How does it work?

Aloxi injection contains the active ingredient palonosetronhydrochloride, which is a type of medicine called a 5HT₃antagonist. Palonosetron is used to prevent nausea and vomiting that can becaused by chemotherapy treatment for cancer.

Vomiting is controlled by an area of the brain called thevomiting centre. The vomiting centre is responsible for causing feelings ofsickness (nausea) and for the vomiting reflex. It is activated when it receivesnerve messages from another area of the brain called the chemoreceptor triggerzone (CTZ) and when it receives nerve messages from the gut.

Chemotherapy can cause a substance called serotonin (5HT) to bereleased in the gut. This 5HT acts on the 5HT₃ receptorsthat are found in the gut and causes nerve messages to be sent to the vomitingcentre.

5HT released by chemotherapy also activates the5HT₃ receptors that are found in the CTZ in the brain,causing further messages to be sent to the vomiting centre.

Palonosetron works by blocking the 5HT₃receptors that are found in the brain and gut. This prevents the nauseamessages being sent from these areas to the vomiting centre. Palonosetrontherefore prevents nausea, retching and vomiting that can otherwise be causedby chemotherapy treatment for cancer.

Palonosetron is given by injection into a vein about 30 minutesbefore the chemotherapy is started.

What is it used for?

• Preventing nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy for cancer.

Warning!

• This medicine may make you feel dizzy or sleepy. You should take care performing hazardous tasks such as driving or operating machinary after receiving your treatment.
• A dose of this medicine should not be repeated within seven days.

Use with caution in

• History of constipation
• People with a blockage in the gut (intestinal obstruction)
• People with an abnormal heartbeat seen on a heart monitoring trace (ECG) as a 'prolonged QT interval'.

Not to be used in

• Allergy to any ingredient.
• This medicine is not recommended for children and adolescents under 18 years of age.

This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one orany of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you havepreviously experienced such anallergy.If you feel you haveexperienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform yourdoctor or pharmacist immediately.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy orbreastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy orbreastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to theunborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning apregnancy, before using any medicine.

• The safety of this medicine during pregnancy has not been studied. It should not be used during pregnancy unless considered essential by your doctor. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
• It is not known if this medicine pases into breast milk. Women who need this medicine should not breastfeed during treatment. Seek further medical advice from your doctor.

Side effects

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individualpeople in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that areknown to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is statedhere, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience thator any side effect.

• Headache
• Constipation
• Dizziness
• Diarrhoea
• Indigestion
• Abdominal pain
• Fatigue
• Feeling weak
• Sleepiness
• Fever
• Hiccups
• Dry mouth
• Decreased appetite
• Anxiety
• Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
• Pins and needles sensations
• Increased or decreased heart rate
• Abnormal heart beats
• Changes in blood pressure
• Itchy rash

The side effects listed above may not include all of the sideeffects reported by the drug'smanufacturer.For moreinformation about any other possible risks associated with this medicine,please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctoror pharmacist.

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

This medicine is not known tointeractsignificantly with any other medicines. However, you should always tell yourdoctor or pharmacist what medicines you are currently taking, including thosebought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you are given thismedicine, so they can check that the combination is safe.

There may be an increased risk of an abnormal heart beat, seenon a heart monitoring trace (ECG) as a 'prolonged QT interval', if thismedicine is used in combination with other medicines that can have this effect.These include the following:

• certain medicines for abnormal heart beats (antiarrhythmics) eg disopyramide, procainamide, quinidine, sotalol, amiodarone
• certain antipsychotic medicines, eg chlorpromazine, thioridazine, fluphenazine, pimozide, haloperidol, sertindole
• the antihistamines terfenadine, astemizole or mizolastine
• certain antimalarials, eg chloroquine, quinine, mefloquine, halofantrine
• cisapride.

Other medicines containing the same active ingredient

There are currently no other medicines available in the UK thatcontain palonosetron as the active ingredient.