Manic

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Medically reviewed

Marina Burgos

Last updated on 22/12/2025

This page provides general, reference-level information compiled from official medical sources. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For decisions about your health, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Overview of Manic

Property Description
Active Ingredient Mefenamic Acid
Form Oral Capsule / Tablet
Pharmacological Class Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID)
Common Purpose Relief of pain, inflammation, and fever
Origin Synthetic (Anthranilic Acid Derivative)

What Type of Medicine is Manic (Mefenamic Acid)?

Manic is a medicine whose active ingredient is Mefenamic Acid, a synthetic substance classified as a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID). It is a prescription medication that plays a role in modifying the body's inflammatory response and pain perception pathways. Mefenamic Acid belongs chemically to the fenamate group, recognized as an anthranilic acid derivative. This structural detail differentiates it chemically from more common NSAIDs. As a single-ingredient product, Manic functions systemically as a prescription agent for managing symptomatic discomfort. Its distinction is its application in managing types of pain often associated with inflammatory cycles.


How is Manic Supplied and What is Its General Purpose?

Manic is supplied as an oral dosage form, typically formulated as a capsule or tablet, intended to be swallowed for systemic effect. The general purpose of the medicine is to provide symptomatic relief by interrupting the body's internal signals for pain, fever, and inflammation. The drug functions as a non-opioid pain reliever and a fever reducer. Manic is used to help patients by reducing aches and lowering elevated body temperatures, such as during short-term painful episodes. By reducing the synthesis of inflammatory mediators, the medication concurrently acts as an analgesic (pain reliever), an anti-inflammatory agent, and an antipyretic (fever reducer), offering a triple action for relief during episodes of acute pain.

What side effects are possible with Manic?

Possible Side Effects and Safety Information

Like all medications, treatment for manic episodes, such as Lithium and certain anticonvulsants or antipsychotics, can cause side effects. It is important to discuss any concerns with your healthcare provider, as they can often adjust the dosage or recommend strategies to manage symptoms.


Common Side Effects

Side effects that are frequently reported, particularly when starting treatment, may include:

  • Gastrointestinal issues: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or dry mouth.
  • Central Nervous System (CNS) effects: Drowsiness, dizziness, or a mild tremor (shaking of the hands).
  • Metabolic changes: Increased thirst and urination (polydipsia and polyuria), which can be related to potential kidney or thyroid function changes, and weight gain.
  • Other effects: Fatigue, hair loss (alopecia), or mild skin rash.

These common side effects may lessen over time as your body adjusts to the medication. Regular blood tests are necessary to monitor drug levels (especially with Lithium) and to check kidney and thyroid function.


Serious Side Effects and Safety Concerns

Seek immediate medical attention if you experience signs of a serious reaction, such as:

  • Drug Toxicity: Severe nausea, persistent vomiting, slurred speech, confusion, loss of balance (unsteady walking), significant muscle weakness, or a fast or irregular heartbeat. For drugs like Lithium, toxicity can be life-threatening and is often linked to dehydration or changes in salt (sodium) intake.
  • Severe Skin Reactions: A widespread rash, fever, blistering, or peeling skin (e.g., Stevens-Johnson Syndrome).
  • Psychiatric changes: Worsening mood, new or increased suicidal thoughts, or unusual behavioral changes, aggression, or agitation.

It is crucial to maintain adequate hydration and a consistent salt intake, especially while taking Lithium. Do not stop taking your medication suddenly without consulting your doctor, as this can lead to a relapse of symptoms.

Overdose and Emergency Response

Overdose and When to Seek Help

Overdosage with Mefenamic Acid is officially documented to present with potential severe manifestations, primarily affecting the Central Nervous System (CNS) and major organ systems. Documented clinical signs include seizures (convulsions), confusional state, vertigo, and hallucination, which may progress to extreme tiredness or coma (loss of consciousness). Gastrointestinal effects, such as vomiting and stomach pain, are commonly recognized, alongside signs of serious events like bloody vomit or black/tarry stools. Overdose has been linked to acute renal failure and serious gastrointestinal adverse events, and in some cases, has led to fatalities.

