Western medicine irritates the stomach, so it is best to take it after a meal?

Nowadays, there are many kinds of medicines. We always focus on dosage and usage, but the time to take medicine is always taken for granted that medicines are irritating to the stomach and intestines and are best taken after meals. It is true that many medicines are highly irritating to the stomach and intestines, or are easily destroyed by stomach acid, such as aspirin, which must be taken after meals to effectively reduce drug irritation and better exert the drug effect, but some medicines must be taken on an empty stomach before meals. The following commonly used medicines can be taken before meals or on an empty stomach to reduce drug toxicity and side effects and maximize the drug effect.

1. Increase absorption,

1. Digestive aids: such as lactase, multi-enzyme tablets, etc. They should be taken a moment before meals to allow the medicine to be fully mixed with food, which is beneficial to the decomposition and absorption of sugars, fats and proteins in food.

2. Drugs that enhance immunity: bacterial lysates, pidotimod, etc.

3. Drugs that inhibit gastric acid: such as omeprazole, lansoprazole, etc. When taken on an empty stomach, the drug can specifically act on the gastric parietal cells, thereby inhibiting the secretion of basal gastric acid and gastric acid caused by stimulation.

4. Anticoagulant: Sulodexide.

5. Astringent drugs: such as tannic acid protein, smectite, etc. Taking drugs on an empty stomach will not be blocked by food and can quickly pass through the stomach into the small intestine to play an antidiarrheal effect.

6. Antidote: Penicillamine.

7. Drugs for the treatment of osteoporosis: alendronate sodium, disodium clodronate, strontium ranelate, etc. Using them together with milk, dairy products and beverages containing high calcium will affect drug absorption.

8. Anti-HBV drug: Entecavir.

9. Strongly irritating laxatives: such as sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, etc. They mainly act on the small intestine, and diarrhea occurs 1-6 hours after taking them. They should be taken on an empty stomach in the early morning (drink more warm water after taking them) so that the drug can quickly enter the intestine and maintain an effective concentration to work.

10. Drugs to terminate early pregnancy: Mifepristone, Misoprostol.

11. Oral nutritional medicine: such as ginseng preparations, deer antler essence, royal jelly and other tonic medicines that have little irritation to the gastrointestinal tract. These medicines are taken on an empty stomach and are not affected by food when they reach the small intestine, which is conducive to rapid absorption and full utilization by the body.

12. Drugs that affect cerebrovascular diseases: butylphthalide.

13. Some antibiotics: such as cephalexin, cefaclor, amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, etc. Take them on an empty stomach to avoid the effect of food on their absorption rate.

14. Choleretic drugs: adenosylmethionine butanedisulfonate.

15. Some anti-tuberculosis drugs, such as rifampicin, rifadin, rifapentine, ethambutol, etc., should be taken in the early morning on an empty stomach to avoid the reduction of drug bioavailability due to the effect of food.

16. Thyroid hormone medicine: levothyroxine sodium.

17. Some antihypertensive drugs: such as captopril, benazepril (Lotensin), lisinopril, etc. Food in the stomach can reduce the absorption of this product by 30%-40%, so it is advisable to take it 1 hour before meals.

18. Drugs acting on the circulatory system: pancreatic kallikrein.

19. Immunosuppressants: Mycophenolate mofetil, tacrolimus. Food has no effect on the degree of absorption, but food reduces the peak concentration (Cmax) of mycophenolate mofetil tablets by 40%.

20. Auxiliary therapeutic drug: Squalene.

2. To achieve the best therapeutic effect

1. Gastrokinetic drugs: such as domperidone, cisapride, etc. These drugs should be taken 30 minutes before meals. When the patient eats, the blood concentration of the drug in the body reaches its peak, and the gastrointestinal tract begins to move normally under the pharmacological action, exerting its therapeutic effect.

2. Gastrointestinal antispasmodics: such as atropine, belladonna tablets, etc. Taking on an empty stomach can make the drug take effect quickly, relieve gastrointestinal spasms, and maintain effective blood drug concentration.

3. Anti-schistosomiasis drug: Praziquantel.

4. Gastric wall protective drugs: such as aluminum hydroxide (Weisuoping), sucralfate, colloidal pectin bismuth, etc. Take before meals so that the drug can evenly form a protective film on the stomach wall, which can neutralize stomach acid and protect the ulcer surface or inflamed mucosa of the stomach wall.

5. Bitter stomachic drugs: such as gentian and rhubarb mixture. They should be taken about 5 minutes before meals, and should not be diluted or added with sugar, and should not be rinsed after taking. Because some stomachic drugs use bitterness to stimulate the taste receptors on the tongue, thereby increasing appetite and promoting gastric juice secretion.

6. Anthelmintics: Ascarisine, Levamisole. When taken on an empty stomach, the drug concentration in the intestine is higher, which is conducive to direct contact between the intestinal drug and the worm body and enhances the efficacy. Therefore, it is recommended to take it on an empty stomach in the early morning or before going to bed.

7. Salt laxatives, such as highly irritating, high-concentration magnesium sulfate and castor oil, should be taken on an empty stomach in the morning so that the drug passes through the empty stomach quickly and enters the large intestine quickly, where it maintains a high concentration, strongly stimulating the intestinal wall and exerting a laxative effect.

8. Antidiarrheal drugs: Loperamide.

Don’t be superstitious about the so-called experience posts on the Internet. If you have any questions, consult a doctor or pharmacist in time.

There is a science to taking medicine. Only by taking it correctly can the medicine be more effective.

【References】

[1] Lu Jizong. Note that these drugs should be taken on an empty stomach and before meals [J]. Medical and Food Reference, 2018, 000(011):P.24-25.

[2] Drug instructions