What medications should be taken for gallstones?

Under normal circumstances, gallstones are solid crystals formed in the gallbladder. Some patients may have no obvious symptoms, while those with symptoms commonly experience right upper abdominal pain and nausea. Patients can follow medical advice to use medications such as ursodeoxycholic acid capsules, racemic anisodamine tablets, ibuprofen sustained-release capsules, cefuroxime axetil tablets, and metronidazole tablets for treatment. Specific details are as follows:

1. Ursodeoxycholic Acid Capsules

Ursodeoxycholic acid inhibits the intestinal absorption of cholesterol, reduces cholesterol concentration in bile, and promotes the dissolution of cholesterol stones. It is suitable for patients with cholesterol gallstones smaller than 2 cm in diameter and with normal gallbladder contractile function. Its effectiveness is limited for pigment or mixed stones.

2. Racemic Anisodamine Tablets

Racemic anisodamine is an anticholinergic drug that relieves spasm of the biliary tract smooth muscle and alleviates biliary colic caused by gallstones. It can rapidly reduce spasmodic pain triggered by gallstones irritating the biliary tract, but it does not eliminate the stones themselves and is used only for symptomatic relief.

3. Ibuprofen Sustained-Release Capsules

Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that exerts analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis. It is suitable for mild to moderate pain caused by gallstones, helping to relieve discomfort due to inflammatory responses. With a prolonged duration of action, it reduces the frequency of dosing.

4. Cefuroxime Axetil Tablets

Cefuroxime axetil is a second-generation cephalosporin antibiotic that kills bacteria by inhibiting bacterial cell wall synthesis. It is indicated for patients with gallstones complicated by bacterial biliary tract infections. It helps control infection-related symptoms such as fever and chills and is effective against biliary inflammation caused by susceptible bacteria.

5. Metronidazole Tablets

Metronidazole is a nitroimidazole antimicrobial agent with potent activity against anaerobic bacteria. Anaerobic bacterial infection often accompanies biliary tract infections in patients with gallstones. Metronidazole can be used in combination with other antibiotics to enhance antibacterial efficacy and prevent or treat infection complications caused by anaerobic bacteria.

In daily life, it is important to maintain regular eating habits, avoid overeating, and reduce intake of high-fat and high-cholesterol foods such as organ meats and fried foods, which may stimulate gallbladder contraction and trigger discomfort. If frequent pain episodes or worsening fever occur, prompt medical evaluation is recommended, and further treatment should be considered when necessary.