ALCOHOL 95% concentrate for infusion solution

Pack size:10 x 20 ml Dosage form:Infusion solution concentrate

Alcohol concentrate 95% brown. Active ingredient: ethanol. Indications: For the relief of withdrawal symptoms in alcoholics (e.g., delirium prophylaxis in surgical medicine and after injuries). 

Warning: Contains 96% alcohol by volume!

For risks and side effects, read the package insert and ask your doctor or pharmacist.


PACKAGE LEAFLET: INFORMATION FOR THE USER

Alcohol concentrate 95% brown
Concentrate for the preparation of an infusion solution
Active ingredient: ethanol

Read the entire package insert carefully before you start using this medicine.

• Keep this leaflet. You may want to read it again later.
• If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medicine has been prescribed for you personally. Do not share it with anyone else.
• If any of the side effects listed affect you seriously or if you notice side effects not listed in this leaflet, please inform your doctor or pharmacist.

This package leaflet contains:

1. WHAT IS ALCOHOL CONCENTRATE 95% BROWN AND WHAT IS IT USED FOR?
2. WHAT SHOULD YOU CONSIDER BEFORE USING ALCOHOL CONCENTRATE 95% BROWN?
3. HOW TO USE ALCOHOL CONCENTRATE 95% BROWN?
4. WHAT SIDE EFFECTS ARE POSSIBLE?
5. HOW SHOULD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATE 95% BROWN BE STORED?
6. MORE INFORMATION

1. WHAT IS BROWN 95% ALCOHOL CONCENTRATE AND WHAT IS IT USED FOR?

Brown 95% Alcohol Concentrate is an additive to infusion solutions. It contains 96% alcohol by volume. Brown 95% Alcohol Concentrate is used to relieve withdrawal symptoms in alcoholics (e.g., delirium prophylaxis in surgical medicine and after injuries). Note: An existing (manifest) delirium cannot be controlled with alcohol. Before treatment with Brown 95% Alcohol Concentrate, it must be ensured that the observed symptoms are alcohol withdrawal symptoms and not caused by withdrawal from other drugs, oxygen deficiency, pulmonary embolism, low red blood cell count, electrolyte imbalance, sepsis, head injuries, or psychoses (mental illness).

2. WHAT SHOULD YOU CONSIDER BEFORE USING BROWN 95% ALCOHOL CONCENTRATE?

Brown 95% Alcohol Concentrate should not be used if:

• severe life-threatening impairment of circulatory function (shock)
• epilepsy
• fresh skull, brain, injuries
• Overacidification of the blood (metabolic acidosis)
• Inflammation of the pancreas
• Treatment with disulfiram (e.g. Antabuse).

Children must not be given Alcohol Concentrate 95% Brown.

Special caution is required when using Alcohol Concentrate 95% Brown:
Alcohol Concentrate 95% Brown should only be used with caution in cases of liver or kidney dysfunction. An existing (manifest) delirium cannot be controlled with alcohol. If a drop in blood sugar levels occurs, glucose solutions should be infused simultaneously. A damaging (toxic) effect on the liver appears unlikely if alcohol intake is limited to 7-10 ml of pure alcohol per hour in healthy adults. The different rates of alcohol breakdown in men and women must be taken into account.

Effects of misuse for doping purposes:
The use of Alcohol Concentrate 95% Brown can lead to positive results in doping tests.

When using Alcohol Concentrate 95% Brown with other medicines:
Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or using, or have recently taken or used, any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription. Concomitant administration of alcohol and disulfiram (Antabuse) can lead to severe intolerance reactions. Therefore, alcohol should not be administered during treatment with disulfiram. A combination of methotrexate and alcohol should be avoided, as alcohol can increase the damaging effects of methotrexate on the liver. The depressant effect of the following medications on central nervous system function can be increased when combined with alcohol:

• Medicines for the treatment of mental illnesses (psychotropic drugs)
• Sleep-inducing or sleep-promoting agents (hypnotics)
• Anesthetics and narcotics
• Tranquilizers (sedatives)
• Painkillers (analgesics)
• Drugs for the treatment of seizure disorders (antiepileptics)
• Antihistamines (drugs for treating allergies)
• Antihypertensives

Combining alcohol with insulin or other blood sugar-lowering agents (oral antidiabetics) carries the risk of severe, persistently low blood sugar levels. Metformin combined with alcohol can lead to increased lactic acid concentrations in the blood. Alcohol's effects on autonomic functions can also be potentiated by medications, e.g., the tendency to collapse caused by antihypertensives, certain diuretics, nitroglycerin, and guanethidine (a special agent for lowering blood pressure). During long-term treatment with isoniazid (a drug used to treat tuberculosis), intolerance reactions may occur in connection with alcohol. Alcohol increases the effect of coumarin-type anticoagulants (warfarin, Marcumar, etc.). Alcohol can reduce or negate the effect of drugs used to treat seizure disorders (anticonvulsants). Intolerances similar to Antabuse-like reactions can be caused by:

• Chloramphenicol (antibiotic)
• Benzylpenicillin (antibiotic)
• Procarbazine (for the treatment of malignant diseases)
• Metronidazole (anti-infective agent).

