Rifem 400mg Tablet is an antibiotic that treats hepatic encephalopathy, a condition in which the liver fails to remove harmful toxins from the blood, leading to brain damage. It is also used to treat infectious diarrhea. It works by killing and stopping the growth of harmful bacteria in the intestines.

This medicine can be used alone or in combination with other medicines. It may be taken with or without food, preferably at the same time, each day. It should be used in the dose and duration as advised by the doctor. Take it at the same time each day to get the most benefit and you should keep on taking this medicine for as long as you are prescribed. Stopping it early may make the infection to come back and harder to treat.

Some people may develop side effects like vomiting, headache, dizziness, nausea, rashes, joint pain, and depression. These side effects are usually temporary and go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Consult your doctor if these side effects bother you or will not go away. Your urine may become reddish in color due to this medicine. But, it is normal and harmless.

Before starting treatment with this medicine, you should tell your doctor if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or suffering from any liver, kidney or heart problems or if you are allergic to any medicine.

Uses of Rifem Tablet

Treatment of Hepatic encephalopathy
Treatment of Infectious diarrhea

Benefits of Rifem Tablet

In Treatment of Hepatic encephalopathy

Hepatic encephalopathy is a severe liver disease that can cause changes in brain function leading to confusion, tremors (shaking), sleep problems and loss of consciousness. Symptoms include agitation, confusion, muscle problems, difficulty in speaking, and sometimes, coma. Rifem 400mg Tablet lowers the levels of ammonia-producing bacteria in the blood which has harmful effects on the brain. If taken as prescribed, this medicine can improve your brain function and reduce symptoms associated with hepatic encephalopathy.

In Treatment of Infectious diarrhea

Infectious diarrhea is a condition characterized by the sudden onset of loose or watery stools caused by harmful microorganisms in the digestive system. Rifem 400mg Tablet helps treat infectious diarrhea by targeting and stopping the growth of harmful bacteria in the intestines. This medicine interferes with the bacteria's ability to make important proteins they need to survive and multiply. This helps to get rid of the bad bacteria causing the infection, which in turn reduces the diarrhea and helps you feel better.

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Side effects of Rifem Tablet

Most side effects do not require any medical attention and disappear as your body adjusts to the medicine. Consult your doctor if they persist or if you’re worried about them

Common side effects of Rifem

Dizziness
Nausea
Peripheral edema
Ascites (accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity)
Fatigue
Depression
Nasopharyngitis (inflammation of the throat and nasal passages)
Joint pain
Rash
Muscle pain

How to use Rifem Tablet

Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor. Swallow it as a whole. Do not chew, crush or break it. Rifem 400mg Tablet may be taken with or without food, but it is better to take it at a fixed time.

How Rifem Tablet works

Rifem 400mg Tablet is an antibiotic. It works by killing the ammonia-producing bacteria in the digestive tract. This treats your infection and relieves symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy (agitation, confusion, muscle problems). This also helps reduce the recurrence of episodes of hepatic encephalopathy.

Safety advice

Alcohol

CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR

It is not known whether it is safe to consume alcohol with Rifem 400mg Tablet. Please consult your doctor.

Pregnancy

CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR

Rifem 400mg Tablet may be unsafe to use during pregnancy. Although there are limited studies in humans, animal studies have shown harmful effects on the developing baby. Your doctor will weigh the benefits and any potential risks before prescribing it to you. Please consult your doctor.

Breast feeding

SAFE IF PRESCRIBED

Rifem 400mg Tablet is probably safe to use during breastfeeding. Limited human data suggests that the drug does not represent any significant risk to the baby.

Driving

SAFE

Rifem 400mg Tablet does not usually affect your ability to drive.

Kidney

SAFE IF PRESCRIBED

Rifem 400mg Tablet is probably safe to use in patients with kidney disease. Limited data available suggests that dose adjustment of Rifem 400mg Tablet may not be needed in these patients. Please consult your doctor.

Liver

CAUTION

Rifem 400mg Tablet should be used with caution in patients with severe liver disease. Dose adjustment of Rifem 400mg Tablet may be needed. Please consult your doctor.

What if you forget to take Rifem Tablet?

If you miss a dose of Rifem 400mg Tablet, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular schedule. Do not double the dose.

All substitutes

For informational purposes only. Consult a doctor before taking any medicines.

