Vitamin E Suspension 100mg / ml (Cambridge Laboratories)

1. Name Of The Medicinal Product

Vitamin E Suspension 100mg/ml

2. Qualitative And Quantitative Composition

Each 5ml of suspension contains 500mg of DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate.

3. Pharmaceutical Form

Oral Suspension

4. Clinical Particulars

4.1 Therapeutic Indications

For the correction of Vitamin E deficiency occurring in malabsorption disorders ie. cystic fibrosis, chronic cholestasis and abetalipoproteinaemia.

4.2 Posology And Method Of Administration

Route of administration: For oral use.

Adults (including the elderly)

For the treatment of malabsorption disorders the following doses should be administered:

Cystic fibrosis 100-200mg/day

Abetalipoproteinaemia 50-100mg/kg/day

Children

For the treatment of cystic fibrosis a dose of 50mg/day should be given to children less than 1 year and 100mg/day to children 1 year and over.

The adult dosage should be used for the treatment of abetalipoproteinaemia (50-100mg/kg/day).

Infants with vitamin E deficiency which is secondary to chronic cholestasis may be treated with doses of 150-200mg/kg/day.

4.3 Contraindications

Use in patients with a known hypersensitivity to Vitamin E.

4.4 Special Warnings And Precautions For Use

Vitamin E has been reported to increase the risk of thrombosis in patients predisposed to this condition, including patients taking oestrogens. This finding has not been confirmed but should be borne in mind when selecting patients for treatment, in particular women taking oral contraceptives containing oestrogens.

A higher incidence of necrotising enterocolitis has been noted in lower weight premature infants (less than 1.5kg) treated with vitamin E.

4.5 Interaction With Other Medicinal Products And Other Forms Of Interaction

Vitamin E may increase the risk of thrombosis in patients taking oestrogens (see 4.4 above).

4.6 Pregnancy And Lactation

There is no evidence of the safety of high doses of vitamin E in pregnancy nor is there evidence from animal work that it is free from hazard, therefore do not use in pregnancy especially in the first trimester. No information is available on excretion in breast milk, therefore it is advisable not to use during lactation.

4.7 Effects On Ability To Drive And Use Machines

None known.

4.8 Undesirable Effects

Diarrhoea and abdominal pain may occur with doses greater than 1g daily.

4.9 Overdose

Transient gastro-intestinal disturbances have been reported with doses greater than 1g daily and where necessary, general supportive measures should be employed.

5. Pharmacological Properties

5.1 Pharmacodynamic Properties

The exact role of vitamin E in the animal organism has not yet been established. Vitamin E is known to exert an important physiological function as an antioxidant for fats, with a sparing action on vitamin A, carotenoids and on unsaturated fatty acids. Other work has demonstrated that vitamin E is connected with the maintenance of certain factors essential for the normal metabolic cycle.

5.2 Pharmacokinetic Properties

Vitamin E is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Most of the vitamin appears in the lymph and is then widely distributed to all tissues. Most of the dose is slowly excreted in the bile and the remainder is eliminated in the urine as glucuronides of tocopheronic acid or other metabolites.

5.3 Preclinical Safety Data

There are no pre-clinical data of relevance to the prescriber which are additional to that already included in other sections of the SPC.

6. Pharmaceutical Particulars

6.1 List Of Excipients

Castor oil polyethylene glycol ether

Benzoic acid

Sorbic acid

Glycerol

Syrup

Flavour raspberry

Purified Water

6.2 Incompatibilities

None.

6.3 Shelf Life

Unopened: Two years.

After first opening: One month (The product will be stable after opening for the normal duration of treatment providing the cap is replaced after use and the recommended storage conditions on the label are observed).

6.4 Special Precautions For Storage

Store below 25°C.

6.5 Nature And Contents Of Container

Amber glass bottles with aluminium screw caps or Vistop tamper-evident caps.

6.6 Special Precautions For Disposal And Other Handling

Vitamin E Suspension may be diluted with Syrup BP but should be used immediately and not stored.

7. Marketing Authorisation Holder

Cambridge Laboratories Limited

Deltic House

Kingfisher Way

Silverlink Business Park

Wallsend

Tyne & Wear

NE28 9NX

8. Marketing Authorisation Number(S)

PL 12070/0010

9. Date Of First Authorisation/Renewal Of The Authorisation

8 March 1993

10. Date Of Revision Of The Text

March 2000