Travellers familiar with Cetebe from parts of Central and Eastern Europe are unlikely to encounter the same brand elsewhere — it is registered in only five countries. The brand has a distinctly regional profile, with marketing authorisation concentrated around Switzerland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Lithuania, and Russia, and is not part of the broadly internationalised vitamin C landscape that most travellers will recognise from pharmacy shelves at home.
The active ingredient in Cetebe is sodium ascorbate, the sodium salt form of vitamin C. It is classified within the broader vitamin and nutritive-agent category, with a role in regulating redox processes and replenishing vitamin C deficiency. Indications recognised across its registered markets include scurvy and other states of vitamin C deficiency, as well as supportive use in conditions such as anaemia, pregnancy, nephropathy, radiation sickness, beriberi, and Addison disease. The structured indication section further down this page details the registered uses market by market.
Outside its core regional cluster, the Cetebe brand will generally not be found, but vitamin C as an active ingredient is one of the most widely distributed substances in the world. It circulates internationally as ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate under many different brand names, in both pharmacy and general-retail channels depending on jurisdiction. A pharmacist in the destination country is well placed to act as a translator between the familiar brand and the locally available equivalent.
Vitamin-C products differ from country to country in formulation, regulatory status, and the indications they are formally registered for, so a familiar-looking package abroad is not always a direct substitute. Anyone using Cetebe as part of ongoing treatment for a specific medical condition rather than general supplementation should discuss substitution with a healthcare provider before making a change.
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.
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.
None stated
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.
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.
None stated
Cetebe is used in the management of vitamin C deficiency states, including scurvy, and as a supportive agent in a range of conditions where vitamin C plays a role — among them anaemia, pregnancy, nephropathy, radiation sickness, beriberi, and Addison disease. It belongs to the broader vitamin and nutritive-agent category. The structured indication block below this introduction lists the registered uses in each market where Cetebe is sold.
Cetebe contains sodium ascorbate, the sodium salt form of vitamin C. It is classified as a vitamin and antioxidant, with a metabolic role in regulating redox processes and replenishing vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C as an active ingredient — whether as ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate — circulates worldwide under many different brand names and in many different formulations.
Cetebe is registered in five countries, clustered across parts of Central and Eastern Europe: Switzerland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Russia, and Lithuania. Outside this regional footprint the specific brand is not generally available, although vitamin C itself is one of the most universally distributed substances in pharmacy and retail. A local pharmacist can confirm what is available in your country if it is not on this list.
Vitamin C is sold internationally under a very wide range of brand names and as generic ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate, in both pharmacy and over-the-counter channels depending on jurisdiction. Other agents within the broader nutritive-vitamin category also exist for related deficiency states. To identify a regional product, search the active ingredient sodium ascorbate on Pill2Trip or ask a pharmacist about locally available vitamin C preparations.
Prescription status for vitamin C products varies considerably between countries — in some markets sodium ascorbate preparations are pharmacy-only or prescription medicines, while in others the same molecule is sold as a general supplement. Anyone using Cetebe for a specific medical condition rather than general supplementation, or considering it while travelling, should speak with a healthcare provider or local pharmacist about appropriate use and locally registered equivalents.
