Actigrip giorno & notte is an over-the-counter medicine that can be purchased without a prescription and is indicated for the treatment of flu and cold symptoms.
The package contains 4 blue tablets (in the evening before going to sleep) and 12 white tablets (during the day) and the doses are shown on page 3 of the package leaflet.
It is a drug that you should take at first symptoms. It is usually effective after the first day of use.
Like all medicines, it can give side effects which are detailed on pages 4 and 5 of the package leaflet.
Now let's examine the ingredients that we put into the body, sorted by decreasing amounts, as indicated on the label:
Paracetamolo. Paracetamol. Present in each tablet with 500 milligrams. It is an active ingredient, analgesic and antipyretic, used for the treatment of flu and cold, present in the hundreds of drugs that can be sold without prescription. Paracetamol has antipyretic properties similar to aspirin, but unlike aspirin it has no anti-inflammatory activity. The
maximum daily dose for adults is 4 grams per day and this is the consensus opinion of the scientific literature, so it is good to pay close attention to the dosage.
Pseudoefedrina cloridrato. Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride. Present only in the white tablet, the diurnal one, with 60 milligrams. A chemical compound that acts as a stimulant of the central nervous system and is a diastereoisomer of ephedrine, that is almost the same, but with slight differences, to explain it in a very illustrative way. Both pseudoephedrine and ephedrine belong to the amphetamine family and have a long history as nasal decongestants. However, many studies warn of the possibility of
risks in taking this substance.
Difenidramina cloridrato Diphenhydramine hydrochloride Present only in the blue tablet with 25 milligrams. It is a long-standing drug as it was placed on the market in 1946 and has been used mainly for the treatment of allergies. It is a sedative antihistamine inserted in the blue tablet (the one you take before falling asleep) to promote sleep.
These are the active ingredients, now we see the excipients that are also important from a healthy point of view as they may contain chemical compounds regularly on the market, but frankly not recommended as, just to give an example, the Titanium Dioxide (or Dioxide) prohibited in France, but still on the market in Italy.
Cellulosa microcristallina Microcrystalline Cellulose is extracted by chemical process from various plants. Even if it still suffers from some drawbacks, microcrystalline cellulose has recently acquired more interest for its renewability, non-toxicity, economic value, biodegradability.
amido di mais. Maize starch is obtained from the milling of maize or corn usually of its central part or kernel, unlike corn flour where the whole corn cob is ground and is commonly used in food and cosmetics. Thickener and binder. Pregelatinized corn starch. It is a modified corn starch. Modified starches are substances modified with physical or chemical properties to improve the conditions of the starch when it is processed. With these modifications, corn starch will be better able to withstand cooking, cold, sterilization.
Magnesio stearato Magnesium stearate is used as an essential lubricant in the production of tablets and has effects on dissolution, disintegration and hardness of the tablet.
Acido stearico. Stearic acid is the coating agent of the tablets. It is found in nature in animal and vegetable fats and also serves as an emulsifier, solubilizer, and lubricant.
Glicole propilenico. Propylene glycol helps to bind and transport other substances (excipient), in the human body it quickly turns into lactic acid and has a very low degree of toxicity.
Croscarmellosa sodica, Croscarmellose sodium is an emulsifying chemical compound consisting of crude cellulose treated with sodium compounds. It serves to improve and accelerate the release of the drug into the intestine.
Amido glicolato sodico Sodium Glycolate Starch is also an emulsifying chemical compound treated with sodium compounds and serves to improve and accelerate the release of the drug into the intestine.
Povidone is a synthetic polymer used in the pharmaceutical industry to disperse and suspend the release of the drug.
Crospovidone has a high expansion capacity and has an emulsifying function. It serves to improve and accelerate the release of the drug.
Opadry blue 02H205000 is a dye that gives the blue color to the tablets of the night.
Well, now we know what we ingested, so my doctor's advice is to use this medicine only in case of actual need and not to exceed the recommended doses at all.
Personally, it stopped my cold and nasal congestion in a couple of days, but I felt the effects immediately from day one. However, it left me with a cough that I had to treat with other medicines. In my body, for decades, I have always had these symptoms: first a slight sore throat, then a cold and then a cough. I rarely had a fever. In any case Actigrip day & night, as we have seen, is both an antipyretic (takes away fever) and a nesal decongestant.
Excellent product, but use only when strictly necessary.
The price is very different: if you buy it on the internet it is between 8 and 9 euros. In pharmacies you can find it between 13 and 14.35 euros.