Regulatory guidance mandates that immediate medical attention must be sought if an overdose is suspected. Specifically, emergency services should be contacted immediately if the affected person has collapsed, had a seizure, experiences slowed breathing, or cannot be awakened. Management protocols emphasize symptomatic and supportive care, as official documentation states that no specific antidotes are known. Procedures described in regulatory labeling include monitoring of vital functions and, potentially, gastric emptying via methods such as gastric lavage and the administration of activated charcoal, with noted specific considerations for children.

Therapeutic Uses of Manic

Manic (Mefenamic Acid) is applied across domains where additional symptomatic support is needed. It is commonly used to help with symptoms related to physical discomfort in conditions involving episodic or fluctuating manifestations, such as the cramping pain of primary dysmenorrhea. Its supportive role contributes to improved comfort during periods of heightened symptoms. This includes managing the pain and stiffness associated with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis flare-ups, and providing support for general acute pain from dental issues or post-surgical discomfort. Manic is helpful in situations where multiple symptoms occur together, including symptoms related to systemic imbalance (fever). This provides support that helps ease the overall symptom burden, assisting with maintaining functional stability when symptoms are more noticeable.

Quick Fact: Relief for Episodic Discomfort
Primary Focus: Relief for symptoms related to physical discomfort and inflammatory or irritative states.
Clinical Scenarios: Commonly used when short-term symptomatic assistance is needed.
Overall Benefit: Contributes to easing the overall symptom load during temporary physiological imbalance.

Eligibility and Restrictions for Use

Manic (Mefenamic Acid) eligibility is strictly defined by official regulatory documentation based on age, existing health conditions, and physiological status. The medicine is approved for adults and adolescents ge 14 years of age for the labeled indications. Use is not established and not recommended for children under 14.

Populations Who Must Not Use Manic (Contraindications)

Use of Mefenamic Acid is absolutely contraindicated for patients with a documented hypersensitivity to Mefenamic Acid or other Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), including those with aspirin-sensitive asthma. It is prohibited for individuals with severe renal failure, severe hepatic failure, or severe heart failure. Patients with active gastrointestinal ulceration or inflammatory bowel disease must not use the medicine. It is also contraindicated in the last trimester of pregnancy and for peri-operative pain after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgery.

Restricted or Conditional Use

Use requires caution and careful consideration for elderly patients, those with controlled or mild organ impairment, or a history of certain conditions like epilepsy or uncontrolled hypertension. For breastfeeding women and women who are attempting to conceive, the medicine is generally not recommended.

What should I know about interactions with other medicines?

Interactions with other medicines and products

Manic (Mefenamic Acid) interacts with several medicinal products, primarily through documented pharmacokinetic changes that reduce drug clearance or through pharmacodynamic effects that increase risks, as outlined in official regulatory documents.

Formal Restrictions and Contraindications

Co-administration with other Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) is strictly contraindicated due to the significantly increased risk of serious gastrointestinal adverse events. Use is also contraindicated for the treatment of peri-operative pain following Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgery.

Clinically Significant Interactions

Interactions are officially grouped by their potential effect:

  • Increased Drug Exposure: Mefenamic acid can officially reduce the renal clearance of substances like Lithium and Methotrexate. This leads to elevated plasma concentrations and a heightened risk of toxicity from the co-administered drug, requiring mandatory monitoring.
  • Increased Bleeding Risk: Concomitant use with Anticoagulants (e.g., Warfarin), Antiplatelet Agents, or SSRIs/SNRIs is documented to increase the overall risk of gastrointestinal and non-GI bleeding due to additive effects.
  • Impaired Antihypertensive/Diuretic Effect: The combination with Diuretics or ACE inhibitors/ARBs may officially impair their efficacy and increase the risk of acute deterioration of renal function, a concern heightened in the elderly population.

Co-administration with Alcohol is noted to increase the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding.

Mechanism of Action

The biological effect of Mefenamic Acid is governed by its role as a non-selective inhibitor that modulates specific regulatory pathways involved in nociceptive signaling, thermoregulation, and inflammatory response.

