Updated: 04/23/2021 15:11:06
Expert: Abramova Tsilya
The drugs Valocordin and Valoserdin are analogues. However, the first one is already considered outdated and ineffective. We compared the features of the products to understand their key differences.
A drug | Advantages | Flaws |
Valocordin | It's cheap; Indicated for problems with the nervous system and heart; Few contraindications | In 2021, it is recognized as an obsolete drug with unproven effectiveness; Affects the reaction, slowing it down |
Valoserdin | It has a greater effect on the CVS than on the NS; It is a modern analogue of Valocordin; Better tolerated | Higher cost; Has a specific smell |
Compound
Valocordin was previously produced by the German company KREWEL MEUSELBACH GmbH, which currently synthesizes the chemical formula of the drug specifically for the post-Soviet countries.
In Western countries, Valocordin is considered an outdated drug, but in the territory of the former Soviet Union it has not lost its popularity to this day.
Valoserdin is a domestic analogue of Valocordin with an almost identical composition.
Valocordin is produced on the basis of the active ingredients - phenobarbital and ethyl bromizovalerianate (18.4 mg each) with the addition of mint and hop oils, ethanol and purified water.
Valoserdin contains the same active components. Instead of hop oil, oregano oil is added to the composition of the excipients. This slight difference does not affect the effect of the drug in any way.
Medicines are available in liquid form in bottles equipped with special droppers that allow you to accurately determine the dosage.
General description of the drug Valocordin
The sedative and vasodilator Valocordin was released in 1963 and became widespread due to its safety and wide spectrum of action. Now considered obsolete and replaced by the drugs Corvalol and Valoserdin.
Manufacturing company – Crevel Meuselbach, Germany. Available in the form of drops in bottles of 20 and 50 ml.
The composition contains phenobarbital and ethyl bromizovalerianate. Additionally, there is peppermint, hop oil, ethyl alcohol, and water.
Research and effectiveness
Phenobarbital, which is included in the composition, is included in the list of psychotropic substances. However, Valocordin contains little of it, so it remains over-the-counter.
At a meeting of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences committee in 2007, Valocordin was recognized as an outdated medicine with unproven effectiveness.
Valocordin is not a cardiac drug, but only has a sedative effect.
Source:
RESOLUTION of the Meeting of the Presidium of the Formal Committee of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences on 03.2007.
Contraindications
Not prescribed for hypersensitivity to active components. Do not take if you have severe diseases of the kidneys or hepatobiliary system. Prescribed with caution for head injuries and brain pathologies.
The drops contain alcohol, so they are not recommended for alcoholism. Not prescribed for people under 18 years of age, during pregnancy and lactation.
Drops can affect concentration. The negative effects are especially noticeable when consumed simultaneously with alcohol.
The sedative is addictive with prolonged use. It is not recommended for use by people with a tendency to drug addiction.
Side effects
The use of Valocordin may be accompanied by the following undesirable symptoms:
- dizziness;
- bromine poisoning;
- lack of coordination;
- depression, apathy.
Side effects are more often observed with a long course of treatment with a sedative.
Dosage
Taken orally after meals, washed down with water. The dosage is determined individually, as is the duration of treatment. The standard dose for adults is 15-20 drops 3 times a day. For sleep disorders, it is permissible to increase the dosage to 30 drops.
Who is it suitable for?
Valocordin has a complex effect on the body. Used as soothing drops and for certain cardiovascular disorders.
The product is suitable for the following disorders:
- restlessness and anxiety;
- sleep disorders;
- heart pain.
Valocordin dilates blood vessels, reducing pressure, but it is not recommended to use it for the treatment of hypertension. It improves heart function and has a mild analgesic effect.
Therapeutic effect
The effect of the drug is influenced by its ingredients:
- Phenobarbital belongs to the toxic and potent substances from the group of barbiturates (a derivative of barbituric acid). It has hypnotic, antihyperbilirubinemic, anticonvulsant, antispasmodic and muscle relaxant effects through a non-selective depressant effect on the central nervous system.
