg of penicillamine per kilogram body weight per day.
- An initial daily dose of 4 x 300 mg penicillamine is recommended for patients with heavy metal poisoning. If treatment is prolonged, the daily dose should not exceed 40 mg of penicillamine per kilogram body weight.
- Patients with cystinuria should receive four doses of 225 to 525 mg penicillamine daily, depending on cysteine excretion.
Children and adolescents
- Metalcaptase 300 mg is not suitable for therapy of rheumatoid arthritis in children and adolescents because the amount of the active ingredient is too high. Tablets with a reduced amount of active ingredient are available.
- Wilson’s disease: 10 to 20 mg penicillamine per kilogram body weight daily.
- A daily dose of up to 100 mg of penicillamine per kilogram body weight is recommended for patients with heavy metal poisoning. The maximum daily dose of penicillamine in these cases is 1 050 mg.
Patients with cystinuria should receive 4 doses of 225 to 525 mg penicillamine daily, depending on cysteine excretion.
Method of administration
The drug should be taken on an empty stomach or one hour before or 2 to 3 hours after meals with generous amounts of liquids.
To preserve the gastric acid resistant coating, coated tablets must not be split or chewed. Metalcaptase 300 mg therapy for rheumatoid arthritis can be discontinued entirely in the case of prolonged remission.
