Anadin Extra Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Anadin Extra Tablet is an over-the-counter pain relief caplet that combines three active ingredients: aspirin, paracetamol, and caffeine. It belongs to the non-opioid analgesic, NSAID, and CNS stimulant drug classes. It is designed to give fast, triple-action relief from pain and fever, and is used for a wide range of everyday aches and pains. It is not recommended for use in children under 16 years of age.

What is Anadin Extra Tablet

Anadin Extra is an over-the-counter pain relief tablet (caplet) that combines three active ingredients: aspirin, paracetamol, and caffeine. It is designed to give fast, triple-action relief from pain and fever.

Anadin Extra Tablet uses

• Headache and migraine
• Toothache and dental pain
• Neuralgia (nerve pain)
• Period pain
• Muscular aches and pains
• Rheumatic pain
• Joint swelling
• Feverish colds and flu
• Sore throat
• Backache
• Strains, sprains, and stiffness
• Sciatica
• Lumbago

Benefits of Anadin Extra Tablet

• Starts relieving pain quickly
• Combines three ingredients for a multi-action approach to pain and fever
• Can help with a wide range of everyday aches and pains, including fever and inflammation

How Anadin Extra Tablet works

Aspirin blocks the body's production of prostaglandins, chemicals that cause pain, swelling, and fever. Paracetamol also reduces prostaglandins but works through a different pathway to ease pain and lower fever. Caffeine is a stimulant that is thought to help the other two ingredients work faster and more effectively, although how much difference this makes is debated.

Anadin Extra Tablet dosage

Take with a glass of water. Taking it with food can help lower the chance of stomach irritation from the aspirin in it. Avoid taking it late in the evening since the caffeine in it can disrupt sleep. Swallow the tablets whole with water; do not crush or chew them. Leave at least 4 hours between doses. Do not take any other medicine that contains paracetamol at the same time. It is not recommended for continuous use beyond a few days without checking with a doctor, and it is not for use in children under 16 years of age.

Available forms and strengths

• Oral Tablet
• Caplet
• Soluble tablet

Side effects of Anadin Extra Tablet

Common

• Indigestion and heartburn
• Nausea and vomiting
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Insomnia, restlessness, nervousness
• Tremors and palpitations (from caffeine at high doses)
• Rash or itching

Serious

• Stomach ulcers or bleeding, shown by severe stomach pain or blood in stools
• Severe allergic reactions, such as difficulty breathing, skin rash, or swelling of the face
• Serious skin reactions, such as blistering or peeling skin
• Breathing problems, such as wheezing
• Signs of liver problems: pain in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, unusual tiredness, or yellowing of the skin or eyes
• Unusual bleeding or bruising
• Reduced white blood cells, making infection more likely

Warnings and precautions

• Never take this medicine with any other product that contains paracetamol, as this could lead to a dangerous overdose. Do not give this medicine to children or teenagers under 16, because the aspirin in it carries a risk of a rare but serious condition called Reye's syndrome, especially during a viral illness with fever. Do not take this medicine if you have had stomach ulcers, stomach bleeding, or a blood clotting disorder such as haemophilia. 
• If you have asthma, this medicine may trigger wheezing or breathing difficulties. Do not take this medicine for longer than 3 days in a row for pain or fever without talking to a doctor. 
• This medicine should not be used for migraine in people under 18 years old. 
• Taking too much of this medicine can cause serious, sometimes delayed, liver damage, even if you feel fine at first. Seek medical help right away if you think you have taken too much, even without symptoms.
• Do not take Anadin Extra in the later stages of pregnancy. In early pregnancy, speak with a doctor or pharmacist first. Do not take Anadin Extra while breastfeeding.
• Speak to a doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine if you have kidney disease. Do not use it if you have severe kidney failure.
• Speak to a doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine if you have liver disease, including alcohol-related liver disease. Do not use it if you have severe liver failure.
• Drinking alcohol while taking this medicine can increase the risk of serious liver damage and stomach bleeding.
• If this medicine makes you feel dizzy, nervous, or affects your concentration, avoid driving or using machinery.

Storage

• Do not store above 25°C
• Store in the original package and protect from moisture
• Keep this medicine out of sight and reach of children
• Do not use after the expiry date shown on the package
• Unused or expired tablets must not be discarded via wastewater or general household waste; ask a pharmacist how to properly throw away medicines no longer needed

When to see a doctor

• Get emergency help right away if you notice signs of a severe allergic reaction, such as difficulty breathing, wheezing, or swelling of the tongue, mouth, lips, face, or throat.
• Contact a doctor right away if you notice pain or tenderness in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, unusual tiredness, or yellowing of the eyes or skin, as these can be signs of a serious liver problem.
• If you think you have taken too much of this medicine, get emergency help immediately, even if you feel well and show no signs of poisoning, because treatment to prevent liver damage must start as soon as possible.
• Stop taking this medicine and seek medical attention right away if you develop stomach ulcer symptoms such as severe stomach pain or blood in your stools, or serious skin reactions like blistering or peeling skin.
• If your symptoms or fever do not improve within a few days, or they get worse, check with your doctor.

Alternatives

• Naproxen
• Paracetamol
• Solpadeine