Use And Side Effects Of Metamizole

Metamizole is a medicine that, in addition to being a powerful anti-inflammatory, also has other pharmacological actions. This is because  it belongs to the group of pyrazolones, which is a group of drugs within NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. 

We will look at the use and side effects of metamizole in this article.

Metamizole is an excellent treatment for pain and fever. Companies market it in two different forms: Sodium metamizole and magnesium metamizole.

In general, people abuse this drug quite a lot. Since it is a fairly potent drug, it is most recommended for patients with colic or pain originating from oncological causes or the organs. It is also used to reduce pain after surgery and lower the type of fever that cannot be lowered with other medications.

Laboratories synthesized it in the year 1920.  But it was not until the year 1922 that they first introduced it on the market under brands like “Novalgin” and “Dipyron”,  among others.

Today, laboratories sell metamizole under various brands worldwide and also under its generic names.

Summary of fever

Fever is a temporary rise in body temperature. A disease usually triggers it. In fact, fever is a defense mechanism that allows us to know that something abnormal is happening in our body.

The normal body temperature for humans is 37ºC but it can have a variation of up to 0.6ºC in healthy individuals. Fever is defined as a central temperature greater than or equal to 38ºC. It is just above the upper limit of normal temperature, whatever the cause.

Fever induced by a pyrogen occurs through several mechanisms. The interaction of external pyrogens, such as microorganisms. Or the endogenous types, such as interleukins IL. The tumor necrosis factor, TNF-alpha, together with a structure in the hypothalamus called the organum vasculum in the terminal lamina, also leads to the development of fever.

However, fever does not only come from an infection. There may also be other reasons that trigger it, such as:

• Fever associated with inflammation.
• Medication-induced fever.
• Fever after a brain injury.
• Endocrine fever.

How does metamizole trigger its effect on the body?

As we know, metamizole works against fever and pain. Thus, its effects are due to its ability to decrease the synthesis of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins. This is achieved by inhibiting the activity of prostaglandin synthesis, which is an enzyme that catalyzes, as the name implies, the synthesis of new prostaglandins.

Prostaglandins are substances of a lipid nature that participate in inflammatory reactions, along with others, by stimulating the nerve endings during pain and the development of fever.

However, unlike other types of NSAIDs, metamizole is also able to contain lipopolysaccharide-induced fever. In addition, in  addition to inhibiting the synthesis of prostaglandins, it is a non-selective inhibitor of the enzyme cyclooxygenase and its inhibition leads to the analgesic effect.

Side effects of metamizole

Although metamizole is a very safe drug, some European countries do not sell it because of its side effects. Unlike other non-opioid painkillers that act on the synthesis of prostacyclin, metamizole does not produce significant effects in the gastrointestinal tract.

However, like most other medications, metamizole can also trigger other types of side effects that people need to take into consideration when taking it.

The side effect that stands out most in the use of this drug and that a person needs to keep a close eye on is agranulocytosis. In addition, it  can also lead to leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. All of these symptoms are hypersensitive reactions.

In addition to this, some of the following effects may also occur:

• Lyell and Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
• Asthmatic crisis.
• Critical drops in blood pressure, depending on dosage.

Conclusion

Metamizole is a drug that is widely used by the people of many countries in the treatment of pain and fever. However, you should not abuse it as it, like all other medicines on the market, can trigger a variety of side effects. 

In addition, you should talk to your pharmacist or doctor about the use of metamizole before starting any treatment with it.