Procarbazine (Oral Route)

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Before Using

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Although there is no specific information about the use of procarbazine in children, it is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does in adults.

Geriatric

Side effects may be more likely to occur in elderly patients, who are usually more sensitive to the effects of procarbazine.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy CategoryExplanation
All TrimestersDStudies in pregnant women have demonstrated a risk to the fetus. However, the benefits of therapy in a life threatening situation or a serious disease, may outweigh the potential risk.

Breastfeeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

  • Amitriptyline
  • Amphetamine
  • Apraclonidine
  • Atomoxetine
  • Benzphetamine
  • Brimonidine
  • Bupropion
  • Carbamazepine
  • Citalopram
  • Cyclobenzaprine
  • Cyproheptadine
  • Desvenlafaxine
  • Dexfenfluramine
  • Dexmethylphenidate
  • Dextroamphetamine
  • Dextromethorphan
  • Diethylpropion
  • Duloxetine
  • Fenfluramine
  • Fluoxetine
  • Guanadrel
  • Guanethidine
  • Isocarboxazid
  • Isometheptene
  • Levodopa
  • Levomethadyl
  • Linezolid
  • Lisdexamfetamine
  • Maprotiline
  • Mazindol
  • Meperidine
  • Methamphetamine
  • Methyldopa
  • Methylphenidate
  • Milnacipran
  • Morphine
  • Morphine Sulfate Liposome
  • Nefopam
  • Opipramol
  • Paroxetine
  • Phendimetrazine
  • Phenelzine
  • Phenmetrazine
  • Phentermine
  • Phenylalanine
  • Phenylephrine
  • Phenylpropanolamine
  • Procarbazine
  • Pseudoephedrine
  • Rasagiline
  • Reserpine
  • Rizatriptan
  • Rotavirus Vaccine, Live
  • Selegiline
  • Sertraline
  • Sibutramine
  • Sumatriptan
  • Tapentadol
  • Tetrabenazine
  • Tranylcypromine
  • Venlafaxine
  • Zolmitriptan

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Acetophenazine
  • Albuterol
  • Altretamine
  • Amoxapine
  • Arformoterol
  • Avocado
  • Bacillus of Calmette and Guerin Vaccine, Live
  • Bambuterol
  • Bitolterol
  • Bitter Orange
  • Broxaterol
  • Buspirone
  • Chlorpromazine
  • Clenbuterol
  • Clomipramine
  • Clovoxamine
  • Desipramine
  • Difenoxin
  • Diphenoxylate
  • Dixyrazine
  • Dothiepin
  • Doxepin
  • Droperidol
  • Entacapone
  • Ephedrine
  • Ethchlorvynol
  • Ethopropazine
  • Femoxetine
  • Fenoterol
  • Fentanyl
  • Fluphenazine
  • Fluvoxamine
  • Formoterol
  • Guarana
  • Hexoprenaline
  • Imipramine
  • Influenza Virus Vaccine, Live
  • Isoetharine
  • Kava
  • Levalbuterol
  • Licorice
  • Lofepramine
  • Ma Huang
  • Mate
  • Measles Virus Vaccine, Live
  • Mesoridazine
  • Methotrimeprazine
  • Mirtazapine
  • Mumps Virus Vaccine, Live
  • Nefazodone
  • Nortriptyline
  • Oxycodone
  • Perazine
  • Periciazine
  • Perphenazine
  • Pipotiazine
  • Pirbuterol
  • Poliovirus Vaccine, Live
  • Procaterol
  • Prochlorperazine
  • Promazine
  • Promethazine
  • Propiomazine
  • Protriptyline
  • Reboxetine
  • Rimiterol
  • Ritodrine
  • Rotavirus Vaccine, Live
  • Rubella Virus Vaccine, Live
  • Salmeterol
  • Smallpox Vaccine
  • St John's Wort
  • Sumatriptan
  • Terbutaline
  • Thiethylperazine
  • Thioridazine
  • Tolcapone
  • Trifluoperazine
  • Triflupromazine
  • Trimipramine
  • Tulobuterol
  • Typhoid Vaccine
  • Tyrosine
  • Varicella Virus Vaccine
  • Warfarin
  • Yellow Fever Vaccine

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Acarbose
  • Acetohexamide
  • Benfluorex
  • Chlorpropamide
  • Ginseng
  • Gliclazide
  • Glimepiride
  • Glipizide
  • Gliquidone
  • Glyburide
  • Guar Gum
  • Insulin
  • Insulin Aspart, Recombinant
  • Insulin Glulisine
  • Insulin Lispro, Recombinant
  • Metformin
  • Methotrexate
  • Miglitol
  • Repaglinide
  • Tolazamide
  • Tolbutamide
  • Troglitazone

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Using this medicine with any of the following is usually not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.

  • Ethanol

Using this medicine with any of the following may cause an increased risk of certain side effects but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.

  • Tyramine Containing Food

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

  • Alcoholism
  • Angina (chest pain) or
  • Heart or blood vessel disease or
  • Heart attack or stroke (recent)—Lowered blood pressure caused by procarbazine may make problems associated with some of these conditions worse
  • Chickenpox (including recent exposure) or
  • Herpes zoster (shingles)—Risk of severe disease affecting other parts of the body
  • Type 2 diabetes mellitus—Procarbazine may change the amount of diabetes medicine needed
  • Epilepsy—Procarbazine may change the seizures
  • Headaches (severe or frequent)—You may not realize when a severe headache is caused by a dangerous reaction to procarbazine
  • Infection—Procarbazine can reduce immunity to infection
  • Kidney disease—Effects may be increased because of slower removal of procarbazine from the body
  • Liver disease—Procarbazine can cause severe liver disease to become much worse
  • Mental illness (or history of)—Some cases of mental illness may be worsened
  • Overactive thyroid—Increased risk of dangerous reaction to procarbazine
  • Parkinson's disease—May be worsened
  • Pheochromocytoma—Blood pressure may be affected
Proper Use Brand Names and Description

DR601743

Portions of this document last updated:

Nov. 1, 2009

Source: Drug Information provided by: Micromedex

Copyright © 2009 Thomson Healthcare Inc. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.


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