Relispa 40mg Tablets (Drotaverine) – Antispasmodic Tab

Drug Class: Smooth Muscle Antispasmodic (PDE4 Inhibitor) | Form: Oral Tablet | Prescription Status: Prescription Only (Rx) — DRAP Registered

What is Relispa 40mg Tablet?

Relispa 40mg contains Drotaverine Hydrochloride — a highly selective smooth muscle antispasmodic that relieves painful spasms in the hollow organs of the body — including the intestines, bile ducts, urinary tract, and uterus — without affecting the heart or skeletal muscles. Unlike older antispasmodics such as Hyoscine (Buscopan) that work by blocking anticholinergic receptors and cause significant side effects like dry mouth, blurred vision, and urinary retention, Drotaverine works through a completely different mechanism — inhibiting the PDE4 enzyme inside smooth muscle cells — producing powerful and targeted muscle relaxation with a significantly cleaner side effect profile. Relispa 40mg provides effective relief from acute and chronic smooth muscle spasm pain (پٹھوں کی اینٹھن کا درد) across multiple organ systems and is well tolerated in most adult patients including those who cannot use anticholinergic medicines.

What is Relispa 40mg Used For?

• Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhoea) — painful uterine muscle spasms during menstruation caused by prostaglandin-driven uterine contractions (ماہواری کا درد)
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) — abdominal cramping and pain from intestinal smooth muscle spasm (آنتوں کی اینٹھن)
• Biliary colic — severe upper abdominal pain caused by gallstone-related spasm of the bile ducts (پتے کی پتھری کا درد)
• Renal colic — severe flank and abdominal pain caused by kidney stone passage through the ureter (گردے کی پتھری کا درد)
• Gastrointestinal spasm — abdominal cramping from gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, or non-specific smooth muscle spasm
• Urinary tract spasm — spasm-related pain in the bladder or ureter
• Post-operative smooth muscle spasm — relief of abdominal spasm following abdominal or urological surgical procedures

How Does Relispa 40mg Work?

PDE4 Enzyme Inhibition — Smooth Muscle Relaxation: Inside smooth muscle cells, a molecule called cyclic AMP (cAMP) acts as a natural relaxation signal — when cAMP levels are high, smooth muscle cells relax and spasm is relieved. An enzyme called phosphodiesterase type 4 (PDE4) normally breaks down cAMP — reducing its relaxing effect and allowing muscle spasm to continue. Drotaverine selectively inhibits PDE4 — preventing cAMP breakdown and allowing it to accumulate inside smooth muscle cells. The resulting high cAMP levels cause smooth muscle to relax — relieving spasm, reducing the pressure inside hollow organs like the bowel, bile ducts, and ureter, and directly relieving the severe cramping pain associated with colic and spasm.

Selectivity for Smooth Muscle: Drotaverine's selectivity for PDE4 — the predominant phosphodiesterase isoform in smooth muscle — means it relaxes the intestines, bile ducts, urinary tract, and uterus without meaningfully affecting cardiac muscle (PDE3 dependent) or skeletal muscle. This selectivity produces targeted therapeutic benefit without the cardiovascular or systemic side effects seen with less selective antispasmodics.

Absence of Anticholinergic Effects: Unlike Hyoscine and other anticholinergic antispasmodics, Drotaverine does not block muscarinic receptors — meaning it does not cause dry mouth, blurred vision, urinary retention, constipation, or confusion. This makes Relispa 40mg significantly better tolerated — particularly in elderly patients and those with prostatic hypertrophy or glaucoma who cannot safely take anticholinergic medicines.

Dosage and Administration

⚠️ Always take exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Never exceed the recommended daily dose. Consult your doctor if spasm pain is severe, persistent, or worsening — particularly with biliary or renal colic.

