The 9 best cramp remedies

*Editor’s Review of the Best. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective, not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to purchase. You should consult a specialist before buying.

Each of us, of course, knows what cramps and spasms are, and more than once in life has met with this unpleasant phenomenon. However, if you start to sort it out, you can see some vagueness in these definitions. So, cramps are often understood in everyday life as a painful contraction of a group of muscles, which are subject to our will. The most common cramp is calf cramping in cold water while swimming, or cramping of the same calf muscles after taking large amounts of diuretics, due to the development of hypokalemia.

The second thing that immediately comes to mind is the muscle cramps that occur during an attack of epilepsy. But epilepsy is a separate topic, and we won’t cover it here. After all, epileptic seizures are, as a rule, contraction of muscle groups, which themselves are “not to blame”, there is no disturbance in them, and the order to their massive contraction is given by epileptic discharges of the cerebral cortex, in which are the first, the main motor neurons for the muscles of the opposite half of the body.

What are cramps?

What then is called a spasm?? Very often spasms are called painful and muscular contractions, which in no way belong to the transverse striated musculature, but come from the smooth muscles, which are innervated by the autonomic nervous system. The simplest example of smooth muscle spasm is, for example, an attack of renal or hepatic colic, heaviness and aching pain in the intestines when spastic constipation develops, and other similar conditions. The difference between skeletal muscle cramps and smooth muscle spasms is obvious.

Smooth muscles control the work of internal organs, many of them bring various sphincters into contraction, carry out peristalsis, and also innervate blood vessels. However, when we talk about spasms, we will not mean vasoconstriction here, because generalized and localized vasospasm, that is, vasospasm, is treated, sometimes with other drugs. However, antispasmodics in the complex therapy are used to treat some vascular diseases, and in the “ambulance” successfully relieve and high blood pressure, especially if it has risen not too high.

This review will deal with those medications that help get rid of the painful contractions of the smooth muscles of the internal organs. Therefore, this drug review is unlikely to be of interest to patients who suffer from seizures due to epilepsy, they have their own groups of drugs, which were written about in the following article. Also, there will be nothing of interest here for those patients who have a long-term spastic condition in their muscles that develops after a stroke, and which is so called – post-stroke spasticity. Despite the obvious similarity of the words “spasm” and “spastic,” there is a significant difference.

Muscle spasm, which occurs in the musculature of internal organs, most often occurs due to local causes, (for example, the presence of parasites in the bile ducts, inflammation, the presence of sand or stones in the kidneys, the irritating effect of the feces in the presence of spastic constipation). Almost never here is the central mechanism involved, where the spasm is influenced by the main neurons in the autonomic nervous system.

Who can and can’t benefit from this article?

Post-stroke spasticity, on the other hand, is caused by damage to the central motor neuron, which lies in the cerebral cortex, and the lack of inhibitory effects on the secondary neurons, which are located in the anterior horns of the spinal cord. Being deprived of control “from above,” they become disinhibited, and therefore after a stroke, patients in some cases have persistent muscle spasm, which causes pain and contractures in the affected muscles of the arms and legs. Just these muscles control the dead neurons that got into the stroke focus, into the zone of necrosis, and died in the brain catastrophe. The treatment of spasms requires completely different drugs. They are not antispasmodics, but myorelaxants, and of central action at that. We have repeatedly described them in various articles about chronic back pain as a treatment for osteochondrosis, relief of symptoms of intervertebral hernias and protrusions. These are medications such as, for example, Midocalm, Sirdalud, or Baclofen. These drugs, too, will not be considered in this review, since they have no vegetotropic action, and no effect on the smooth muscles.

We will not talk about the classical calf muscle cramps, because in case of diuretics overdose it is necessary to compensate hypokalemia by taking potassium, for example, give the patient 1/2 tablet of Panangin or Asparkam together with furosemide. In this case, potassium is supplied to the body from outside with some reserve, prevents hypokalemia. Therefore, painful syndrome in the calf at night does not develop.

