Furazolidone
Description
Furazolidone is an antibiotic medicine that is used to treat infectious diarrhoea. It relieves symptoms of diarrhoea like cramps, stomach pain and, loose stools by killing the microorganism causing diarrhoea.
Furazolidone shows some common side effects like nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, drowsiness, headache, etc. These side effects are rare and may subside by themselves. Consult your doctor if they bother you for a long time or worsen. Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to it.
Furazolidone is to be taken with food to avoid stomach irritation. Take it in the dose and for the duration prescribed by your doctor. It is not safe to take more than the prescribed dose of this medicine as it may lead to undesirable effects. Take it every day at the same time for a better result. This will help to maintain the steady-state levels of this medicine in your blood. Do not stop taking this medicine without consulting your doctor, even if you feel better as your condition may relapse or worsen.
Furazolidone is not recommended for use in children below 1 month of age as it may cause anaemia (low red blood cells). Inform your doctor if you have anaemia, liver, heart, or any health issues including all your current medication. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before using this medicine.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Furazolidone
- Nausea and vomiting
- Stomach pain
- Headache
- Skin rash, red or itchy skin
- Unusual tiredness or weakness
- Muscle weakness
- Drowsiness
Uses of Furazolidone
What is it prescribed for?
- Diarrhoea
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe amount of time required for Furazolidone to start showing its effect is not known.
- Duration of effectThe amount of time for which Furazolidone remains active in the body is not known.
- Safe with alcohol?Avoid consuming alcohol along with Furazolidone and up to 4 days after the treatment as it may cause fever, tightness of the chest, and trouble breathing.
- Is it habit forming?No habit-forming tendency has been reported for Furazolidone.
- Usage in pregnancy?Furazolidone is not recommended for use in pregnancy. If you are pregnant, consult your doctor before using this medicine.
- Usage while breast-feeding?Furazolidone is not recommended for use during breastfeeding. If you are breastfeeding, consult your doctor before using this medicine.
Allergy
Avoid taking Furazolidone if you are allergic to it. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms such as skin rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, breathing difficulty, etc.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
Furazolidone is not recommended for use in pregnancy. If you are pregnant, consult your doctor before using this medicine.
Breast-feeding
Furazolidone is not recommended for use during breastfeeding. If you are breastfeeding, consult your doctor before using this medicine.
General warnings
Kidney diseases
Furazolidone is filtered by the kidney and excreted through urine. If you have kidney problems, Furazolidone may accumulate and lead to kidney damage. Your doctor may adjust the dose of this medicine and may closely monitor your kidney functioning if required, based on your clinical condition.
Liver disease
Use Furazolidone with caution if you have liver problems due to the increased risk of severe side effects. Your doctor may adjust the dose of this medicine and may closely monitor your liver functioning if required, based on your clinical condition.
Use in children
Furazolidone is not recommended for use in children below 1 month of age as it may cause anaemia (low red blood cells in the blood).
Driving or operating machines
Furazolidone may cause dizziness, confusion, or disorientation and hence do not perform activities such as driving vehicles or operating machines if you experience any of these symptoms.
Missed Dose
Do not skip any dose of Furazolidone. if you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Do not double your dose to make up for the missed one.
Overdose
Never take more than the missed dose. If you suspected that you might have taken an overdose of Furazolidone, seek immediate medical attention.
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
N/A
Instructions
Avoid consuming alcohol along with Furazolidone and up to 4 days after the treatment as it may cause fever, tightness of the chest, and trouble breathing.
Interaction with Medicine
Amitriptyline
Captopril
Clemastine
Diltiazem
Chlorpromazine
Disease interactions
G6PD deficiency
G6PD is an enzyme responsible for keeping red blood cells healthy. G6PD deficiency is a disorder that affects red blood cells in your body. Use Furazolidone with extreme caution if you have G6PD deficiency as it may cause anaemia (low red blood cells in the blood).
Colitis
Furazolidone can kill the helpful bacteria in your stomach or intestine and leads to diarrhoea. Therefore, use Furazolidone with extreme caution if you have any gastrointestinal diseases, particularly colitis (swelling of the inner lining of the colon), since it may worsen these conditions.
Food interactions
Avoid consumption of food or beverages containing high tyramine content like cheese, fish, fermented meat, overripe fruits, etc., while using Furazolidone. Report any unusual symptoms such as severe headache, confusion, blurred vision, problems with speech or balance, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, convulsions, numbness or weakness, etc., to your doctor immediately.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Take Furazolidone exactly as advised by your doctor.
Do not take in more or fewer doses than prescribed. Consult your doctor if you experience any undesirable effects.
Do not stop taking this medicine before completion of the treatment/without consulting your doctor.
Avoid consuming alcohol while using this medicine as it may cause dizziness, drowsiness, and breathing difficulty.
It is not recommended to eat fish, over ripen fruits, cheese, etc while using this medicine. Also avoid caffeine-containing food and drinks like chocolate, coffee, cola, and tea as it may increase blood pressure.
Keep the medicine away from the reach of children and pets. Ensure that unused medicine is disposed of properly.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Furazolidone works by preventing the formation of the bacterial cell wall that is essential for the survival of bacteria in your body.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Miscellaneous antibiotics, Anti-infectives, Antidiarrheals, Nitrofurans
Schedule
Schedule H
Pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. Furazolidone. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 7 October 2021].
Hospitals, M., 2021. Furazolidone | Medicine. [online] Medicoverhospitals.in. Available at: < [Accessed 7 October 2021].
Mayoclinic.org. 2021. Furazolidone (Oral Route) Proper Use - Mayo Clinic. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 7 October 2021].
E-lactancia.org. 2021. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 11 October 2021].
Information on this page was last updated on 5 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.