Inhibition of Eicosanoid Synthesis

This domain covers the primary molecular mechanism: the drug acts as an inhibitor of the Cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and COX-2) enzymes. By blocking these key enzymes, the drug reduces the systemic production of Prostaglandins and other eicosanoids. This foundational action modifies early molecular steps in the Arachidonic Acid Cascade, which are critical mediators of physiological responses to injury.

Modulation of Nociceptive and Central Signaling

The resulting reduction of Prostaglandins leads to altered signaling kinetics in targeted pathways. In the periphery, this mechanism results in lessened Prostaglandin-mediated lowering of the nociceptor activation threshold, while centrally, it inhibits the Prostaglandin E2 mediation of the hypothalamic thermoregulatory set-point. Furthermore, the mechanism includes the antagonism of specific Prostaglandin E2 receptors in certain tissues, which consequentially modulates the PGE2-driven smooth muscle activity.

Mechanism Constraints and Functional Scope

The mechanism involves non-selective inhibition, which introduces functional constraints on physiological systems. The mechanism is restricted to blocking de novo synthesis of mediators, which defines the functional scope of its interaction.

Dosage and Administration Information

Instruction Map: How to use Manic — Administration Guidelines

This map formalizes the high-level instructions for the administration and dosing of Mefenamic Acid (Manic).


Administration Scope

Category Instruction
Route of administration The route for this medicine is oral (swallowed).
Dosing schedule The adult regimen typically initiates with a 500 mg dose, followed by a maintenance dose of 250 mg every 6 hours (q6h). Certain specifications may include up to 500 mg three times daily (TID).
Timing in relation to meals (if applicable) The medication is typically taken with food or milk to promote gastrointestinal tolerance.
Age-group administration rules Older Adults should utilize the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration. Pediatric administration for certain age groups is often based on body weight (mg/kg).
Missed-dose rules Standard practice involves taking the next dose at the regular scheduled time and indicates do not double the dose.
Special procedural conditions For primary dysmenorrhea, treatment begins at the onset of menstrual bleeding and associated symptoms.

Instruction Classifications (High-Level)

Classification Pattern
Administration method type Oral (Capsule, Tablet, or Suspension).
Frequency pattern Fixed Interval (q6h or TID) or As Needed (PRN); Short-Term duration.
Use-context constraints Time-Limited (Acute pain ≤ 7 days; Dysmenorrhea ≤ 3 days); Administration-Dependent (taken with food).

Resulting procedural structure

The protocol outlines a standardized sequence of administration:

  • Begin administration at the specified time point (e.g., onset of menstrual pain).
  • Administer the initial loading dose (e.g., 500 mg for adults).
  • Continue with the maintenance dose at the specified frequency (e.g., 250 mg every 6 hours) with food or milk.
  • Cease administration after the maximum specified duration is reached.

Recent Clinical Evidence

Manic: Recent Clinical Evidence

Clinical research on Manic (referencing the treatment approach for acute mania in Bipolar I Disorder) focuses primarily on establishing efficacy, safety, and tolerability through controlled trials. Recent advancements involve newer-generation antipsychotics and repurposed agents being studied as monotherapy or adjunctive treatments.

Key Outcome Measures

Clinical trials typically use validated rating scales to measure changes in symptom severity. The Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) is the standard primary endpoint, with lower scores indicating a reduction in manic symptoms. Secondary endpoints often include the Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI-BP) for overall severity and validated instruments for assessing depressive symptoms and patient quality of life.