There are several other groups of cramps and spasms that can be treated with special medications, for example, pri:

1. hypovitaminosis;
2. Blepharospasm, which refers to extrapyramidal disorders;
3. Overdose of some drugs, such as cervical muscle spasm from over-injection of haloperidol, especially in drug addicts;
4. Tetanus, which usually develops in deep stab wounds contaminated with earth, and begins with convulsive contraction of the facial muscles, causing the so-called trismus of the masseter muscles, and “sardonic laughter.

Muscle spasms and cramps may be caused by overheating, sunstroke, excessive blood clotting caused by dehydration, such as in cholera. All of these pathological conditions, although they are spasms and cramps, but they are not the subject of this article.

Who will be interested in this material? This is a large group of patients with gastrointestinal pathology: with gastritis, pylorospasm, duodenitis, cholecystitis and cholecystopancreatitis. These are patients with urolithiasis who suffer from renal colic, persons with various forms of constipation, and especially with spastic constipation, when the intestinal peristalsis suffers due to excessive and prolonged contraction of the smooth muscles. All of these diseases are regularly accompanied by prolonged and persistent painful conditions, which have several characteristic features. What are the symptoms of muscle cramps?

Manifestations and clinical signs

Spasms of smooth muscles of internal organs are inaccurately localized pain. When the patient indicates this pain, he most often uses the palm of his hand, and much less often he accurately indicates with his finger. If we are talking about the transverse striated musculature of the body and limbs, the pain syndrome is usually localized quite distinctly, and its area can be specified precisely.

This is due to the difference between the somatic nervous system, which innervates the muscles, and the autonomic nervous system, which is concerned with the innervation of the internal muscles of the body. They do not work so quickly, they are “economic” muscles, and too detailed localization of the feeling of inner pain is simply not necessary, unlike the external danger.

In addition, the spasm, in addition to pain, it is often accompanied by other signs. For example, gastrointestinal tract involvement causes symptoms of upper, or gastric dyspepsia. These are, most often, heaviness, belching and heartburn, abdominal bloating, discomfort in the upper half of the abdomen, or in the epigastrium. Spasm of the smooth muscles of the gallbladder and biliary tract, in addition to pain in the right subcostal area leads to the appearance of nausea, vomiting, the occurrence of bitterness in the mouth associated with the release of bile into the duodenum.

Renal colic also has its own specific signs. Severe spasm of the ureters, causes pain over a long vertical distance: often this pain is irradiated from the lumbar and to the groin, which radiates to the back, accompanied by dysuric disorders, and may lead to obturation of the urinary tract by stone or sand.

Painful muscle spasms often occur in gynecological patients as well, and may even be a variant of the norm. Thus, painful menstrual syndrome, (algodysmenorrhea) is known, in which spasms must also be dealt with.

Readers have already guessed that the group of drugs that fights spasms, called myotropic antispasmodics, that is, eliminating spasms of smooth muscles of internal organs.

How to treat cramps: antispasmodics

It has already been said above that the smooth muscles of the internal organs are innervated by the involuntary, autonomic musculature. And since the role of the autonomic – sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system in the innervation of the smooth muscles of the internal organs is a crucial factor, then among myotropic antispasmodics there are quite a few drugs that affect the activity of the autonomic nervous system. For example, the cholinolytic platifylline relaxes the muscles by blocking the muscarinic cholinoreceptors, and directly with this sharp fall in smooth muscle tone also reduces the pain syndrome in intestinal colic and peptic ulcer disease, pancreatitis, dyskinesia pathways and so on. Antispasmodics relax the vascular wall, lower blood pressure, and can affect heart function, bronchial tone, and cause various autonomic effects.

Before proceeding to the review of myotropic antispasmodics and drugs for spasm, almost all of which except for platifylline hydro tartrate are sold without a prescription, we should say about another very important role of these drugs: use in acute inflammatory lesions of the abdominal organs.

Only antispasmodics, no painkillers!