- Ethyl bromizovalerianate (ethyl ester of alpha-bromoisovaleric acid), is a synthetic compound based on isovaleric acid (the active substance of valerian). Ethyl bromizovalerianate has the beneficial properties of valerian: sedative, hypnotic, antispasmodic - and provides them with medicinal properties.
- Ethanol dilates blood vessels, improves blood circulation and thins the blood. In addition, the ingredient plays the role of a solvent for the constituent drugs.
- Peppermint oil can improve sleep, calm the nervous system and increase stress resistance.
- Hops oil helps relax the nervous system and helps cope with insomnia.
- Oregano oil eliminates pain, helps relieve nervous tension, relieves anxiety, normalizes blood pressure, improves metabolism, and also stimulates blood circulation.
In many foreign countries, the use of barbiturate-based drugs is prohibited due to their negative impact on health.
The active ingredients Valocordin and Valoserdin lead to the following therapeutic effects:
- decreased excitation of the central nervous system;
- eliminating anxiety, feelings of worry;
- making it easier to fall asleep;
- improving heart function;
- lowering blood pressure;
- reflex vasodilation;
- relieving spasms of smooth muscles (both in internal organs and in blood vessels);
- slight relief of pain.
It is obvious that there are practically no differences between Valocordin and Valoserdin.
Content:
- Story
- Action
- Phenobarbital
- Contraindications and complications
- Consequences of excessive use
- Signs of addiction
- The dangers of addiction
Valocordin is one of the most popular medications used to quickly restore peace of mind and improve heart function. It is sold without a prescription and can be found in almost any medicine cabinet. Meanwhile, it is not as harmless as it might seem. The product contains a serious substance with psychotropic effects - phenobarbital. If you take Valocordin excessively, the consequences can be disastrous, since it is addictive and sometimes provokes serious complications.
Indications
Interestingly, neither Valocordin nor Valoserdin are classified as “heart” drugs. According to the modern classification, they are sedatives.
However, due to the antispasmodic effect of the drugs, the coronary vessels expand, blood flow to the heart increases and pain is eliminated.
Getting rid of heart pain with the help of Valocordin or Valoserdin is not a way out of the situation. Need to see a doctor
The instructions for medications list their indications in detail.
Valocordin and Valoserdin help get rid of:
- difficulty falling asleep;
- pain in the left half of the chest;
- increased heart rate due to accelerated sinus rhythm;
- neurotic states (anxiety and irritability);
- hypochondriacal syndrome (excessive, groundless concern for one’s health);
- instability of the autonomic nervous system, i.e. failures in the processes for which it is responsible;
- high blood pressure (in the initial stages);
- muscle spasms of the gastrointestinal tract (intestinal and biliary colic).
It should be borne in mind that monotherapy with these drugs is not recommended for increased blood pressure. The vasodilating and sedative effects of the drugs help eliminate mild arterial hypertension, but the drugs are not intended to get rid of the disease.
It must be remembered that medications only eliminate the unwanted symptoms of diseases and in no way relieve them. The exposure time of drugs is limited by the period of stay of their active components in the patient’s body.
Interestingly, Valocordin is widely used in folk medicine to treat herpes. Systematic treatment of rashes with the drug leads to their speedy healing. Considering the almost identical drugs, we can conclude that Valoserdin can also be used for these purposes.
General information about Valocordin and Valoserdin
Valocordin is a combined medication with hypnotic and antispasmodic effects. The scope of application of the drug is neurological, cardiac and vascular disorders. Its sedative effect affects the centers of the nervous system - relaxes nerve fibers, relieves muscle tension, which helps restore balance in the psycho-emotional state.
The vasodilating effect helps reduce compression behind the chest and, by improving blood flow, reduces blood pressure and the load on the myocardium.
The main components in the drug are:
- phenobarbitals;
- ethanol;
- ethyl bromoisovalerate;
- hop;
- mint oil.
