Is Meloxicam effective for UTIs?
By
Dr Natalia Marceli Stephanes (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes PhD is a Pharmacist with expertise in Drugs Administration and Toxicity; Discovery of New Drugs; Cancer Treatment; Biochemical Analyzes and Hematological Analyzes. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes’ Highlights:
- Pharmacist at the Department of Health of Santa Catarina State, Brazil
- PhD with a focus on oncology treatment
- Years of experience in commercial pharmacy
- Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina
Professional Experience:
From her undergraduate studies to her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Pharmacy, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has participated in numerous scientific studies in the field of oncology and onco-hematology at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Her research has focused on understanding the molecular and biochemical bases of malignant neoplasms and investigating safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has also served as an assistant professor of haematology for undergraduate students at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. Additionally, she held the position of professor of Hospital Pharmacy at the Qualificar Technical School in Brazil, where she developed instructional materials for use in the Pharmacy Postgraduate Program at the Leonardo Da Vinci University Center.
In addition to her academic experiences, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes possesses a strong expertise in commercial pharmacy, with in-depth knowledge of medications, their routes of administration, desired effects, adverse effects, and toxicity.
Currently, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes works as a Pharmacist at the Health Department of Santa Catarina State, where her role entails providing pharmaceutical scientific consulting services to judges.
Education:
- 2016 Bachelor in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2018 Master in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2023 PhD in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
The main publications of Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes are:
Falchetti M ; Delgobo M, Zancanaro H, Almeida K, Das Neves RN, Dos Santos B, Stefanes NM, et al. Bishop Omics-based identification of an NRF2-related auranofin resistance signature in cancer: Insights into drug repurposing. Comput. Biol. Med [Internet]. 2023; 152:106347.
Feuser PM, Matos dos Santos PC, Cordeiro AP, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Maioral MF, Santos-Silva MC, et al. Antineoplastic activity of free 4-nitrochalcone and encapsulated in poly(thioether-ester) nanoparticles obtained by thiol-ene polymerization in two human leukemia cell lines (Jurkat and K562). J Drug Deliv Sci Technol [Internet]. 2022; 67:102924.
Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Perondi DM, Efe FL, Souza LFS, Sens L, et al. Synthesis of chalcones derived from 1-naphthylacetophenone and evaluation of their cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in acute leukemia cell lines. Bioorg. Chem [Internet]. 2021; 116:105315.
Duarte BF, Vieira DSC, Lisboa ML, Stefanes NM, Grando LJ, Santos-Silva MC. Características clínico-epidemiológicas de pacientes portadores de carcinoma de células escamosas de boca. Arquivos Catarinenses de Medicina. 2021; 50(2): 232–245.
Machado V, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Santos-Silva MC, Biavatti MW. Anti-leukemic activity of semisynthetic derivatives of Lupeol. Nat. Prod. Res. 2021; 35(22):4494-4501.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Yunes RA, et al. A novel sulfonamide derivative as a strong and selective apoptotic agent against hematological malignancies. Chem. Pap. 2020; 74:2965–2976.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Cytotoxic mechanisms of primin, a natural quinone isolated from Eugenia hiemalis, on hematological cancer cell lines. Anticancer Drugs. 2020; 31(7):709-717.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Neufeldt PD, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Santos-Silva MC. Aldehyde biphenyl chalcones induce immunogenic apoptotic-like cell death and are promising new safe compounds against a wide range of hematologic cancers. Future Med. Chem. 2020; 12(8):673–688.
Perondi DM, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Maioral MF, Sens L, Pacheco LA, Cury NM, et al. A novel thiosemicarbazone as a promising effective and selective compound for acute leukemia. Anticancer Drugs. 2019; 30(8):p 828-837.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Argenta DF, Dotto MER, Santos-Silva MC, et al. PEO-chitosan nanofibers containing carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanoparticles loaded with pyrazoline for skin cancer treatment. Eur. Polym. J. 2019; 119:335-343.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Santos-Silva MC, Nunes RJ, Parize AL, et al. A new and efficient carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanocarrier for a pyrazoline with antileukemic activity. Mater. Sci. Eng. C [Internet]. 2019; 105:110051.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Miconidine acetate, a new selective and cytotoxic compound with synergic potential, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in leukemia cells. Invest. New Drugs. 2019; 37:912–922.
