Cetebe

Overdose

Large doses may cause gastrointestinal disorders including diarrhoea. Large doses may also result in hyperoxaluria and renal oxalate calculi may form if urine is acidic. Doses of 600mg or more daily have a diuretic action. Stop treatment and treat symptomatically.

Incompatibilities

Incompatible with ferric salts, oxidising agents, and salts of heavy metals, particularly copper.

Injections of Cetebe have been reported to be incompatible with aminophylline, bleomycin sulphate, erythromycin lactobionate, nafcillin sodium, nitrofurantoin sodium, conjugated oestrogens, sodium bicarbonate and sulphafurazole diethanolamine. Occasional incompatibility, depending on pH or concentration, has occurred with chloramphenicol sodium succinate.

Preclinical safety data

None stated

Pharmacodynamic properties

ATC Code: A11G A01

Cetebe, a water-soluble vitamin, is essential for formation of collagen and intercellular material, and therefore necessary for the development of cartilage, bone, teeth and for the healing of wounds. It is also essential for the conversion from folic acid to folinic acid, facilitates iron absorption from the gastro-intestinal tract and influences haemoglobin formation and erythrocyte maturation.

Pharmacokinetic properties

Distribution - widely distributed in body tissues with about 25% bound to plasma proteins. Large amounts are present in leucocytes and platelets. Cetebe crosses the placenta.

Metabolism - readily oxidised to dehydroCetebe where some is metabolised to oxalic acid and the inactive ascorbate - 2 - sulphate. Metabolic turnover appears to be greater in females than males.

Excretion - large doses are rapidly excreted in the urine when in excess of the requirements of the body and after an intravenous dose, about 40% is excreted in 8 hours, which is increased to about 70% after tissue saturation. The amount of unchanged drug is dose dependent; in women the excretion of Cetebe appears to vary with the stage of the menstrual cycle and it is decreased when taking oral contraceptives.

Cetebe is excreted in breast milk.

Oxalic acid and ascorbate - 2 - sulphate are excreted in the urine.

Special precautions for disposal and other handling

None stated