This is the phrase that may be the motto of the surgeon who conservatively monitors a patient suspected of an abdominal catastrophe: for example, an attack of acute appendicitis. It is known that if such a patient is not operated on time, it is possible to develop serious complications, such as perforation of the vermiform process, its rupture, the discharge of pus into the abdominal cavity, and the development of spilt inflammation, that is, peritonitis.

Such complications may arise against the background of self-treatment, when addicted to analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs, because they really dull the pain, and reduce inflammation, but are by no means able to eliminate the pathological process. Therefore, in acute appendicitis and any other severe pain in the abdomen, abdominal pain in general, and any internal pain where an abdominal surgery may be necessary, it is strictly forbidden to use analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs, such as those from the NSAID group.

Only myotropic antispasmodics can be taken. If the pain is truly functional, such as a colon cramp, then the patient will be relieved and may have no reason to have surgery or a severe diagnosis.

But in the case where there is no muscle spasm, and the pain is caused by inflammation and suppuration, no antispasmodic, no medication for cramps, such as No-Spa and Galidor, will help. In such a case, surgery is needed, and there is no blurred clinical picture, which may prevent the surgeon from determining the diagnosis, and is caused by taking painkillers. In fact, the analysis of the quality of pain, its nature, localization, and symptoms of peritoneal irritation will not disappear, and will not change. Thus, prescribing antispasmodics, and only antispasmodics for acute and unexpected abdominal pain syndrome avoids serious complications. Now let’s proceed to consider this diverse group of medications for the treatment of spasm.

All medications will be considered according to the standard regimen. First of all, if available, is the INN or the international nonproprietary name. Then – the list of drugs, if possible, first – the original, which is the first produced by any pharmaceutical company, is the most studied, and on it there is the largest number of studies on the effectiveness, safety, contraindications and the presence of joint effects of other drugs. The original drug first appears on the market, which is why it is usually the most expensive.

Names of some commercial copies, or generics produced by other companies if available. Their cost is lower than that of the original drug. The price range given for medications is current for November 2019, for pharmacies of all forms of ownership in the Russian Federation.

The sequence of drugs is not related to ratings, nor to assignment of any places by popularity, price or efficacy, and is dictated by the position of drugs in pharmaceutical classifications, with their location on official sites that post pharmacy prices.

The best drugs for cramps

Monocomponent antispasmodics

First of all, let’s consider a group of drugs for painful and muscle spasms that contain only one component: these are bendazol, benciclane, drotaverine and other drugs that are used when the tone of the smooth muscles of internal organs is increased, or when it is necessary to get it sufficiently relaxed, such as manipulations like duodenal probing, or endoscopic interventions.

Bendazole (Dibazole)

Popularity Rating:* 4.9

Dibasol is probably one of the cheapest and most affordable drugs. Ten tablets of 20 mg, produced by the domestic company Uralbiopharm, cost in the range from 12 to 45 rubles. This is a classic myotropic spasmolytic, it acts not only on the muscles of the internal organs, but also on the vascular muscles. It can be used for mild, downward correction of blood pressure, since it decreases the cardiac output. This remedy can be used on call by an ambulance doctor, as it works gently, but the effect lasts for a short time: even when administered intravenously for only two to three hours. Therefore, its use in hypertensive crisis is limited, and it is most often prescribed for spasms of smooth muscles of internal organs.

Dibazole should be prescribed one to two tablets two to three times a day for a month, or more, as prescribed by your doctor, before or after meals. The drug is also used to treat diseases of the central nervous system, especially in the period of residual manifestations and recovery from trauma, in trigeminal neuralgia, Bell’s palsy, peripheral compression-ischemic neuropathies. Dibasol improves metabolism and increases blood circulation in tissues, including the nervous system, after injuries and inflammatory processes.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantage of Dibazole is its ubiquity, low cost, ability to reduce blood pressure, its use in neurology, including as a means for physical therapy – electrophoresis. And the disadvantage can be considered its rather weak action, and the presence of contraindications and side effects. Contraindications include seizure syndrome and childhood, use in the elderly, especially in parenteral form due to a possible sharp decrease in cardiac output, it should not be used in lactating and pregnant women.