Valoserdin is a drug that has a similar effect on nerve fibers as Valocordin. Drops reduce tension in nerve fibers at the time of overexcitation and increase blood flow in the myocardium. From the first minutes after taking the drops, the patient feels relaxation of nerve and muscle fibers, shortness of breath goes away, heart rate decreases, and psycho-emotional balance is restored.
Description of the drug
Valoserdin is not specifically prescribed for the treatment of hypertension and cardiac pathologies, but as first aid for a sharp rise in pressure and discomfort in the heart area, many hypertensive patients take drops, which helps relieve an attack.
Contraindications, undesirable effects and overdose symptoms
Valocordin and Valoserdin also have no contraindications and should not be used:
- In case of hypersensitivity to drug ingredients.
- Pregnant women and during lactation to avoid harm to the health of the expectant mother and child. By the way, sometimes it is possible for pregnant women to take medications only after a specialist has analyzed the relationship between the need to use medications and the risk of undesirable consequences.
- Until reaching adulthood. This is due to the specificity of the active ingredients of the drugs and possible addiction. Prescription of drugs for children is possible in an interesting dosage - 1 drop per year of life, regardless of age and body weight.
- With pathological changes in the liver and kidneys.
- With alcohol abuse. Drinking alcoholic beverages within 4 days after using phenobarbital-based drugs increases the risk of: increased heart rate; sudden onset of hypotension; speech retardation; ataxia; dizziness; spasms of the respiratory tract; drowsiness; disorders of consciousness; disruptions in the gastrointestinal tract.
Valoserdin and Valocordin are incompatible with alcohol
Coma cannot be ruled out.
Alcohol in combination with phenobarbital increases the negative effect on the liver, the removal of alcoholic beverages and drug components from the body becomes slower.
The combination of drugs and alcohol can have a stimulating effect on the nervous system or, conversely, depress it.
The combined use of Valocordin or Valoserdin with sedatives can cause an unpredictable enhanced effect and disruptions in the nervous system.
The combination of Valocordin or Valoserdin with drugs based on methotrexate is fraught with poisoning of the body.
Side effects of drugs that occur in rare cases include the following:
- drowsiness;
- slight dizziness.
Using medications for a long time can lead to chronic bromism (bromine poisoning), which is characterized by: rhinitis, deteriorated emotional state, decreased appetite, conjunctivitis, impaired coordination of movements, rashes on the skin.
Overdose can contribute to:
- excessive drowsiness and dizziness;
- various psychomotor disorders;
- tachycardia;
- difficulty breathing;
- critical decrease in blood pressure;
- vascular collapse;
- comatose state.
At the first signs of an overdose, you should stop using the medication, rinse your stomach, and consult a doctor to eliminate unwanted manifestations. Hospitalization of the patient is not excluded.
General description of the drug Valoserdin
The sedative Valoserdin is a modern analogue of Valocordin. The composition also includes phenobarbital and ethyl bromizovalerianate. Additionally, the product contains mint oil, hop oil, ethanol and water. Manufacturer: Moscow Pharmaceutical Factory, Russia. Sold in bottles of 15, 25 and 50 ml.
Valoserdin has a specific odor and no color. Drops are often used to relieve symptoms of cardiovascular diseases. The action of the medicine is aimed at dilating blood vessels, calming, relaxing, reducing excitability, and getting rid of problems with falling asleep.
Research and effectiveness
Preparations containing phenobarbital are prohibited in many countries, due to the consequences of its effect on the body. Abuse of barbiturates can cause problems with the liver, brain, and heart. Usually Valoserdin is used for long-term treatment, which is the main risk. There is a possibility of addiction and gradual poisoning of the body.
Contraindications
Valoserdin has the following contraindications for use:
- porphyria;
- up to 18 years old;
- pathologies of the kidneys and hepatobiliary system;
- pregnancy, breastfeeding;
- intolerance to the composition.
The drops contain more than 3 g of alcohol per daily dose, so they are prohibited for brain diseases and alcoholism.