Srefanes NM, Toigo J, Maioral MF, Jacques AV, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Perondi DM, Ribeiro AAB, et al. Synthesis of novel pyrazoline derivatives and the evaluation of death mechanisms involved in their antileukemic activity. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2019; 27(2):375-382.
Maioral MF, Bodack CN, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Yunes RA, et al. Cytotoxic effect of a novel naphthylchalcone against multiple cancer cells focusing on hematologic malignancies. Biochim. 2017; 140:48-57.
You can view some of Dr Natália’s work below and links to her professional profile below.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Natalia-Stephanes
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliamarceli/
Is Meloxicam effective for UTIs?
Meloxicam is not effective for the management and treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Meloxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) which may help with the pain associated with UTIs, but it is not commonly used for that purpose (1).
UTIs are caused by bacteria. Since Meloxicam is not an antibacterial medication, it can not damage the growth of infectious bacteria responsible for your symptoms.
It’s best to consult your healthcare provider if you have symptoms associated with UTI. Such infections should never be managed at home, without consulting a doctor.
If UTIs are not treated properly or are left untreated, they can cause significant complications and can put your health at great risk.
What medications are used to treat UTIs?
There are plenty of medications, both antibiotics and painkillers, that are used for the management and treatment of urinary tract infections. Only your healthcare provider can prescribe the most suitable medication for you.
This is why talking to your doctor should be the first thing you do if you have UTI. For pain management, OTC meds like Paracetamol and NSAIDs can be used.
Among NSAIDs, Ibuprofen and Diclofenac are considered quite effective for the flank pain caused by UTI, which circulates around your entire lower abdomen and back.
However, Paracetamol is preferred over NSAIDs, because it’s safer and you can take it 3-4 times a day. As far as the actual treatment of UTI is concerned, you will have to take antibiotics for complete eradication of the infection-causing bacteria. Some of the common antibiotics include (2):
- Cephalosporins, like Ceftriaxone, Cephalexin, etc.
- Fluoroquinolones, like Ciprofloxacin
- Trimethoprim and Sulfamethoxazole
- Nitrofurantoin
- Fosfomycin
The treatment with antibiotics usually lasts for 7-14 days, depending on the severity of your infection. Your doctor may ask for a Urine Culture test to determine the exact bacterial species responsible for your infection and the best antibiotics to use against them.
This is why you should consult your doctor if you think you have UTI for proper diagnosis and prescription.
How to know you have a urinary tract infection?
There are a number of characteristic symptoms of UTI, a type of infection that can affect any part of the urinary system, including the bladder, kidneys, ureters, and urethra.
The symptoms of UTI can vary depending on the location and severity of the infection, but some common symptoms include:
- Pain or burning during urination
- Frequent urge to urinate
- Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
- Blood in urine
- Lower abdominal or pelvic pain
- Flank pain, which can radiate to your lower back
- Fatigue or malaise
- Fever or chills
- Nausea or vomiting
Make sure you talk to your doctor if you have the above-mentioned signs and symptoms. Your doctor may ask for a urine culture to determine the best possible antibiotic to eradicate the specific type of bacterial species responsible for your UTI.
Was this helpful?
References
1.-
National Library of Medicine (US). Meloxicam. [updated 2021 Mar 15]. In: MedlinePlus [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); [cited 2022 Apr 20]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a601242.html.
2.-
Mayo Clinic. Urinary tract infection – Diagnosis and Treatment. [Internet]. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2022 Feb 02 [updated 2022 Feb 04; cited 2023 Mar 06]. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/urinary-tract-infection/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353453.
