Citicoline
Description
Citicoline is a medicine with neuroprotective effects (protects the nerve). Hence, It is used in the treatment of brain stroke (damage to your brain due to improper blood supply), memory loss, and movement disorders associated with ageing. It works by preventing the damage to your nerve cells and nourishing them back to health again.
Citicoline may cause side effects like stomach discomfort, restlessness, diarrhoea, and headache. However, these side effects may subside by themselves as your body adjusts to the medicine.
Citicoline is available as an oral form to be taken by mouth and as an injection to be administered into the vein or muscle. Take Citicoline oral forms with or without food. The dose and duration depend on the severity of your health condition. Do not discontinue this medicine without consulting your doctor. Injectable forms are administered by a qualified healthcare professional in a hospital setting.
Citicoline should be avoided if you are allergic to it. Inform your doctor if you have kidney or liver problems. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant or are breastfeeding before taking this medicine.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Citicoline
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Shaking of hands or feet
- Sleeplessness
- Irregular heartbeat
- Low blood pressure
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea
- Stomach pain
- Injection site pain
- Blurred vision
Uses of Citicoline
What is it prescribed for?
- Acute ischemic stroke
- Alzheimer's disease
- Cerebral insufficiency
- Parkinsonism
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe onset of action for Citicoline is not clinically determined. You may have to use this medicine for the long term to get complete benefits.
- Duration of effectThe duration of action for Citicoline is not clinically determined.
- Safe with alcohol?Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
- Is it habit forming?No habit-forming tendency has been reported for Citicoline.
- Usage in pregnancy?The safety and efficacy of Citicoline in pregnant women are not clinically established. Hence consult your doctor if you are pregnant.
- Usage while breast-feeding?The safety and efficacy of Citicoline in breastfeeding women are not clinically established. Hence, consult your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Allergy
Avoid taking Citicoline if you are allergic to it. Serious allergic reactions to this medicine are rare. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms such as skin rash, breathing difficulty, itching or swelling of the face/tongue/throat, etc.
Hypertonia
Hypertonia is a condition of too much muscle tension in the body. This condition makes it difficult to flex and move around normally. Less commonly, it may occur in older children and adults. Avoid using Citicoline is not recommended for use if you have this condition.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
The safety and efficacy of Citicoline in pregnant women are not clinically established. Hence consult your doctor if you are pregnant.
Breast-feeding
The safety and efficacy of Citicoline in breastfeeding women are not clinically established. Hence, consult your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
General warnings
Kidney disease
Use Citicoline with caution if you have kidney problems. Impaired kidney function may lead to slow elimination and accumulation of this medicine in your body. Your doctor may prescribe a suitable dose based on your health condition.
Other medicines
Inform your doctor if you are taking any medicines including herbs and supplements before beginning the treatment with Citicoline.
Persistent intracranial hemorrhage
Persistent intracranial hemorrhage refers to continuous bleeding between your brain tissue and skull. Take Citicoline with caution in such cases. It is recommended not to exceed the dose of 1000 mg daily.
Liver disease
Use Citicoline with caution if you have liver problems. In such cases, using a higher dose of this medicine is not recommended.
Elderly
Dose adjustment of Citicoline may be required in the elderly population with impaired kidney function.
Missed Dose
Oral forms: Try not to skip a dose of Citicoline. If a dose is skipped, do not add it up to the next dose.
Injection: Since Citicoline is administered in a hospital setting by a qualified healthcare professional, the likelihood of missing a dose is very low.
Overdose
Oral forms: Seek emergency medical treatment or contact your doctor in case of an overdose.
Injection: Since Citicoline is administered in the hospital or clinical setting by a qualified healthcare professional, the likelihood of an overdose is very low. However, emergency medical treatment will be initiated by your doctor if an overdose is suspected.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Instructions
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Interaction with Medicine
Levodopa
Meclofenoxate
Disease interactions
Disease
Information not available.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Oral form: Take Citicoline as instructed by your doctor.
This medicine can be taken with or after food with an adequate amount of water.
Do not take this medicine in smaller or larger quantities than recommended by your doctor.
Injection: Citicoline is administered by a qualified healthcare professional in a hospital setting.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Citicoline works by increasing the level of certain brain chemicals necessary for proper brain function. It also improves the condition of damaged nerve cells and brings them back to a healthy condition.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Nootropics
Schedule
Schedule H
Drsertus.com. 2021. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 12 February 2021].
Frank, K., Patel, K., Lopez, G. and Willis, B., 2021. CDP-choline Research Analysis. [online] Examine.com. Available at: < [Accessed 12 February 2021].
Go.drugbank.com. 2021. Citicoline | DrugBank Online. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 15 March 2021].
Pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. Citicoline. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 15 March 2021].
CiplaMed. 2021. COGNOLIN Injection. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 18 August 2021].
CiplaMed. 2021. COGNOLIN 500 Tablets. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 18 August 2021].
Information on this page was last updated on 23 Nov 2021
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.