The combination of Alcohol Concentrate 95% Brown with fat emulsions and/or polyols (sorbitol/xylitol) is not recommended.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding:
Consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking or using any medication.

Pregnancy:
If you are pregnant, Alcohol Concentrate 95% Brown should only be used if absolutely necessary, as adverse effects on the development of the unborn child cannot be ruled out.

Breastfeeding:
Alcohol is excreted in breast milk and can cause adverse effects in the infant. If treatment is absolutely necessary while breastfeeding, you must
discontinue breastfeeding during treatment.

Driving and operating machinery:
You must not drive or operate machinery, as alcohol significantly impairs your ability to react.

3. HOW SHOULD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATE 95% BROWN BE USED?

This medicine will be administered to you by a doctor or medical professional.

Method of administration:
You will receive this medicine as an infusion (via a vein drip) after it has been diluted in a suitable solution.

Dosage:
Your doctor will determine the correct dose for you. Unless otherwise prescribed, a dosage of 7-10 ml for women and 10 ml for men (approx. 5.5 and 8 g respectively) of pure alcohol per hour should not be exceeded in healthy adults. No more than 70 g of alcohol per day should be administered to men and no more than 30 g of alcohol per day to women. The dosage should be kept as low as possible. Infusion solutions with added alcohol should be infused slowly, e.g., solutions with approx. 4% alcohol by volume (40 ml of 95% brown alcohol concentrate in 1000 ml solution): 40 drops/min. Before administering alcohol, your doctor should examine you for possible impaired liver function. If liver function is impaired, the alcohol dose should be reduced. The blood alcohol concentration should be checked before and during therapy.

Type and duration of use:
For intravenous use (as a drip) after dilution. Longer-term use should be avoided due to the risk of habituation.

If you use more Alcohol Concentrate 95% Brown than you should:
Symptoms may include: agitation, reduced consciousness to the point of anesthesia, convulsions, circulatory and respiratory disturbances. Due to the highly varying degree of alcohol sensitivity in individual patients, clinical symptoms can vary considerably. The treating physician will decide on any necessary therapeutic measures.

If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

4. POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS

Like all medicines, Alcohol Concentrate 95% Brown can cause side effects, although not everybody experiences them. The frequency of side effects is based on the following categories:

However, no frequency is known for the side effects listed below.

Metabolism and nutrition disorders:
After prolonged periods of fasting, severe hypoglycemia has been observed under alcohol.

Nervous system disorders:
Reaction time is reduced after alcohol consumption. Investigations: Alcohol leads to elevated ammonia levels after a protein-rich meal. Lactic acid levels may rise. Elevated serum amylase levels (pancreatic enzyme) are observed after large amounts of alcohol. Alcohol can increase serum uric acid, plasma cortisol levels, and gamma-GT (liver enzyme).

Reporting of side effects:
If you experience any side effects, contact your doctor or pharmacist. This also applies to side effects not listed in this package leaflet. You can also report side effects directly to the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, Pharmacovigilance Department, Kurt-Georg-Kiesinger Allee 3, D-53175 Bonn. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

5. HOW SHOULD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATE 95% BROWN BE STORED?

Keep out of the sight and reach of children. Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the container and carton after “Exp.” or “Use by.”. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month. Do not store above 25°C. Only use if the container is undamaged and the solution is clear.

6. FURTHER INFORMATION

What Alcohol Concentrate 95% Brown contains:
The active ingredient is ethanol. One 20 ml ampoule of Alcohol Concentrate 95% Brown contains 20 ml 96% ethanol. Other ingredients: none.

What Alcohol Concentrate 95% Brown looks like and what the pack contains:
Alcohol Concentrate 95% Brown is a concentrate for infusion solution, meaning it is diluted in an infusion solution before use. It is a clear, colorless liquid. It is available in 20 ml glass ampoules in packs of 10 ampoules.

Pharmaceutical Entrepreneur and Manufacturer:
B. Braun Melsungen AG
Carl-Braun-Str. 1
34212 Melsungen
Postal Address
34209 Melsungen


This package leaflet was last revised in July 2025.

Source: Information from the package leaflet.
Version: 08/2025

Active ingredient: ethanol. Indications: For the relief of withdrawal symptoms in alcoholics (e.g., delirium prophylaxis in surgical medicine and after injuries). Warning: Contains 96% alcohol by volume!

Active ingredients

• 96% vol. ethanol

ALCOHOL 95% concentrate for infusion solution