Dosage forms | Levocabastine

Dosage forms

Levocabastine is successfully used especially for seasonal allergic conjunctival irritation. The drug is an antihistamine that neutralizes and inhibits the histamine released by the body during an allergic reaction. Eye drops act locally and relatively quickly.

Irritated conjunctiva, which can often burn and redden due to the histamine released, are quickly healed by levocabastine. Levocabastine as eye drops should be taken as needed. As a preventive measure, levocabastine should not be taken, but only when the first signs of the allergic reactions are felt.

The eye drops are placed in the conjunctival sac while the eyelid is pulled down slightly and the eye looks up. In case of an allergic attack, the application should be done twice a day by one drop in each eye. If there is no improvement, consider taking an antihistamine tablet.

In case of hypersensitivity to levocabastine, no intake should be made. Levocabastine nasal spray also inhibits the histamine released during an allergic reaction. As a nasal spray it also acts locally and binds to histamine receptors or renders the released histamine ineffective.

As a result, the nasal mucous membranes swell after ingestion and the production of mucus is inhibited. The nasal spray should not be taken prophylactically, but only when the first signs of an allergic reaction appear. The standard dosage is 2×2 spray bursts per day.

If there is no significant improvement afterwards, you should consider either choosing another nasal spray or, in this case perhaps better, even taking an antihistamine tablet. Levocabastine nasal drops are generally well tolerated. However, slight local irritation of the mucous membranes can always occur after taking them.

These then become noticeable as itching or burning of the nasal mucous membrane with sometimes very strong running of the nose. Levocabastine tablets work systemically throughout the body. Once absorbed, these bind histamine released throughout the body and render it ineffective.Levocabastine is mainly used when either the dose of eye or nose drops is not sufficient or when the allergic reaction is so strong that strong allergic symptoms are triggered.

Levocabastine is used similarly to cetirizine, especially in cases of a strong seasonal allergic reaction. The tablets are used daily during an acute episode. A preventive intake is not recommended. Meanwhile levocabastine tablets have largely disappeared from the market. Nowadays, the most commonly used drugs are cetirizine or loratadine, also an antihistamine, to treat an allergic reaction of the eyes and nose.