Rifem 400mg Tablet

₹27.7/Tablet

Rifagut 400 Tablet

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd

₹43.8/tablet

58% costlier

Zimigut 400 Tablet

Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd

₹46.95/tablet

69% costlier

Rexigut 400mg Tablet

Leeford Healthcare Ltd

₹29.6/tablet

7% costlier

Rucam 400mg Tablet

Indchemie Health Specialities Pvt Ltd

₹27/tablet

3% cheaper

Refato 400 Tablet

Toubib Pharma Private Limited

₹27.7/tablet

same price

View all substitutes

Quick tips

Rifem 400mg Tablet reduces the risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy (HE) recurrence in patients with liver disease.
It may cause reddish discoloration of urine. This is normal and harmless.
Stop taking Rifem 400mg Tablet and inform your doctor if you have severe diarrhea during or after using Rifem 400mg Tablet.
Finish the full course of the medication, even if you feel better.

Fact Box

Chemical Class

Rifamycin derivatives

Habit Forming

Therapeutic Class

GASTRO INTESTINAL

Action Class

RNA polymerase inhibitors- Rifamycins

Interaction with drugs

Taking Rifem with any of the following medicines can modify the effect of either of them and cause some undesirable side effects

Amiodarone (Injection Route) Moderate

Amiodarone may raise blood levels of Rifaximin. watch out for symptoms of Rifaximin side effects such as diarrhea, dizziness, swelling or fatigue and consult your doctor if you ex... More

Azithromycin (Oral Route) Moderate

Azithromycin may raise blood levels of Rifaximin. watch out for symptoms of Rifaximin side effects such as diarrhea, dizziness, swelling or fatigue and consult your doctor if you ... More

Azithromycin (Injection Route) Moderate

Azithromycin may raise blood levels of Rifaximin. watch out for symptoms of Rifaximin side effects such as diarrhea, dizziness, swelling or fatigue and consult your doctor if you ... More

Azithromycin (Oral Route) Moderate

Azithromycin may raise blood levels of Rifaximin. watch out for symptoms of Rifaximin side effects such as diarrhea, dizziness, swelling or fatigue and consult your doctor if you ... More

Amiodarone (Oral Route) Moderate

Amiodarone may raise blood levels of Rifaximin. watch out for symptoms of Rifaximin side effects such as diarrhea, dizziness, swelling or fatigue and consult your doctor if you ex... More

View all drug interactions

Patient concerns

hepatic encephalopathy fro 12 October

Dr. Saurav Arora

Homeopathy

Dear sir as your case is a chronic case it requires long case taking, examination and regular follow up, therefore, please visit a homeopath so that he can examine you and guide you accordingly.

Jaundice liver cirrhosis. Hepatic encephalopathy and ascites not edema with Sodium 107. Can we use tolvaptone?

Dr. Gurpreet Singh

Physician

Sir consult a hepatologist

FAQs

Should I take Rifem 400mg Tablet with food?

Yes, Rifem 400mg Tablet can be taken orally with or without food with a glass of water. Take it as prescribed by your doctor for the exact period of time.

What does Rifem 400mg Tablet do for the liver?

In liver disease, there is an increased growth of bacteria in the intestine which increases the load of toxins travelling through the body. This further increases the possibility of toxins reaching the brain which can cause abnormal brain function. Rifem 400mg Tablet slows down the growth of bacteria in the gut, decreasing the symptoms in cases of liver disease.

Can Rifem 400mg Tablet cause weight gain?

Usually Rifem 400mg Tablet does not cause weight gain. However, in case you feel there is an increase in weight, you should consult your doctor to determine the reason of weight gain.

Related lab tests

Stool Examination R/M

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Tata 1mg's sole intention is to ensure that its consumers get information that is expert-reviewed, accurate and trustworthy. However, the information contained herein should NOT be used as a substitute for the advice of a qualified physician. The information provided here is for informational purposes only. This may not cover everything about particular health conditions, lab tests, medicines, all possible side effects, drug interactions, warnings, alerts, etc. Please consult your doctor and discuss all your queries related to any disease or medicine. We intend to support, not replace, the doctor-patient relationship.

References

Briggs GG, Freeman RK, editors. A Reference Guide to Fetal and Neonatal Risk: Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health; 2015. pp. 1215-16.
Rifaximin [Package Insert]. Ahmedabad, Gujarat: Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd.; 2015. [Accessed 05 Aug. 2023] (online) Available from:
CiplaMed. Rifaximin [Prescribing Information]. [Accessed 05 Aug. 2023] (online) Available from:

Marketer details

Name: Femgrace Formulations

Address: 203, 2nd Floor, Aditraj Arcade, Near Hetvi Tower,100 Feet Ring Road, Satellite, Ahmedabad, Gujarat – 380015.

Country of origin: India

The list of available options shown with the same composition has been prepared upon the advice of registered medical practitioners, pharmacists affiliated with TATA 1MG. TATA 1MG does not promote any pharmaceutical product of any particular company, and all recommendations are based on the medical opinion, advisories from specialist medical and pharmaceutical professionals.