Side effects
It is relatively well tolerated. In rare cases, sleep disturbances, daytime drowsiness, and mild dizziness are observed. With long-term use of large doses, there is a possibility of bromine poisoning, which is accompanied by depression, apathy, diathesis, and rhinitis.
If adverse reactions occur, you should stop using the medicine.
Dosage
Take before meals, dissolve in 50 ml of water. Prescribed 15-20 drops 3 times. For tachycardia, the dosage is increased to 40-150 drops. The duration of the course is determined individually by the doctor.
In case of an overdose of the drug, drowsiness, psychomotor disturbances, and dizziness are noted. In severe cases, tachycardia, respiratory failure, collapse, drop in blood pressure, and coma may occur.
Treatment for overdose includes gastric lavage and administration of enterosorbent. You need to call a doctor.
Who is it suitable for?
Drops are used in complex therapy of functional disorders of the cardiovascular system. They help with neuroses and increased irritability.
Other indications are:
- tachycardia;
- poor sleep;
- increased arousal of the nervous system.
The product also has an antispasmodic effect, which is used for gastrointestinal spasms.
Danger
The popularity of drugs based on phenobarbital is due to their low price.
However, phenobarbital is extremely toxic. It is with the use of this substance that the death penalty is carried out in some states.
The active ingredient of Valocordin and Valoserdin, phenobarbital, is recognized in many countries as a narcotic substance and is subject to an import ban.
This representative of barbiturates promotes:
- weakening of cognitive abilities, i.e. the degree of perception of knowledge and information with their subsequent processing;
- aggravation of a person’s condition with existing mental disorders;
- addiction to drugs produced on its basis, which causes the risk of overdose;
- acceleration of metabolism, which leads to a decrease in the effectiveness of other drugs;
- untimely detection and treatment of cardiac pathologies due to the ability of phenobarbital to improve the patient’s condition without directly eliminating the pathology.
The effectiveness of phenobarbital is questionable. The substance eliminates the external manifestations of cardiovascular diseases, but does not eliminate them. In addition, its hypnotic effect is not too high.
The second active ingredient of Valocordin and Valoserdin, ethyl bromizovalerianate, can cause bromine poisoning with the following symptoms:
- weakness;
- pain of unknown origin;
- allergic phenomena;
- bronchitis;
- pulmonary edema;
- runny nose;
- shortness of breath, etc.
All manifestations of poisoning are similar to the appearance of numerous diseases.
In addition, a derivative for the production of ethyl bromizovalerianate is a toxic product of the retification of bodyagi alcohol containing fusel oil and other toxic substances.
Action
Many people believe that Valocordin is a medicine for treating heart disease. Actually this is not true. The drug has a moderate sedative effect, calms and relaxes. Due to the depressing effect on the central nervous system, the state of the whole organism changes. Blood pressure decreases and heart rate decreases. But these effects are significant only for small deviations from the norm and do not eliminate any violations in the presence of serious pathology.
In addition, thanks to its calming effect, the drug helps against insomnia and eliminates excessive nervousness. In large doses, it relieves intestinal and stomach colic, but is practically not used for this purpose, since the consequences of an overdose of valocordin exceed the benefits of normalizing the functioning of the digestive system.
To improve the condition with a single dose, only 15–30 drops are enough, the result is noticeable within 15–20 minutes. With constant use, the required dose increases, the effects become less pronounced, which facilitates the use of large quantities of the drug. Along with this, another unpleasant effect is observed - valocordin does not cure, but only temporarily eliminates the symptoms. The person does not go to the doctor, but “suppresses” the disease, which continues to progress, destroying the body.
Analogs
There are many medications that can replace the above drugs.
Corvalol is a drug identical to Valoserdin and Valocordin
Corvalol is a domestic medical product that is produced from the same ingredients as Valocordin. It has the same effect and has the same contraindications and side effects. The only difference is the release form. Corvalol is available not only in drops, but also in tablets.
Relaxil - produced in Ukraine in the form of capsules containing extracts of valerian, lemon balm and mint. Contains natural ingredients and is well tolerated by patients.