Efficacy and Trial Design

  • Monotherapy vs. Placebo: Double-blind, placebo-controlled trials have been essential in determining the drug's antimanic activity. Findings have consistently focused on the difference in YMRS total score reduction from baseline between the active treatment and placebo arms over 3 to 6 weeks.
  • Adjunctive Therapy: Studies have explored the benefit of using Manic alongside established mood stabilizers (e.g., lithium or divalproex). Research has assessed whether this combination approach leads to different outcomes in terms of symptom control or relapse prevention compared to monotherapy.
Trial Phase Primary Focus Key Comparator Status (Representative)
Phase III Acute Mania Symptom Reduction Placebo; Established Mood Stabilizers Completed
Phase IV Long-term Safety and Relapse Prevention Standard of Care Ongoing/Completed

Safety and Tolerability Assessment

Specific attention in the trials has been given to the incidence of adverse metabolic events (such as weight changes or shifts in lipid and glucose levels), movement disorders, and cardiovascular observations. These safety assessments are critical for understanding the drug's profile for long-term maintenance treatment.

Key Studies & References

  1. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE): Bipolar disorder: assessment and management (Guideline CG185)
  2. When to start aripiprazole therapy in patients with bipolar mania (RCT Summary/Review)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Common questions about Manic (FAQ)


Q: What should I do if I think I'm having a serious allergic reaction to Manic?

If symptoms of a serious allergic reaction are observed, official product information advises seeking mathbfimmediate medical attention. These symptoms may include difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips, or throat, or a widespread rash with fever. These reactions are considered serious and should be addressed urgently.


Q: What is the maximum number of days Mefenamic Acid is approved for in the treatment of acute pain?

Regulatory documents specify that the duration of therapy for general acute pain is generally directed in the product labeling mathbfnot to exceed 7 days (one week). For the specific use of primary dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps), the approved duration of treatment is typically limited to mathbf2 to 3 days.


Q: What does the official labeling say about using Mefenamic Acid during pregnancy or when trying to conceive?

Official warnings state that Mefenamic Acid is mathbfcontraindicated during the mathbflast trimester of pregnancy. Use is also not recommended after 20 weeks of gestation due to potential risks to the fetus. Furthermore, official information indicates this medicine may mathbfimpair female fertility and is generally not recommended for women who are attempting to conceive.


Q: What are the common uses/indications for Manic (Mefenamic Acid)?

According to the official Indications and Usage section, Mefenamic Acid is approved to treat two primary conditions. It is indicated for the management of mathbfmild to moderate acute pain. The other established indication is the treatment of mathbfprimary dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps).


Q: Is there a generic version of Manic available, and how does it compare in cost?

Regulatory records, such as the FDA’s approved drug listings, confirm that mathbfgeneric versions of Mefenamic Acid capsules are available. The generic version is officially classified as bioequivalent, meaning it is expected to work in the same way as the brand-name product. While official drug documents confirm generic availability, information on cost comparison is not provided by regulatory agencies.


Q: Can I take Manic if I have high blood pressure or a heart condition?

Official warnings state that Mefenamic Acid may mathbfincrease or worsen existing mathbfhigh blood pressure. It also carries a risk of serious cardiovascular events, such as heart attack or stroke. For these safety reasons, use is mathbfcontraindicated for peri-operative pain following mathbfCoronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgery.


Q: Do I need a prescription from my doctor to get Manic?

Yes, the official regulatory status of Mefenamic Acid classifies it as a mathbfPrescription Only Medicine (POM) in regions like the United States and the UK. In these regions, Mefenamic Acid is only dispensed upon presentation of a valid prescription from a licensed healthcare provider.

How should Manic be stored and disposed of?

Official Storage and Disposal Requirements for Mefenamic Acid

The storage and disposal instructions for Manic (Mefenamic Acid) are strictly defined by regulatory labeling to maintain product stability and safety.

Storage Condition Regulatory Requirement
Temperature Store at controlled room temperature, generally 20 C to 25 C. Do not store above 30 C and keep from freezing.
Protection Keep in the original container, tightly closed, and protect from excess heat, light, and moisture.
Child Safety The medicine must be stored out of the reach of children and in a safe, inaccessible location.

Disposal of unused or expired medicine should follow official procedures, such as utilizing a drug take-back program. Regulatory documents often advise against disposal via wastewater or household waste in many regions; otherwise, follow the procedure of mixing the product with an undesirable substance before discarding in the trash.

Attention! Always consult to a doctor or pharmacist before using pills or medicines.

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