Bencyclan (Galidor)

Popularity Rating:* 4.8

Galidor is a well-known highly purified medicine from the Hungarian company Egis, which is available both as a tablet and as an ampoule for intravenous and intramuscular administration. This medication also affects the smooth muscle tone of internal organs, and the smooth muscles of blood vessels. Therefore, it is indicated not only in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, such as gastroenteritis, irritable bowel syndrome, peptic ulcer, spasm of the sphincter of Oddi, but also in other diseases. It is a vascular pathology – Raynaud’s syndrome, vascular diseases of the upper and lower extremities. Prescribe Galidor if the patient has renal colic and excessive muscle spasm of the bladder.

The drug is used as an outpatient in tablets, one tablet three times a day for a long enough course, about 2-3 months, but not more than 400 mg per day. In cases of pronounced spasm of the muscles of the internal organs, you can take two tablets of Galidor once, but no more than 4 tablets per day. Galidor is available in tablets of 100 mg, and a pack of 50 units costs from 518 to 580 rubles.

Advantages and disadvantages

Galidor copes well with various spasms, including vascular and intestinal spasms, but it has its own contraindications. These are severe organ failure: hepatic, renal, and respiratory. It is myocardial infarction and epilepsy, the presence of craniocerebral trauma even within a year before the prescription of the drug, childhood and adolescence, including under 18 years, pregnancy and lactation.

The doctor who prescribes the drug should be aware of its side effects. These are most commonly dry mouth, dizziness and headache, weight gain, and general malaise, especially when taken in high doses for a long time. If Galidor is prescribed to patients for a long period of time, it is necessary to conduct a coagulogram (to study the rheological properties of the blood). There are a number of drug interactions, so only a doctor should prescribe the drug.

The relative disadvantages include its rather high cost, and it is not often available in pharmacies. However, with all this, Galidor is a reliable medication, the therapeutic effect of which is based on the blockade of calcium channels, antiserotonin effect, and blockade of sympathetic ganglia.

Platifylline (platifylline hydrothartrate)

Popularity Rating:* 4.7

Platifylline, discussed above, is perhaps the only myotropic antispasmodic that is used as a parenteral injection, for subcutaneous administration. It is indispensable for emergency care, in various painful spasms in an acute attack of pancreatitis, intestinal dyskinesia, in the presence of bile duct pathology, in renal colic, in general – pain in the abdomen of unspecified etiology.

Since platifylline is a pronounced cholinolytic, and a synthetic analogue of the alkaloid crestnut, it is very good at relieving spasms and pain caused by spasms, but does not affect the course of pain and inflammation, not causing “masking” of surgical pathology. When used effectively with cholinolytics in therapeutic doses it can also dilate blood vessels and cause mydriasis, i.e. dilation of the pupils. Also platifylline can be used in emergency toxicology, in the case of poisoning with boric acid, strong acids and arsenic compounds.

Curiously enough, but locally, the drug is used in ophthalmology to dilate the pupils and improve the examination of the ocular fundus. Prescribe the drug and use it only doctors and paramedics ambulance, it is also administered in hospitals, so we will not talk about dosages.

Since platifylline is permanently on the list of life-saving drugs, its cost is very low. A pack of 10 ampoules of 0.2% to 1 ml, which are produced by many domestic pharmaceutical companies, costs from 60 to 75 rubles. But most often it is used in medical institutions, so there is no need to buy it in the pharmacy.

Advantages and disadvantages

Disadvantages of platifylline are an extension of its advantages: it is dry mouth, decreased blood pressure, urinary retention and dilated pupils with accommodation disorder and visual impairment. These are the unavoidable side effects of cholinolytics. However, this medication is inexpensive, and quickly relieves very severe pain in spasms, for example, when there is a suspicion of acute pancreatitis. Also this drug can increase the effect of phenobarbital and other barbiturates, and platifylline is contraindicated in various types of glaucoma, with a sharp decrease in bowel tone, development of paralytic obstruction, or with ulcerative colitis.

