Carnitor

Carnitor 1 g Chewable Tablets

Levocarnitine 1 g

Excipient with known effect: sucrose

White, round, standard convex tablets, approximately 22.3 mm diameter.

Indicated for the treatment of primary and secondary carnitine deficiency in adults and children over 12 years of age.

Adults and children over 12 years of age

The tablets should be given in divided doses.

It is advisable to monitor therapy by measuring free and acyl carnitine levels in both plasma and urine.

The management of inborn errors of metabolism

The dosage required depends upon the specific inborn error of metabolism concerned and the severity of presentation at the time of treatment. However, the following can be considered as a general guide.

An oral dosage of up to 200mg/kg/day in divided doses (2 to 4) is recommended for chronic use in some disorders, with lower doses sufficing in other conditions. If clinical and biochemical symptoms do not improve, the dose may be increased on a short-term basis. Higher doses of up to 400mg/kg/day may be necessary in acute metabolic decompensation or the i.v. route may be required.

Haemodialysis - maintenance therapy

If significant clinical benefit has been gained by a first course of intravenous Carnitor then maintenance therapy can be considered using 1 g per day of Carnitor orally. On the day of the dialysis oral Carnitor has to be administered at the end of the session.

Method of administration

For oral administration only.

There is limited experience of use in patients with primary and secondary systemic carnitine deficiency suffering from renal failure.

The chewable tablets contain sucrose. This must be considered when treating diabetics or patients who are following diets to reduce calorie intake. Patients with rare hereditary problems of fructose intolerance, glucose-galactose malabsorption or sucrose-isomaltase insufficiency should not take this medicine.

None known.

Adverse reactions from any source are listed in the table below by MedRA system organ class. Within each system organ class, the adverse drug reactions are ranked by frequency. Within each frequency grouping, adverse reactions are ranked in order of decreasing seriousness. In addition the corresponding frequency category for each adverse drug reaction is based on the following conventions: very common (>1/10); common (>1/100, <1/10); uncommon (>1/1,000, <1/100); rare (>1/10,000, <1/1,000); very rare (<1/10,000).

Decreasing the dosage often diminishes or eliminates drug related patient body odour or gastro-intestinal symptoms when present. Tolerance should be monitored very closely during the first week of administration and after any dosage increase.

Reporting of suspected adverse reactions

Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard

There have been no reports of toxicity from levocarnitine overdosage. Overdosage should be treated with supportive care.

Pharmacotherapeutic group: Amino acids and derivatives

ATC Code: A16AA01

Levocarnitine is present as a natural constituent in animal tissues, micro-organisms and plants. In man the physiological metabolic requirements are met both by the consumption of food containing carnitine and the endogenous synthesis in the liver and kidneys from lysine with methionine serving as the methyl donor. Only the L-isomer is biologically active, playing an essential role in lipid metabolism as well as in the metabolism of ketone bodies as branched chain-amino-acids. Levocarnitine as a factor is necessary in the transport of long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria - facilitating the oxidation of fatty acids rather than their incorporation into triglycerides. By releasing CoA from its thioesters, through the action of CoA; carnitine acetyl transferase, levocarnitine also enhances the metabolic flux in the Kreb's cycle; with the same mechanism it stimulates the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase and in skeletal muscle, the oxidation of branched-chain amino acids. Levocarnitine is thus involved, directly or indirectly in several pathways so that its availability should be an important factor controlling not only the oxidative utilisation of fatty acids and ketone bodies but also that of glucose and some amino acids.

The absorbed levocarnitine is transported to various organ systems via the blood. The presence of membrane-bound proteins in several tissues including red blood cells that bind carnitine, suggest that a transport system in the blood and a cellular system for the collective uptake is present in several tissues. Tissue and serum carnitine concentration depend on several metabolic processes, carnitine bio-synthesis and dietary contributions, transport into and out of tissues, degradation and excretion may all affect tissue carnitine concentrations.

Absorption

Levocarnitine is absorbed by the mucosal cells of the small intestine and enters the blood stream relatively slowly; the absorption is probably associated with an active transluminal mechanism.

The apparent systemic availability after oral administration is limited (<10%) and variable.

Distribution

Absorbed levocarnitine is transported to various organ systems via the blood; it is thought that a transport system in the blood and a cellular system for selective uptake is involved.

Biotransformation

Levocarnitine is metabolised to a very limited extent.

Elimination

Levocarnitine is excreted mainly in the urine and is variable. The excretion is directly proportional to the blood levels.

Levocarnitine is a naturally occurring body substance in human beings, plants and animals. Carnitor products are used to bring the level of levocarnitine in the body up to those found naturally. Appropriate pre-clinical studies have been undertaken and show no signs of toxicity at normal therapeutic levels.

Compressible sugar (DIPAC)

Magnesium stearate (E572)

Mint flavour atomised 1 x 2000

Liquorice flavour 1 x 2000.

None known.

5 years.

Store below 25°C.

Aluminium/aluminium foil blisters containing 2 tablets

Pack size 10, 30, 50 and 100 tablets.

None

Alfasigma S.p.A.

Viale Sarca, n. 223

20126 Milan

Italy

PL 48053/0010

25 August 1994

3^rd May 2017