Vitamin B Complex
Indications
Registered South African indications:
- Vitamin B deficiency
Cautions
Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity to the active ingredients or any of the excipients in this combination product
Cautions
- Pregnancy (first trimester)
- Breastfeeding (high doses)
- Renal impairment
- Hepatic impairment
- Parkinson's disease
- Galactose intolerance (tab)
- Total lactase deficiency (tab)
- Glucose-galactose malabsorption (tab)
Adult dosage
Forms avail. in SA and covered in this monograph: tab, inj
Vitamin B deficiency
Thiamine/ Riboflavin/ Pyridoxine/ Nicotinamide
5/2/2/20 (mg)
- Oral (tab): Initial: 1-2 tabs, 8hrly; Maintenance: 1 tab, dly
May be administered with food to reduce stomach upset
Thiamine / Riboflavine/ Nicotinamide/ Pyridoxine / d-Panthenol
10/2/100/5/5 (mg/ml)
- IM: 1-2ml, dly
Hyperemesis gravidarum (additional agent required)
- IV: 10ml
Paediatric dosage
Paed. forms avail. in SA and covered in this monograph: tab
Vitamin B deficiency
Younger than 3 years
- Not established for use
Older than 3 years
- See adult dosage
See additional prescribing points
Special populations
Pregnancy
- Safe
- Considered safe in the recommended dose. The usual precautions should be observed when administering medicines during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester
Breastfeeding
- Compatible
- Considered safe in the recommended dose. In high doses, pyridoxine contained in vitamin b complex formulations may interfere with prolactin release and should only be used with caution in nursing mothers
Renal Impairment
Hepatic Impairment
Elderly
Porphyria Information
Drugs in Sport
- Permitted - No warnings
Adverse reactions
None known
Interactions
- Levodopa
Monitoring
None routine
Prescribing points
Paediatric use
- Vitamin B complex preparations are used in South Africa for prophylaxis and treatment of multiple Vitamin B deficiencies
- No data is available to support this use despite widespread usage in the South African HIV programme where vitamin B complex is widely prescribed to paediatric HIV infected patients
Vitamin B complex tablets - EML (Primary)
Vitamin B complex Injection - EML (Hospital)
Mechanism of action
Thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1) and riboflavin (vitamin B2) function as co-enzymes for the oxidation of carbohydrates, and together with pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6) and nicotinamide, play essential roles in the metabolism of a wide variety of proteins.
Dosage forms
- Injection
- Tablet
Formulation
Vitamin B Complex is available in several formulations. Please note the list below gives examples of products which are available and is not necessarily comprehensive. The listing of a product does not constitute endorsement of the product by EMGuidance; likewise, failure to list a product does not imply that EMGuidance disapproves of the product. This information is put together on the basis of the National Government's Medicines Price Registry at the time of publication
Thiamine/ Riboflavin/ Pyridoxine/ Nicotinamide
Tablet 5/2/2/20 (mg)
- Egoli Vitamin B Complex Strong tablets (Egoli)
- Portfolio Vitamin B Co Strong tablets (Portfolio)
Thiamine / Riboflavine/ Nicotinamide/ Pyridoxine / d-Panthenol
Injection 10/2/100/5/5 (mg/ml)
- A-Lennon Vitamin B Complex (Pharmacare)
References