Recommended for:
- nervous overstrain and excessive excitement;
- mild forms of neurasthenia and neurosis;
- feelings of irritability, anxiety and fear;
- mild form of insomnia;
- headaches due to nervous tension;
- neurocirculatory dystonia accompanied by tachycardia;
- hypertension in the initial stages.
Notta is an Austrian homeopathic medicine available in the form of drops and tablets. Eliminates insomnia, increased excitability and other minor nervous disorders. Contains zinc valerianate, chamomile, phosphorus, coffee tree extract and seed oats. Has a minimum of side effects.
Kaviton is a Hungarian drug with a wide spectrum of action based on the active component vinpocetine. Available in tablets and in the form of a concentrate for infusion. Effective for neurological and mental disorders. It is used not only in neurology, but also in ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology.
Contraindications and complications
Failure to follow the recommendations when taking medication can lead to dangerous consequences. To prevent this, you should read the instructions before starting treatment. The medicine should not be taken if you have kidney or liver failure, or while pregnant or breastfeeding.
After using the product, it is better to refrain from driving a car or operating dangerous machinery, as it slows down the reaction and impairs the ability to concentrate. If you take Valocordin and alcohol at the same time, the consequences can be tragic . These substances are incompatible - the medicine makes ethanol more toxic, as a result of which severe alcohol poisoning occurs even when drinking a moderate dose of alcohol.
Valoserdin and Valocordin - the difference
Despite the identity of Valoserdin and Valocordin, a minimal difference still exists:
- drugs have different manufacturers. Valoserdin is produced in Russia, Valocordin - in Germany;
- Valocordin contains hop oil; in Valocordin this component is replaced by oregano oil;
- the domestic drug is more expensive than its German counterpart;
- Valocordin began to be produced much earlier than Valoserdin.
The choice of medication depends not only on the patient, but also on the attending physician. Before starting treatment, you should consult with a specialist who, depending on your health condition, will select the most optimal drug.
Which medication should be preferred and in what case?
The identical qualitative composition of the drugs determines the same indications for prescribing Valocordin and Valoserdin. However, experienced specialists differentiate the approach to treating each case depending on additional symptoms and pathologies. Valocordin is an older drug, proven by many generations. Most often the drug is prescribed:
- patients over 60 years old;
- people with severe pain in the heart area. A high concentration of peppermint essential oil has a distracting effect, which relaxes the spasmodic muscles of the coronary vessels and improves blood delivery to the myocardium;
- patients with mild arterial hypertension (systolic pressure less than 160 mm Hg);
- patients with cardialgic variant of vegetative-vascular and neurocirculatory dystonia.
Valoserdin is more often prescribed to patients with neurological symptoms, due to a higher dose of anti-anxiety substances. The drug is used for:
- insomnia, nightmares;
- patients with anxiety or depression;
- mentally caused vegetative disorders.
If it is possible to prescribe any of the drugs, the doctor is obliged to inform the patient about the acceptable choice and explain the fundamental differences.
Excessive use
Taking large doses can provoke complications from the central nervous system and internal organs. Negative effects can be divided into three groups , corresponding to the degrees of phenobarbital poisoning.
- Easy. Characterized by weakness, passivity, drowsiness, slow speech, decreased ability to concentrate. Digestive disorders and the development of allergic skin reactions: swelling, redness, rashes may occur.
- Medium-heavy. There is marked muscle weakness, hypotension, and slight hyperthermia. The person falls into deep sleep lasting from 1 to 2 days. Awakening is impossible or difficult and ineffective due to inhibition and inability to make productive contact.
- Heavy. Depression of the respiratory center results in respiratory and cardiovascular disorders. A barbiturate coma with the development of acute heart failure and pulmonary edema cannot be ruled out. There is a serious threat to life, and in the absence of urgent medical care, death is possible.
With regular, long-term use, addiction develops - a person begins to take Valocordin not to eliminate unpleasant symptoms, but for pleasure and relaxation.