Ukraine

Ukrain is an antitumor thiophosphoric agent made from the extract of the roots of greater celandine. The extract of celandine roots is widely used in folk medicine. It has a strong anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effect. Cancer treatment is one of the most complex and unpredictable processes. The cause of cancer has not yet been precisely determined. There are several versions. One of them suggests that this disease in older people is an irreversible aging process. Other causes include the effects of radiation, constant exposure to ultraviolet rays, bad habits, namely smoking, genetic disorders, improper and irregular nutrition (especially when the diet is unbalanced and overloaded with fatty, smoked, spicy, pickled foods, semi-finished products), certain viruses, including hepatitis B and C, promiscuous sex (too frequent change of sexual partner, unprotected sex).

Ukrain slows down the formation of new vessels that feed the tumor, i.e. it has an antiangiogenic property. Due to this, neoadjuvant (preoperative) use of the drug causes encapsulation of tumors, thus facilitating their surgical removal.

Ukrain is also advertised as an antiviral, sedative, gallstone preventer, and to help relieve or cure liver disease and eye irritation.

Ukrain has the appearance of a bright yellow powder, and when dissolved, it turns into a yellow liquid with a bitter taste.

Indications Ukraine

Clinical trials have shown that the drug can be most effective when the patient has the following types of tumors:

• pancreatic cancer,
• colon cancer, including rectal cancer,
• stomach cancer,
• small cell and non-small cell lung cancer,
• breast cancer,
• primary liver cancer,
• various types of sarcomas,
• melanoma,
• malignant tumors of the cervix and ovaries,
• bladder cancer,
• prostate cancer,
• kidney cancer,
• malignant tumors of the ENT organs.

There are known cases where patients with inoperable esophageal cancer, who underwent a course of radiation therapy and three courses of chemotherapy without visible effects, achieved complete remission after a certain course of treatment with the drug Ukrain.

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Release form

The medicine is a bright yellow powder, and when dissolved it turns into a yellow liquid with a bitter taste and the smell of mown grass. But for convenience, the drug is available in the form of an injection solution of 5 ml (5 mg) in ampoules. 1 ml of solution contains thiophosphoric derivatives of greater celandine alkaloids - 1.0 mg.

Pharmacodynamics

Ukrain has not only cytostatic, but also cytolytic action against all 60 human cancer cell cultures that were used in the experiment (malignant tumors of the brain, colon, kidneys, ovaries, small and non-small cell lung cancer, leukemia, lymphoma and melanoma). Ukrain causes apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cultures AsPC1, THP-1, Jurkat, BxPC3 and MIA PaCa2 after cell cycle arrest in pro- and metaphase by stabilizing monomeric tubulin, while experiments on normal peripheral mononuclear cells did not show a difference in the level of apoptosis and cell cycle phases. According to the results of the studies, Ukrain selectively causes apoptosis, but does not harm normal cells.

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Pharmacokinetics

Within a few minutes after intravenous administration, the drug accumulates in tumor tissue, from where it is slowly (over 2-3 weeks) excreted by the kidneys. Experimental studies on animals indicate that Ukrain passes through the blood-brain barrier. A pilot study on healthy volunteers yielded the following pharmacokinetic parameters: area under the curve (AUC) – 24.70 mg ∙ min / l, half-life (t1 / 2) – 27.55 min, average distribution volume (Vd) – 27 93 l, clearance (Cl) – 817 ml / min.

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Dosing and administration

Ukrain is administered intravenously. Courses of Ukrain treatment can be administered both before and after surgery. Simultaneous local use of radiation therapy does not affect the dosing regimen. Ukrain can be used in combination with chemotherapy or adjuvantly.

Experimental studies have shown that small doses of the drug (5 mg) have an immunomodulatory effect, while large doses (20 mg) have a malignotoxic effect. Since after injection, Ukrain quickly accumulates in tumor tissue and affects the immune system of patients differently, when using it, the dose is not determined based on body weight or body surface area, but is selected individually, depending on the patient's immune status. A single dose, depending on the tumor mass, the rate of its growth and spread, and the state of the patient's immune system, ranges from 5 to 20 mg. Injections are usually given twice a week for 5 weeks, followed by a 1-2 week break. In some cases, deviations from this scheme may be useful.

