CURAZINK

CURAZINK hard capsules

Important notes (mandatory information)

Curazink 15 mg hard capsules. Active ingredient: Zinc. Areas of application: for the treatment of clinically confirmed zinc deficiency conditions, provided that they cannot be remedied by a change in diet.

For risks and side effects, read the package leaflet and consult your doctor or pharmacist!


PACKAGE LEAFLET: INFORMATION FOR THE USER

Curazink 15 mg hard capsules for use in children aged 12 and over, adolescents and adults
Active ingredient: Zinc

Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine, because it contains important information for you. Always take this medicine exactly as described in this leaflet or exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you.

• Keep the leaflet. You may want to read it again later.
• Ask your pharmacist if you need more information or advice.
• If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This also applies to side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.
• If you do not feel better or if you feel worse, contact your doctor.

What this leaflet contains

1. WHAT IS CURAZINK AND WHAT IS IT USED FOR?
2. WHAT SHOULD YOU CONSIDER BEFORE TAKING CURAZINK?
3. HOW SHOULD CURAZINK BE TAKEN?
4. WHAT SIDE EFFECTS ARE POSSIBLE?
5. HOW SHOULD CURAZINK BE STORED?
6. CONTENTS OF THE PACK AND OTHER INFORMATION

1. WHAT IS CURAZINK AND WHAT IS IT USED FOR?

Curazink is a zinc preparation for the treatment of zinc deficiency conditions. Curazink is used for the treatment of clinically confirmed zinc deficiency conditions, provided that they cannot be remedied by a change in diet.

2. WHAT SHOULD YOU CONSIDER BEFORE TAKING CURAZINK?

Curazink must not be taken if you are allergic to zinc or any of the other ingredients of this medicine listed in section 6.

Warnings and precautions

Please talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Curazink:

• if you suffer from stomach ulcers (peptic stomach ulcers).
• if you have acute renal failure or severe renal tissue damage (renal parenchymal damage).
• if you take zinc for a long period of time. In this case, both the copper and zinc levels in the blood should be monitored.

Taking Curazink with other medicines

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or intend to take any other medicines. The effects of some medicines can be influenced by the simultaneous use of other medicines. Therefore, ask your doctor if you are taking other medicines on a regular basis, have taken them recently or want to take them at the same time as this medicine. Your doctor can tell you whether incompatibilities can be expected under these circumstances, or whether special measures, such as a new dose determination, are necessary when you are taking this medicine.

In particular, you should talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or receiving the following medicines or substances:

• Antibiotics such as tetracyclines, ofloxacin or other quinolones (ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin). Zinc reduces the absorption of these antibiotics. For this reason, a time interval of at least 3 hours should be maintained between taking zinc and the aforementioned medications.
• Substances such as D-penicillamine, dimercaptopropanesulfonic acid (DMPS), dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Such substances (so-called complexing agents; e.g. in the treatment of heavy metal poisoning) can reduce zinc absorption into the bloodstream or increase excretion.
• Phosphates, iron, copper and calcium salts. When taken together with zinc, the absorption of zinc into the body may be reduced.
• Zinc can impair the availability of copper and reduce the absorption and storage of iron.

Taking Curazink with food and drink

Foods high in phytates (e.g. cereal products, legumes, nuts) reduce zinc absorption into the bloodstream. There is evidence that coffee impairs zinc resorption.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding

If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, or if you suspect you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine. If your doctor confirms a zinc deficiency that cannot be remedied by a change in diet, you can take Curazink in therapeutic doses under medical supervision during pregnancy and breast-feeding.

Driving and using machines

Effects on the ability to drive and use machines have not been reported to date.

3. HOW SHOULD CURAZINK BE TAKEN?

Always take this medicine exactly as described in this leaflet or exactly as agreed with your doctor or pharmacist. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.

Unless otherwise prescribed by your doctor, the usual dose for children aged 12 and over, adolescents and adults is

1 Curazink capsule daily (equivalent to 15 mg zinc).

Method of administration

Please take the capsules with meals. If you have difficulty swallowing the capsule, its contents can be stirred into a liquid (e.g. water, fruit juices).

Duration of use

The duration of use is determined by the attending physician.

Please talk to your doctor if you have the impression that the effect of Curazink is too strong or too weak.

If you have taken more Curazink than you should

If you have taken more Curazink, the side effects listed under section 4 (What side effects are possible?) may be more pronounced. Signs of an overdose include, for example:

• Metallic taste on the tongue.
• Headache, fatigue.
• Drop in blood pressure, irregular heartbeat.
• bloody diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, stomach pain and cramps.
• Apathy, staggering gait.

In this case, stop taking Curazink and consult your doctor. Chronic poisoning can lead to changes in the blood count (microcytic and sideroblastic anaemia).

If you forget to take Curazink

Take the next dose at the usual time. Do not take a double dose if you have forgotten to take the previous dose.

If you stop taking Curazink

Do not change the dose listed in the package leaflet or prescribed to you on your own. If you feel that the medicine is too weak or too strong, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. You should not interrupt or prematurely terminate treatment with Curazink on your own.

If you have any further questions about the use of the medicine, ask your doctor and pharmacist.

4. WHAT SIDE EFFECTS ARE POSSIBLE?

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

The following frequency information is used to evaluate side effects:
Very common:	more than 1 in 10 treated persons
Common:	1 to 10 in 100 treated persons
Uncommon:	1 to 10 in 1,000 treated persons
Rare:	1 to 10 in 10,000 treated persons
Very rare:	less than 1 in 10,000 treated persons
Not known:	frequency cannot be estimated from the available data.

Gastrointestinal disorders

Very rare: Gastrointestinal complaints (e.g. nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea).

Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders

Very rare: Skin reactions (e.g. rash, itching).

Metabolism and nutrition disorders

Not known: May cause copper deficiency if taken for a long period of time.

Reporting of side effects

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This also applies to side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly to the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, Dept. of Pharmacovigilance, Kurt-Georg-Kiesinger Allee 3, D-53175 Bonn, website: www.bfarm.de. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information about the safety of this medicine.

5. HOW SHOULD CURAZINK BE STORED?

Keep this medicine out of the reach of children. Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton and blister pack. The expiry date refers to the last day of the month indicated. This medicinal product does not require any special storage conditions. Do not dispose of medicines in wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of the medicine when you stop using it. In this way, you help to protect the environment.

6. CONTENTS OF THE PACK AND OTHER INFORMATION

What Curazink 15 mg hard capsules contains

The active ingredient is zinc. 1 hard capsule contains 94 mg zinc histidine dihydrate corresponding to 15 mg zinc. The other ingredients are gelatine, magnesium stearate (Ph.Eur.) [vegetable], maize starch, sodium dodecyl sulphate, titanium dioxide (E 171), purified water.

What Curazink 15 mg hard capsules looks like and contents of the pack

White, opaque hard capsule. Curazink 15 mg hard capsules are available in packs of 20, 50 and 100 hard capsules.

Pharmaceutical entrepreneur

Stada Consumer Health Deutschland GmbH
Stadastraße 2 - 18
61118 Bad Vilbel
Telephone: 06101 603-0
Telefax: 06101 603-259
Internet: www.stada.de

Manufacturer

Stada Arzneimittel AG
Stadastraße 2 - 18
61118 Bad Vilbel

This leaflet was last revised in September 2019.

Source: Information from the package leaflet
Status: 08/2020
Active ingredient: Zinc. Areas of application: for the treatment of clinically confirmed zinc deficiency conditions, provided that they cannot be remedied by a change in diet.