Oxybutynin (Driptan)

Popularity Rating:* 4.7

Perhaps Driptan is the only drug for cramps that is used exclusively in urology. It serves to treat various forms of urinary incontinence, in so-called neurogenic bladder. Driptan is able to act very selectively: it relaxes the detrusor, that is, the muscle that contracts the bladder. Thus, it allows increasing its capacity, reducing the number of urges, reducing the frequency of detrusor contractions. Driptan is a highly specialized drug because it helps to reduce the frequency of imperative voiding, stabilize the bladder, and therefore is used, among other things, to treat nocturnal enuresis, but only in children over 5 years of age.

Driptan is a fairly inexpensive drug. It is produced by the French company Resifarm Fontaine, and a pack of 30 tablets of 5 mg will cost from 615 to 780 rubles. Use these pills should be 1 tablet 2-3 times a day, so this package is enough for 10-15 days.

Advantages and disadvantages

Driptan has high selectivity, but it cannot be used in various forms of glaucoma, myasthenia gravis, as well as in disorders of urination associated not with the “capricious” behavior of the bladder muscles, but with the presence of obstruction, that is, a mechanical obstacle to urination. These are various tumors, urolithiasis, strictures, the presence of adenoma of the prostate, or its benign hyperplasia.

In addition, the medication cannot be used by nursing women and can cause side effects such as delayed urination, drowsiness or insomnia, and the dilated pupils, dry mouth, and decreased sweating (dry skin) typical of cholinolytics. The relative disadvantage is the price, but given the high selectivity of Driptan and the positive effect in the treatment of bedwetting, it has to be tolerated, given the lack of domestic generics.

Drotaverine (No-shpa Forte, Doverin, Spazmonet, Spazmoverin)

Popularity Rating:* 4.6

No-shpa, or drotaverine, in hydrochloride form, is by far the best known, and widely advertised, antispasmodic. A standard tablet of No-shpa contains 40 mg of the active substance, but No-shpa Forte is twice as “stronger”, it is 80 mg of drotaverine hydrochloride. These are the well-known yellowish pills that already have the drug’s name displaced on them.

Drotaverine affects smooth muscles by inhibiting phosphodiesterase. This allows its use in various spasms of the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract, in cholangitis and cholecystitis, various pathologies of the biliary and urinary tract. In urology, No-shpa is used in urolithiasis and cystitis, in gastroenterology it is pylorospasm and spastic colitis, spastic constipation and irritable bowel syndrome. It is a variety of functional disorders, postoperative spasms. In gynecology, it is pain during periods. Drotaverine is also part of medications that affect the vascular wall and help treat tension headaches.

It is desirable to use No-Shpa forte with pronounced spasms, but not more often than 3 times a day, or 240 mg in the form of 3 intakes per day. Treat spasms with No-Shpa can also be treated without a doctor’s prescription, but only in short courses, for one or two days. Produces No-shpa and No-shpa Forte Hungarian pharmaceutical company Hinoin, and 10 pills of 80 mg is inexpensive, not more than 70 rubles. There are even cheaper domestic analogues, but in the case of very pronounced cheapness, it is worth thinking about the quality of the original substance.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantage of No-Shpa is its familiarity, well proven efficacy and many years of accumulated experience, including for use, both in tablets and injections in emergency care. However, No-shpa in the rarest cases can cause, especially in the form of intravenous administration, severe complications, which are expressed in cardiac rhythm disturbances, complete blockade of the Gis bundle legs. Therefore, you should never try to use ampouled forms of the drug on your own. But keeping in mind that it is contraindicated in heart blockages, especially severe ones, No-Spa, judging by its effectiveness and breadth of use, is one of the best known and most popular remedies, and at the same time has an affordable price.