To determine the optimal dosage in each case, one should start with a single dose of 5 mg. If a reaction to the drug is observed, the dose remains constant. If the reaction to the drug is insignificant or absent, then the next day the single dose of Ukrain is increased by 5 mg, etc. up to the largest single dose of 20 mg and the patient is carefully monitored. There is evidence of successful use of such a scheme: 5 mg and 20 mg in turn, once a week. Treatment should be carried out not only until the onset of a period of complete tumor remission, but also until the period of disappearance of the reaction to the drug, but it should consist of at least 9 courses. After this, it is necessary to conduct at least 6 courses of treatment with the drug with pauses between individual series of 2-4 months.

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Use Ukraine during pregnancy

Despite the fact that no negative effect of Ukrain on the embryo has been found to date, the drug should not be used during pregnancy. During and after therapy with the drug, it is necessary to take care of reliable contraception. This is important for both female and male patients. If, after completing treatment with Ukrain, the patient plans to have a child, first of all, it is necessary to consult a geneticist. At the moment, it is unknown whether Ukrain can get into breast milk. Therefore, you should also avoid taking Ukrain during breastfeeding.

Contraindications

Treatment with Ukrain is strictly not recommended during pregnancy and febrile conditions. Volumetric processes in the central nervous system due to possible swelling of the tumor are subject only to inpatient treatment and increased careful monitoring. For the treatment of children, the drug can only be used under the supervision of a doctor. Ukrain should not be administered simultaneously with corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive drugs, since this neutralizes its immunostimulatory effect.

Ukrain should be used with caution in the following diseases: hyperthermia over 38°C, in children, in CNS tumors due to reversible tumor edema that may occur. It is not recommended to treat with Ukrain in the presence of cancer cachexia, in the terminal stage of the disease.

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Side effects Ukraine

Studies conducted on healthy volunteers have not revealed any side effects of Ukrain. Symptoms that occur in patients with tumors during treatment can be defined as concomitant effects of therapy caused by tumor breakdown products. They disappear if complete remission of the disease occurs.

After the first injections, the following common side effects may be observed: sleep disturbance, anxiety, apathy, fatigue, depression, dizziness, increased diuresis, a feeling of warmth in the body, increased sweating, stabbing or pulling pains in the tumor area, itching. Sometimes, at the beginning of the treatment, slight nausea may be felt. Swelling of the tumor and/or its compaction are also possible. Phenomena of this type are individual in nature and indicate the effectiveness of the treatment with Ukrain. They disappear as the tumor shrinks. Even if the tumor can no longer be detected, treatment with Ukrain must be continued until the full course of treatment is completed.

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Overdose

There are no cases of overdose. Clinical studies have shown that a single dose of 50 mg and a total dose of 3500 mg (received over 3 years) do not cause any signs of intolerance or intoxication. If any unpleasant symptoms are detected, you should immediately contact your doctor, who will be able to quickly and competently respond to the patient's reaction to this drug. In this case, either the drug is canceled, or its dosage or the entire regimen is changed.

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Interactions with other drugs

Antidiabetic drugs containing sulfur (e.g. sulfonylurea derivatives) can cause hypoglycemia and fainting, cardiac glycosides can lead to disturbances in cardiac rhythm and conduction, sulfonamides can lose their effect. Animal experiments have shown a weakening of the pharmacological action of morphine and its derivatives when used simultaneously with the drug Ukrain. Therefore, the decision to prescribe analgesics of this group must be made weighing all the factors and features. Also, the interaction of the drug Ukrain with sedatives, antiepileptic and other drugs is not excluded.

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Storage conditions

The drug should be stored in a place protected from sunlight and light, and in places inaccessible to children. If a precipitate forms as a result of long-term storage of the drug Ukrain at low temperatures, it can be dissolved again by carefully heating to 60° C and shaking the ampoule. It is imperative to monitor the expiration date of the drug. The use of an expired drug may have completely different pharmacological properties and effects on the patient's body, both locally and as a whole.

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Special instructions

Analogues

At the moment, there are no analogues of Ukrain. Treatment with folk remedies based on celandine root extract (especially those prepared at home without observing the technology) do not have the same medicinal properties as the drug Ukrain. Self-medication can have a detrimental effect on health and disease development.

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Shelf life

The shelf life of the drug Ukrain is 5 years, subject to the storage rules, temperature conditions, lighting and other parameters of proper storage. After the expiration of this term, it is strictly prohibited to use the drug. Therefore, you should carefully look at the date of manufacture of this drug when buying at a pharmacy, and especially if it has been lying at home for a long time. Do not forget that an unsuitable drug does not retain its medicinal qualities after the expiration date.

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