Resolor tablets contain the active ingredient prucalopride, which is a type of medicine called a serotonin (or 5HT) agonist.

What is Resolor used for?

  • Treatment of chronic constipation in adults for whom other laxatives have not given adequate relief.

How does Resolor work?

  • Resolor tablets contain the active ingredient prucalopride, which is a type of medicine called a serotonin (or 5HT) agonist.
  • Prucalopride works by stimulating receptors called serotonin (or 5HT) receptors that are found on the walls of intestine. A natural substance called serotonin normally acts on these receptors, causing the muscles in the intestinal wall to contract. This process is known as peristalsis. It moves the contents of the intestines through the colon to the rectum so that the bowel can be emptied.
  • Prucalopride mimics this action of serotonin by directly stimulating specific serotonin receptors, known as 5HT4 receptors on the colon.
This increases the muscular contraction of the colon, helping to produce normal bowel movement and relieve constipation.

How do I take Resolor?

  • Follow the instructions given by your doctor. The dose prescribed will be printed on the dispensing label that your pharmacist has put on the packet of medicine and depends on your age, kidney function and liver function. Taking a higher dose than recommended will not make the medicine work better.
  • Resolor tablets are taken once a day. They can be taken with or without food at any time during the day.
  • If you have taken this medicine once a day for four weeks and it does not seem to be helping your constipation, it is important that you let your doctor know.

Resolor should be used with caution by

  • Elderly people.
  • People with severely decreased kidney or liver function.
  • People with severe heart disease, for example a history of irregular heartbeats, angina or heart attack.
  • People with severe lung disease.
  • People with cancer.
  • People with AIDS.
  • People with severe psychiatric illness.
  • People with severe neurological illness.
  • Resolor should not be used by
  • People with kidney failure who are having dialysis.
  • People with a blockage or obstruction in the gut.
  • People with a hole (perforation) in the wall of the gut.
  • People with inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.
  • People with a sudden expansion of the large intestine seen in advanced ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease (toxic megacolon).
  • Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
  • People with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, the Lapp lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption (Resolor tablets contain lactose).

The safety and efficacy of this medicine in children and adolescents under 18 years of age has not been established. It is not recommended for this age group.

This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy.

If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.

  • There is little information available about the safety of this medicine for use during pregnancy. The manufacturer states that it is not recommended for use during pregnancy. Women who could get pregnant should use a reliable method of contraception to avoid getting pregnant while taking this medicine. Ask your doctor for further advice.
  • This medicine may pass into breast milk. It is not known what effect this may or may not have on a nursing infant. As a result, the manufacturer recommends that this medicine should not be used by breastfeeding mothers. Discuss this with your doctor.

Possible side effects of Resolor

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Just because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

Very common

  • Headache.
  • Nausea.
  • Diarrhoea.
  • Abdominal pain.

Common

  • Disturbances of the gut such as indigestion, flatulence, vomiting and abnormal bowel sounds.
  • Decreased appetite.
  • Fatigue.
  • Dizziness.

Uncommon

  • Rectal bleeding.
  • Frequently needing to pass urine.
  • Tremors.
  • Awareness of your heartbeat (palpitations).
  • Fever.
  • A general feeling of being unwell (malaise).

For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

How can Resolor affect other medicines?

  • It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to make sure that the combination is safe.
  • This medicine can cause diarrhoea, which if severe, can reduce the absorption of oral contraceptive pills from the gut and thus make them less effective at preventing pregnancy. Women taking the pill for contraception may need to use an additional method of contraception, eg condoms, to prevent pregnancy, if they experience severe diarrhoea while taking this medicine. Follow the instructions in the leaflet provided with your pill.

References:

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/584/smpc

https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/resolor

https://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/digestion/a8689/resolor-prucalopride/

https://gut.bmj.com/content/58/3/357.short

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prucalopride

https://patient.info/medicine/prucalopride-for-constipation-resolor

 

 

 

Health Reference: Constipation