Multi-component remedies

These preparations contain several components. Such specially selected pharmaceutical prescription allows you to add to the anti-spasmodic effect also any other effects. Thus, most commonly, the anti-inflammatory and antipyretic paracetamol is used in multi-component preparations. In some cases, it also contains Analgin, local anesthetic agents, or agents that can reduce the secretion of, for example, gastric juice. Consider some medications to relieve cramps, which are specifically assembled by pharmacists from several ingredients.

Dicycloverine + paracetamol (Trigan-D, Dolospa-Tabs)

Popularity rating:* 4.9

Drugs to relieve spasms Trigan-D produces Indian pharmaceutical company Kadila, and the drug is inexpensive: for a package of 20 tablets you will pay from 80 to 130 rubles. What do you get in return??

Trigan-D is an analgesic that is combined with an antispasmodic. When using it, remember that it is effective for migraines and toothaches, for stones in the bile ducts, for renal colic and menstrual disorders, in which painful menstruation occurs. This drug combination can improve condition in different types of headaches, (except for acute intracranial pressure and meningitis), in fever with chills, with muscle and joint pain. But, however, it is necessary to remember what was mentioned above: a person must be sure that it is really a renal and hepatic colic. In fact, unusual pain in the abdominal area requires the use of “pure” antispasmodics, as discussed above. Trigan-D still contains paracetamol, which, although it has a weak analgesic effect, but can still “blur” the picture of acute appendicitis, or other acute abdominal pathology.

It is desirable to use Trigan-D in a dose of one tablet two to three times a day. No more than 4 tablets for adults can be taken per day, and the maximum single use is no more than 2 tablets. It is possible to treat painful cramps without consulting a doctor for no more than 5 days, using this medication for cramps as an analgesic.

Advantages and disadvantages

The drug is inexpensive, and it also helps with headaches, toothaches, and fevers. In this case, the combined effect of the two remedies has antispasmodic, analgesic and antipyretic effect. However, the more ingredients any medication contains, the more and contraindications. These are individual contraindications to the components, various obstructive pathology of the intestine, urinary and biliary tract. These are stones, scars, strictures, tumors and polyps of the intestine, intestinal obstruction. This drug is not used in acute gastric and duodenal ulcers, in pregnant and lactating women.

There are also multiple side effects, and therefore it is advisable to use even for the shortest period of time only as prescribed by your doctor. For example, this medicine can increase the effect on the heart of some anti-arrhythmia drugs. When taking cardiac glycosides it may increase their concentration in the blood, may reduce the effectiveness of gout medications, and so on. Therefore, medical consultation before prescribing is necessary.

Sodium metamisole + pitophenone + fenpiperinium bromide (Spasmalgin, Bral, Maxigan, Revalgin, Renalgan)

Popularity Rating:* 4.8

Maxigan already contains as many as three components, and one of them is the old familiar Analgin. Pitophenone is an ingredient to fight spasms of the muscles of the internal organs, and fenpiverinium is similar in its action to a cholinoblocker, this further enhances the relaxing muscle activity.

As a result, this remedy is used for classic internal organ spasms, renal and hepatic colic, intestinal spasm, irritable bowel syndrome, dyskinesia, symptomatic fever (with colds and various infectious and inflammatory diseases).

You can also use Maxigan as tablets, or as part of intramuscular injections after various operations and endoscopic diagnostic procedures, to relieve pain syndrome. In this case, adults should not be given more than 6 pills a day, and the duration of intake should not be more than 5 days. When administering the drug to children, doctors are guided by age and body weight. Maxigan is produced by an Indian pharmaceutical company, and its cost in tablets is also quite affordable: from 105 to 220 rubles per package.

Advantages and disadvantages

Maxigan does help for a few days to eliminate, among other things, the flu-like syndrome, but it has a lot of contraindications. There are already three components in its composition, and each of them must be taken into account. But the main ones are glaucoma, especially closed-angle glaucoma, prostatic hyperplasia, decreased granulocyte count in the blood, because analgin causes their additional decrease (granulocytopenia), and chronic heart failure. It is contraindicated in various heart rhythm disorders, and especially in tachyarrhythmia, in pregnant and lactating women, under 5 years of age for tablets and under 3 months for injections. If the remedy is used in short courses and according to indications, then the effect of relieving spasms will be good, with a low risk of side effects. You only need to consider that if you use the remedy in doses close to the maximum, the symptoms of overdose will be a decrease in blood pressure, dry skin and dry mouth, dilated pupils, and all the unpleasant symptoms associated with the choline-blocking effect.

