Alosetron

Generic name: alosetron (oral) [ a-LO-ze-tron ]
Brand name: Lotronex
Dosage form: oral tablet (0.5 mg; 1 mg)
Drug class: Serotoninergic neuroenteric modulators

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com on May 2, 2022. Written by Cerner Multum.

What is alosetron?

Alosetron blocks the action of a chemical called serotonin in the intestines. This slows the movement of stools (bowel movements) through the intestines.

Alosetron is used to treat severe, chronic irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in women with diarrhea as the main symptom for at least 6 months. Alosetron is given after other treatments have failed.

Alosetron is not a cure for irritable bowel syndrome. After you stop taking alosetron, your symptoms may return within 1 week.

Alosetron has not been shown to be effective in men with IBS.

Alosetron may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Warnings

Alosetron should be used only by women with severe irritable bowel syndrome and diarrhea as the main symptom.

Do not start taking alosetron if you are constipated. You also should not take alosetron if you take another medicine called fluvoxamine (Luvox).

Serious or fatal side effects on the stomach and intestines have occurred in some people taking alosetron. In rare cases, alosetron has caused severe constipation, or ischemic colitis (caused by reduced blood flow to the intestines).

Stop taking alosetron and call your doctor right away if you have: new or worsening constipation, stomach pain, bright or dark red blood in your stools, or bloody diarrhea. You may need to permanently discontinue this medicine if you have these side effects.

If you stop taking alosetron for any reason, do not start taking it again without your doctor''s advice.

Before taking this medicine

Do not take alosetron if you have ever had any of the following conditions:

• constipation (especially if it is your main IBS symptom);

• a history of severe or ongoing constipation;

• obstruction or perforation of your intestines;

• Crohn''s disease, ulcerative colitis, or diverticulitis;

• blood clots, or circulation problems affecting your intestines;

• severe liver disease; or

• a condition for which you also take fluvoxamine (Luvox).

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

If you breastfeed while taking alosetron, call your doctor if your baby shows signs of constipation or has bloody stools.

Alosetron is not approved for use by anyone younger than 18 years old.

How should I take alosetron?

Do not start taking alosetron if you are constipated. Stop taking the medicine and call your doctor if you become constipated.

Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose. Use the medicine exactly as directed.

You may take alosetron with or without food.

Alosetron does not improve the symptoms of IBS for everyone. alosetron can help reduce stomach pain and discomfort, bowel urgency, and diarrhea. Some or all symptoms may improve within 1 to 2 weeks of treatment.

Stop taking alosetron and call your doctor if your IBS symptoms do not improve after 4 weeks of treatment.

If you stop taking alosetron for any reason, do not start taking it again without your doctor''s advice.

Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Skip the missed dose and use your next dose at the regular time. Do not use two doses at one time.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

What should I avoid while taking alosetron?

Follow your doctor''s instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity.

Alosetron side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Serious or fatal side effects on the stomach and intestines have occurred in some people taking alosetron. In rare cases, alosetron has caused severe constipation, or ischemic colitis (caused by reduced blood flow to the intestines).

Stop taking alosetron and call your doctor right away if you develop:

• new or worsening constipation;

• stomach pain;

• bright or dark red blood in your stools; or

• bloody diarrhea.

You may need to permanently discontinue alosetron if you have these side effects.

Older adults and those who are ill or debilitated may be more likely to have serious complications from constipation.

Common side effects of alosetron may include:

• constipation;

• nausea; or

• pain or discomfort in your stomach or intestines.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Alosetron dosing information

Usual Adult Dose for Irritable Bowel Syndrome:

Initial dose: 0.5 mg orally twice a day
Maintenance dose: 0.5 mg orally once or twice a day; may be increased up to 1 mg orally twice a day after 4 weeks of treatment.
Maximum dose: 2 mg/day

Comment: Due to the serious gastrointestinal adverse reactions associated with this drug, treatment should be restricted to female patients for whom the benefit-to-risk balance is most favorable.

Use: Women with severe diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) who have chronic IBS symptoms (generally lasting 6 months or longer), had anatomic or biochemical abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract excluded, and have not responded adequately to conventional therapy

What other drugs will affect alosetron?

