Recommended Dose of Rebamipide for Gastritis and Gastric Ulcers
The standard recommended dose of rebamipide for treating gastritis and gastric ulcers is 100 mg three times daily.
Dosing Regimen
- Rebamipide is typically administered at a dose of 100 mg three times daily for the treatment of gastric ulcers and gastritis 1
- The standard treatment duration for gastric ulcers is 8 weeks, which has been shown to be effective for promoting ulcer healing 1
- Rebamipide reaches its maximal concentration in gastric mucosa within 30-60 minutes after oral administration, and remains elevated for approximately 120 minutes 2
- The mean mucosal concentration of rebamipide between 30-120 minutes after ingestion is 60.0 ± 109.8 μg/g of tissue, which is sufficient for its therapeutic effect 2
Formulations and Administration
- Rebamipide is available in both tablet (100 mg) and granule (20%/0.5g) formulations 3
- The granule formulation may be more appropriate for patients with difficulty swallowing tablets 3
- Both formulations are bioequivalent, with similar pharmacokinetic profiles 3
- The maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) is reached approximately 2.4-2.5 hours after administration 3
Clinical Efficacy
- Rebamipide has demonstrated effectiveness in healing gastric ulcers, particularly those caused by NSAIDs 4
- The drug works by multiple mechanisms:
- Stimulation of prostaglandin and mucus glycoprotein synthesis
- Inhibition of reactive oxygen species
- Reduction of inflammatory cytokines
- Inhibition of neutrophil activation 1
- In clinical studies, rebamipide has shown significant improvement in symptom scores and gastric inflammation in patients with gastric ulcers 1
Comparison with Other Treatments
- Rebamipide (100 mg three times daily) has shown comparable efficacy to misoprostol (200 μg three times daily) in preventing NSAID-induced gastropathy 4
- The occurrence rate of gastric ulcers after 12 weeks was similar between rebamipide and misoprostol groups (20.3% vs 21.9%) 4
- However, rebamipide demonstrated fewer gastrointestinal side effects compared to misoprostol, with a significantly lower withdrawal rate (10.3% vs 18.6%) 4
Use in Combination Therapy
- Rebamipide can be used in combination with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for enhanced ulcer healing 5
- When combined with omeprazole, rebamipide has been shown to improve the quality of ulcer healing and reduce ulcer recurrence rates 5
- The combination of omeprazole and rebamipide was found to be almost as effective as omeprazole plus amoxicillin in reducing ulcer recurrence 5
Safety Profile
- Rebamipide is generally well-tolerated with few adverse effects 1
- The drug has minimal systemic absorption, with mean serum concentrations remaining below 0.37 μg/ml 2
- This low systemic distribution contributes to its favorable safety profile 2
Rebamipide represents an effective option for treating gastritis and gastric ulcers, with particular benefits for patients with NSAID-induced gastropathy due to its mucosal protective properties and favorable side effect profile.