Critical Dosing Rules:

• Never exceed 240mg (6 tablets) in 24 hours — higher doses do not improve efficacy and increase the risk of side effects including cardiovascular effects
• For menstrual cramps, best results are achieved by starting Relispa at the very first sign of period pain — before pain becomes severe
• Biliary colic and renal colic are acute medical conditions — while Relispa relieves the spasm component of pain, the underlying cause (gallstone or kidney stone) requires medical evaluation and management
• Elderly patients should use the lowest effective dose — start with 1 tablet three times daily
• If symptoms do not improve within 2 to 3 days of regular use, consult your doctor for reassessment

How to Take:

• Swallow the tablet whole with a full glass of water
• May be taken with or without food
• Take at evenly spaced times throughout the day for consistent smooth muscle relaxation
• For menstrual pain, start at the very first sign of cramping for best effect
• If a dose is missed, take it as soon as remembered — skip if it is nearly time for the next dose; never double the dose

Active Ingredients

Who Should NOT Take Relispa 40mg?

Do not take if you:

• Are allergic to Drotaverine or any ingredient in the tablet
• Have severe liver failure
• Have severe kidney failure
• Have severe heart failure or low cardiac output
• Have a rare hereditary condition of galactose intolerance — if tablet contains lactose
• Are under 6 years of age

Always consult your doctor before taking Relispa if you have:

• Mild to moderate liver disease (جگر کی بیماری) — Drotaverine is metabolised in the liver
• Mild to moderate kidney disease (گردے کی بیماری)
• Low blood pressure (ہائی بلڈ پریشر کی کمی) — Drotaverine can mildly lower blood pressure
• Heart disease or irregular heartbeat (دل کی بیماری) — use with caution
• Are pregnant — particularly in the first trimester; use only under strict medical supervision
• Are breastfeeding — limited safety data available
• Are elderly — start at lowest effective dose and monitor for dizziness

Side Effects

Common Side Effects:

• Mild headache — usually temporary and improves with continued use
• Dizziness or light-headedness — mild blood pressure lowering effect; avoid driving if affected
• Nausea or mild stomach discomfort — usually temporary
• Mild drop in blood pressure — particularly when standing up quickly; rise slowly from sitting or lying positions
• Mild palpitations — awareness of heartbeat; usually transient

Serious Side Effects — Stop Taking and Seek Medical Help Immediately:

• Severe hypotension — extreme dizziness, fainting, or collapse — particularly in patients with existing low blood pressure or taking antihypertensives (طبی ہنگامی صورتحال)
• Severe allergic reaction — swelling of face, lips, tongue or throat, difficulty breathing, widespread rash or hives (یہ طبی ہنگامی صورتحال ہے)
• Severe cardiac effects — irregular heartbeat or palpitations at high doses — stop immediately and seek medical care
• Worsening abdominal pain — if pain intensifies despite treatment, an acute surgical condition such as appendicitis or bowel obstruction must be excluded immediately; never use antispasmodics to mask undiagnosed severe abdominal pain
• Severe skin reactions — widespread blistering or peeling skin — rare but stop immediately and seek medical attention

Drug Interactions

Storage Instructions

• Store below 25°C in a cool, dry place
• Protect from light, moisture, and direct sunlight
• Keep in original blister pack until use
• Keep out of reach of children (بچوں کی پہنچ سے دور رکھیں)
• Do not use after the expiry date printed on the pack

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Is Relispa 40mg the same as Buscopan (Hyoscine)? No — Drotaverine and Hyoscine work through completely different mechanisms; Drotaverine inhibits PDE4 without anticholinergic effects, making Relispa better tolerated with fewer side effects like dry mouth, blurred vision, and urinary retention.

Q: Can Relispa 40mg be used for kidney stone pain? Yes — Relispa effectively relieves the severe ureteric spasm that causes renal colic pain; however kidney stones require full medical evaluation and management as Relispa treats the spasm pain only and not the underlying stone.

Q: When is the best time to take Relispa 40mg for menstrual cramps? Start taking Relispa at the very first sign of menstrual cramping — before pain becomes severe; early treatment produces significantly better pain control than waiting until cramps are already intense.

Q: Can Relispa 40mg be used during pregnancy? Use during pregnancy — particularly the first trimester — requires strict medical supervision; always consult your obstetrician before taking any antispasmodic medicine during pregnancy as uterine relaxation may not be appropriate in all situations.

Medical Disclaimer: This information is for general awareness only and does not replace advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Severe or persistent abdominal, biliary, or renal colic pain requires proper medical evaluation — never use antispasmodics to mask undiagnosed acute abdominal conditions. Always take Relispa 40mg exactly as prescribed.