Sometimes it is not safe to use certain medications at the same time. Some drugs can affect your blood levels of other drugs you take, which may increase side effects or make the medications less effective.

Many drugs can affect alosetron, and some drugs should not be used at the same time. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed here.

Where can I get more information?

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer

Copyright 1996-2023 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 8.01.

Generic name: palonosetron (injection) [ PAL-oh-NOE-se-tron ]
Drug class: 5HT3 receptor antagonists

Medically reviewed by Philip Thornton, DipPharm. Last updated on Feb 10, 2023.

What is Aloxi?

Aloxi blocks the actions of chemicals in the body that can trigger nausea and vomiting.

Aloxi is used in adults to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by surgery, or by receiving medicine to treat cancer (chemotherapy).

Aloxi is used in children as young as 1 month old only to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by cancer medicine.

Warnings

Before you receive Aloxi, tell your doctor about all your medical conditions or allergies, and all the medicines you are using. Also make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Follow all directions on your medicine label and package. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use.

Tell your doctor if you forget to take use Aloxi within 1 hour before chemotherapy. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

Before receiving this medicine

You should not be treated with Aloxi if you are allergic to palonosetron.

To make sure Aloxi is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had an allergic reaction to a similar medicine for nausea or vomiting, such as dolasetron (Anzemet) or ondansetron (Zofran).

Be sure your doctor knows if you also take stimulant medicine, opioid medicine, herbal products, or medicine for depression, mental illness, Parkinson''s disease, migraine headaches, serious infections, or prevention of nausea and vomiting. These medicines may interact with palonosetron and cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.

How is Aloxi given?

Aloxi is injected into a vein through an IV. A healthcare provider will give you this injection.

Aloxi is usually given 30 minutes before chemotherapy, or right before you are given anesthesia for surgery.

Dosing information

Usual Adult Dose for Nausea/Vomiting - Chemotherapy Induced:

Oral: 0.5 mg orally administered approximately 1 hour prior to the start of chemotherapy
Uses: Moderately emetogenic cancer chemotherapy: Prevention of acute nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses.

Parenteral: 0.25 mg IV as a single dose 30 minutes before the start of chemotherapy

Uses: Prevention of acute nausea and vomiting in adults associated with initial and repeat courses of moderately and highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy.

Usual Adult Dose for Nausea/Vomiting - Postoperative:

Parenteral: 0.075 mg IV as a single dose immediately before induction of anesthesia

Uses: Prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in adults for up to 24 hours following surgery. Efficacy beyond 24 hours has not been determined.

Usual Pediatric Dose for Nausea/Vomiting - Chemotherapy Induced:

Parenteral: 20 mcg/kg IV (maximum 1.5 mg x 1) infused over 15 minutes beginning 30 minutes before the start of chemotherapy

Uses: Prevention of acute nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of emetogenic cancer chemotherapy, including highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy in patients 1 month to less than 17 years of age.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Because you will receive Aloxi in a clinical setting, you are not likely to miss a dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Since this medicine is given by a healthcare professional in a medical setting, an overdose is unlikely to occur.

What should I avoid while receiving Aloxi?

Follow your doctor''s instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity.

Aloxi side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Aloxi: hives; chest pain, difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Seek medical attention right away if you have symptoms of serotonin syndrome, such as: agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, shivering, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Common Aloxi side effects may include:

• nausea, vomiting;

• constipation;

• slow heartbeats; or

• headache.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect Aloxi?

Using Aloxi while you are using certain other medicines can cause high levels of serotonin to build up in your body, a condition called "serotonin syndrome," which can be fatal. Tell your doctor if you also use:

• stimulant medicine;

• herbal products;

• medicine for depression or mental illness;

• migraine headache medicine;

• Parkinson''s disease medication;

• medicine to treat a serious infections;

• opioid medication; or

• other medicine to prevent nausea and vomiting.

This list is not complete and many other drugs can interact with palonosetron. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Give a list of all your medicines to any healthcare provider who treats you.

Where can I get more information?

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use Aloxi only for the indication prescribed.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer

Copyright 1996-2023 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 5.02.