1. SmPC: 20mg Nicotinamide, 2mg Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, 2mg Riboflavine, 4.85mg Thiamine Tablets, Accord-UK Ltd; Last updated on eMC: 12 Sep 2018; Downloaded online 17 Sep 2018 [https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/5865/smpc] 2. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B0xnChtF7vducWZfd0tNZVhrNzg (12/1975_Pharmacare_Lennon_Vit b co_inj_Intekom) 3. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B0xnChtF7vducWZfd0tNZVhrNzg (12/1974_Pharmacare_Vit b co_tab_Intekom) 4. U2D: Vitamin B complex: Drug information UpToDate; Downloaded online 17 Sep 2018 [https://www.uptodate.com/contents/vitamin-b-complex-drug-information] 4.1 U2D: Vitamin B complex: Drug information UpToDate; Downloaded online 7 July 2020 [https://www.uptodate.com/contents/vitamin-b-complex-drug-information] 5. U2D: Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine): Drug information, UpToDate; Downloaded online 17 Sep 2018 [https://www.uptodate.com/contents/vitamin-b6-pyridoxine-drug-information] 6. U2D: Nicotinamide (niacinamide): Drug information, UpToDate; Downloaded online 17 Sep 2018 [https://www.uptodate.com/contents/nicotinamide-niacinamide-drug-information] 7. U2D: Vitamin B1 (thiamine): Drug information, UpToDate; Downloaded online 17 Sep 2018 [https://www.uptodate.com/contents/vitamin-b1-thiamine-drug-information] 8. U2D: Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): Drug information, UpToDate; Downloaded online 17 Sep 2018 [https://www.uptodate.com/contents/vitamin-b2-riboflavin-drug-information] 9. NAPOS The Drug Database for Acute Porphyria: A11EA01 Vitamin B-complex, plain; Accessed online 17 Sep 2018 [http://www.drugs-porphyria.org/languages/UnitedKingdom/s3.php?atc_code=A11EA01&l=gbr] 10. South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport: A-Lennon Vitamin B Complex; Accessed online 17 Sep 2018 [http://www.drugfreesport.org.za/online-medication-check/] 11. SmPC: Vitamin B-Co Syrup, Wallace Manufacturing Chemists Ltd; Last updated on eMC: 06 Jan 2017; Downloaded online 17 Sep 2018 [https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/2304/smpc] 12. Medscape: Riboflavin (Vitamin B2); Accessed online 19 Sep 2018: [https://reference.medscape.com/drug/riboflavin-vitamin-b2-344427#6] 13. Medscape: Thiamine (Vitamin B1); Accessed online 19 Sep 2018: [https://reference.medscape.com/drug/vitamin-b1-thiamine-344428#6] 14. Medscape: Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6); Accessed online 19 Sep 2018: [https://reference.medscape.com/drug/vitamin-b6-nestrex-pyridoxine-344425#6] 15. Medscape: Niacin (Vitamin B3); Accessed online 19 Sep 2018: [https://reference.medscape.com/drug/vitamin-b3-niacor-niacin-344422#6] 16. SmPC: Vitamin B Compound Strong Tablets, Accord-UK Ltd; Last updated on eMC: 14 May 2020; Downloaded online: 29 May 2020 [https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/5865/smpc/print] 17. NDoH: Standard Treatment Guidelines and Essential Medicines List for South Africa Hospital Level, Adults 2019 Edition; National Department of Health; 2019.
Brands & products
0 products · cached snapshot- A-Lennon Vitamin B Complex
- Egoli Vitamin B Complex Strong
- Portfolio Vitamin B Co Strong
Medical aid coverage
data not yet integrated- Comprehensive Series—
- Executive Plan—
- KeyCare Series—
- Priority Series—
- Saver Series—
Formulary scraper pending — coverage tier, co-pay and authorisation requirements will appear here once data is ingested.
- BonClassic—
- BonComprehensive—
- BonEssential—
- BonFit Select—
- BonSave—
- BonStart—
Formulary scraper pending — coverage tier, co-pay and authorisation requirements will appear here once data is ingested.
- Beryl—
- Emerald—
- Onyx—
- Ruby—
- Sapphire—
- Tanzanite One—
Formulary scraper pending — coverage tier, co-pay and authorisation requirements will appear here once data is ingested.
- Aquarium Option—
- Efficiency Option—
- Marine Option—
Formulary scraper pending — coverage tier, co-pay and authorisation requirements will appear here once data is ingested.