Bellalgin (belladonna leaf extract + benzocaine + sodium metamizole + sodium bicarbonate)

Popularity Rating:* 4.7

These mild cramp pills are very well known to all gastroenterologists. At one time Bellalgin was as popular as Valocordine. What it consists of? In the composition of the cholinolytic agent – the extract of crasavka, or belladonna. It allows along with analgin and anesthesin to reduce pain sensitivity, block cyclooxygenase at the expense of analgin, and additionally cause blockade of muscarinic cholinoreceptors. As a result, Bellalgin has not only antispasmodic and analgesic, but also antacid, that is, anti-acid and hypoacid effects.

It is indicated for increased motility, and excessive gastric secretion. As a result, this medicine is in the best way to help with various diseases of the upper digestive tract, such as gastritis, various duodenitis, pylorospasm, peptic ulcer, and upper abdomen, when the patient is not likely to develop an emergency condition, that is, stomach bleeding, presence of an active, aggravated ulcer, and so on.

It is preferably to use Bellalgin on an empty stomach, to avoid an increased secretion – 1 tablet 2-3 times a day, but not more than 3 tablets at a time, and not more than 10 tablets a day. Do not use the drug as self-medication. Produces Bellalgin at affordable prices many domestic pharmaceutical companies, for example, Dalhimpharm, and the cost of a package of 10 tablets, that is, the maximum daily dose, will cost from 5o to 80 rubles in November 2019 prices.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantage of Bellalgin is its good balance, in its emphasis on gastric pathology associated with hypersecretion. However, Bellalgin has recently ceased to be sold without a prescription, and due to the presence of acoloylides of krasavka. Since side effects include dilated pupils, this medication has been used by heroin addicts to dilate the pinpoint constricted pupils caused by injecting heroin.

Such increased attention of a certain contingent of suspicious persons to Bellalgin, who in the same pharmacy stock up on syringes and various ingredients to produce drugs, and led to a restriction (completely undeserved) its free sale, however, as well as other cholinolytics.

Plantex (fennel fruit)

Popularity rating:* 4.6

Moving smoothly to herbal antispasmodics, we can learn that they are all dispensed without a prescription, and such a mild and quite effective drug can be considered Plantex, which is a granular, purified extract of fennel fruit. Produces Planteks Slovenian company Lek. Pellets, in sachets, each containing 5 rm of the extract (in a package of 10 sachets) will cost from 250 to 330 rubles.

Such pellets refer to herbal antispasmodics, and their additional effect is to improve peristalsis, shape stools, increase the secretion of gastric juice and stimulate digestion in general. This leads to the fact that the remedy contributes not only to the reduction of painful syndrome in the abdomen, but also prevents the accumulation of intestinal gases and improves their discharge.

Therefore, fennel is used even in newborns who have flatulence, bloating, and other functional problems of the digestive organs. Of course, this medicine is also indicated for adult patients. Apply it by pouring the contents of the package into a glass, adding half a glass of water, and wait, stirring until the complete dissolution of granules. Plantex should be taken depending on the weight and age of the baby, as prescribed by your pediatrician.

Advantages and disadvantages

The great advantage of this herbal medicine for cramps is the veterinary action, the elimination of flatulence, and the resolution of spastic constipation. It is possible to consider this mild drug specific for the treatment of functional intestinal pathology. Particularly helpful that the pellets can be used from infancy, and no symptoms of overdose and contraindications, except hypersensitivity, the presence of lactase deficiency and acute surgical abdominal pathology in Plantex have been identified.

*The popularity ranking is based on an analysis of demand data from the wordstat service..