Introduction
Zincin belongs to a class of medicines known as antihistamines. It is a prescription medicine used to treat motion sickness (nausea due to motion, especially while traveling in a moving vehicle), vertigo (spinning sensation or dizziness), or Meniere's disease (problems with balance).
Zincin should be taken with food to avoid stomach upset. Take this medicine as advised by your doctor, preferably at the same time each day. If you have missed a dose, take it as soon as you remember. Do not skip any doses and finish the full course of treatment and never stop this medicine suddenly without talking to your doctor.
Some common side effects of this medication are sleepiness, nausea and dyspepsia or indigestion. It even causes dizziness and sleepiness, so do not drive or do anything that requires mental focus until you know how this medicine affects you. It may also cause weight gain and to prevent it you can eat a healthy balanced diet, avoid snacking with high-calorie food and exercise regularly.
Before taking this medicine, it is better to inform your doctor if you are suffering from peptic ulcer, asthma, or low blood pressure. You must inform your doctor if you are taking any other medicines regularly, as it may affect the way this medicine works for you. Pregnant or breastfeeding mothers should consult their doctor before taking this medicine.
Uses of Zincin
- Motion sickness
- Vertigo
- Meniere's disease
Side effects of Zincin
Common
- Sleepiness
- Nausea
- Weight gain
- Indigestion
How to use Zincin
Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor. Swallow it as a whole. Do not chew, crush or break it. Zincin is to be taken with food.
How Zincin works
Zincin works by preventing constriction of the blood vessels of the inner ear. This improves the microcirculation of the ear.
Indication
Nausea and vomiting, motion sickness, vertigo, meniere's disease, peripheral vascular diseases, cerebrovascular disorders, vestibular disorders
Administration
Should be taken with food.
Adult Dose
Oral
Peripheral vascular disease
Adult: 75 mg bid or tid.
Motion sickness
Adult: 30 mg 2 hr before travel then 15 mg 8 hrly during the journey if necessary.
Cerebrovascular disorders
Adult: 75 mg once daily.
Vertigo and vestibular disorders
Adult: 30 mg tid or 75 mg 1-2 times daily.
Child Dose
Oral
Motion sickness
Child: 5-12 yr 15 mg 2 hr before travel then 7.5 mg 8 hrly during the journey as necessary.
Vertigo and vestibular disorders
Child: 5-12 yr 15 mg tid.
Contraindication
Proven hypersensitivity to the drug. Parkinson's disease. Childn and neonates.
Mode of Action
Cinnarizine has calcium-channel blocking activity selective for arterial smooth muscle. It also has some antihistamine activity. Cinnarizine acts as a labyrinthine sedative. It also improves microcirculation by reducing ischaemia-induced blood viscosity.
Precaution
Hypotension; pregnancy; lactation; elderly. May impair ability to drive or operate machineries.
Side Effect
Extrapyramidal symptoms sometimes associated with severe depression. Drowsiness, headache, GI upsets, unsteadiness, headache; rarely skin and hypersensitivity reactions, dry mouth, blurred vision, urinary difficulty or retention, constipation and increased gastric reflux, fatigue. Hypolipidaemic effect.
Interaction
CNS depressant effect enhanced with alcohol. Action potentiated by domperidone. Increased sedative effect w/ CNS depressants or TCAs.