Doflex Plus MR Tablet

Doflex Plus MR Tablet is a widely prescribed combination medicine used to treat musculoskeletal pain due to muscle cramps or tissue injury. It works by relaxing the muscles, blocking the pain signals and reducing the inflammation in the affected area.

It consists of three active ingredients: chlorzoxazone, diclofenac and paracetamol. Chlorzoxazone relaxes the muscles and reduces stiffness; diclofenac and paracetamol act as painkillers.

Doflex Plus MR Tablet should be taken as advised by your doctor. Take them with your meals with ample water to avoid stomach discomfort. To prevent side effects, take it precisely as per your prescription.

Side effects of Doflex Plus MR Tablet are usually minor and should not be of any concern. You may experience drowsiness, loss of appetite, stomach pain, heartburn, nausea, vomiting and weakness for a short period.

This medicine is contraindicated for people with stomach ulcers, liver diseases and allergies to chlorzoxazone, diclofenac, and paracetamol. Always let your doctor know of any health conditions you might have. Generally, this combination drug is considered safe for most people.

Doflex Plus MR Tablet is a combination medicine used to treat musculoskeletal pain due to muscle cramps or tissue injury. It works by relaxing the muscles, blocking the pain signals and reducing the inflammation in the affected area.

This muscle relaxant, coupled with two analgesics, is often prescribed to people with arthritis, spondylitis and general musculoskeletal injuries. It is also used after surgeries to decrease swelling and inflammation.

Doflex Plus MR Tablet can be prescribed generally for any moderate pain you might experience in your muscles and joints and is highly effective at quickly relieving pain and internal signs of injury.

Doflex Plus MR Tablet includes three active ingredients: chlorzoxazone, diclofenac and paracetamol. The three medicines combined together provide a muscle-relaxing effect (by chlorzoxazone) to the person while also reducing inflammation (done by diclofenac) and pain (by acetaminophen/paracetamol)

Chlorzoxazone is a muscle relaxant used to treat acute muscle pain resulting from muscle spasms. It is a centrally acting drug that can be administered for sudden pain in and for muscle contraction headaches. It lowers the reflexes, thereby relaxing the muscles to ease the pain.

Diclofenac is a non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and phenylacetic acid derivative. As it is an NSAID, it reduces pain and inflammation without the harmful side effects of corticosteroids. It is used in the treatment of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, along with other musculoskeletal disorders, since it is a potent anti-inflammatory medicine.

Paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, is a non-narcotic analgesic-antipyretic agent. It reduces both pain and fever while also not being a habit-forming drug that alters the mental state of the patient. It comes with fewer side effects than its more potent counterpart, diclofenac.

Acetaminophen intoxication is, however, a serious condition in which too much paracetamol is in your body, leading to hepatotoxicity (acute hepatic necrosis) and rarely renal tubular necrosis.

1. Diclofenac and gastric ulcers

Diclofenac, one of the three ingredients in Doflex Plus MR Tablet, is a COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitor. In gastric mucosa, COX-1 is responsible for the synthesis of PGE2 and PGI2, which is responsible for the increase of bicarbonate and mucus secretion, maintaining adequate blood flow to mucosa and reduction of gastric acid and pepsin secretion.

Since diclofenac inhibits COX-1 or Cyclooxygenase-1, it adversely affects the health of the stomach lining and causes gastrointestinal ulceration.

That is why the dose of Doflex Plus MR Tablet is adjusted for patients with pre-existing gastric ulcers. An overdose for a prolonged period causes gastric ulcers in patients with a perfectly healthy stomach lining.

2. Why the combination: Paracetamol and Diclofenac?

Paracetamol is a decent analgesic, which means it reduces mild to moderate pain effectively in most cases. It is, however, ineffective at reducing inflammation. That is why it is combined with diclofenac, a potent non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that prioritises effectiveness over specificity since it inhibits both COX-1 and COX-2.

Thus this combination is used to relieve pain in patients suffering from injury or arthritis since these cases involve not only pain but also severe inflammation.

• Diclofenac: NSAID (nhs.uk)
• Chlorzoxazone drug (medlineplus.gov)
• A brief overview of paracetamol (healthdirect.gov.au)