TAJ PHARMA is one of the leading generic pharmaceutical company in India, always ready to meet the challenges of the dynamic global pharmaceutical industry with its numerous and wide-ranging issues – from complex research, development and regulatory conditions to rapidly changing consumer demands. Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd India | Taj Pharma | Taj Pharmaceuticals Mumbai, Company Overview of Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited |Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited Taj Pharmaceutical an Industrial conglomerate, having diversified interest in Pharmaceuticals and healthcare, Chemicals, API and Agro commodities mainly offers unique opportunities for all its associates to grow in capacity as one of a significant part in curing lives worldwide and building a disease-free nation. Taj Pharma is having more than 600+ brands in different divisions and multiple subsidiaries to meet up most of the requirements of buyers in our industry along with a very efficient staff management capacity.

1. NICARDIPINE HYDROCHLORIDE
INJECTION – A SPECIALTY
DRUG
 TAJ PHARMA is one of the leading generic pharmaceutical
company in India, always ready to meet the challenges of the
dynamic global pharmaceutical industry with its numerous and
wide-ranging issues – from complex research, development and
regulatory conditions to rapidly changing consumer demands.
Author: Sangeeta R. Mergu (M.Pharm.)
Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd India | Taj Pharma | Taj Pharmaceuticals Mumbai, Company Overview of Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited |Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited Taj Pharmaceutical an Industrial
conglomerate, having diversified interest in Pharmaceuticals and healthcare, Chemicals, API and Agro commodities mainly offers unique opportunities for all its associates to grow in capacity as one of a
significant part in curing lives worldwide and building a disease-free nation. Taj Pharma is having more than 600+ brands in different divisions and multiple subsidiaries to meet up most of the requirements of
buyers in our industry along with a very efficient staff management capacity.

2. Index of Contents
 About Taj Pharma
 Hypertension
 Nicardipine Hydrochloride
 Why Nicardipine a Specialty Drug?
 Nicardipine Finished Products (Export)
 Drug indications
 Mechanism of Action
 Pharmacokinetics
 Alternative Drugs
 Taj Pharma as Generics Manufacturer
 Conclusion and Future Scope
 References
Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd India | Taj Pharma | Taj Pharmaceuticals Mumbai, Company Overview of Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited |Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited Taj Pharmaceutical an Industrial
conglomerate, having diversified interest in Pharmaceuticals and healthcare, Chemicals, API and Agro commodities mainly offers unique opportunities for all its associates to grow in capacity as one of a
significant part in curing lives worldwide and building a disease-free nation. Taj Pharma is having more than 600+ brands in different divisions and multiple subsidiaries to meet up most of the requirements of
buyers in our industry along with a very efficient staff management capacity.

3. About Taj Pharma
 Today, we market more than 100+ branded and 500+ generics compositions
to consumers in more than 28 countries and territories across the globe (1).
 Therapeutic categories of our products offers an extensive range of dosage
forms and delivery systems including oral solids, controlled-release, steriles,
injectables, topicals, liquids, transdermals, semi-solids and high-potency
products (1).
 Our Generics portfolio offers over 600+ products in the major therapeutic
areas of gastro-intestinal, cardiovascular, pain management, oncology, anti-
infectives, paediatrics and dermatology (1).
 Brands like Alzocum®, Benacof, Wallbrurate®, Coversec®, Cadrol®,
Humogen®, Merokem®etc. enjoy leadership positions in several key
markets, including India, Russia & other CIS countries (1).
Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd India | Taj Pharma | Taj Pharmaceuticals Mumbai, Company Overview of Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited |Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited Taj Pharmaceutical an Industrial
conglomerate, having diversified interest in Pharmaceuticals and healthcare, Chemicals, API and Agro commodities mainly offers unique opportunities for all its associates to grow in capacity as one of a
significant part in curing lives worldwide and building a disease-free nation. Taj Pharma is having more than 600+ brands in different divisions and multiple subsidiaries to meet up most of the requirements of
buyers in our industry along with a very efficient staff management capacity.

4. Hypertension
 High blood pressure is a common condition but if not
treated, it can cause damage to the heart, brain, blood
vessels, kidneys leading to heart disease, stroke, heart
failure, heart attack and many other problems (2).
 Nicardipine is used to treat high blood pressure
(hypertension) as well as angina pectoris (chest pain) (2).
 Being a calcium channel blocker, it lowers the blood
pressure and relaxes the blood vessels so that the heart does
not need to pump hard, thereby controlling chest pain as it
increases the blood and oxygen supply to the heart (2).
Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd India | Taj Pharma | Taj Pharmaceuticals Mumbai, Company Overview of Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited |Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited Taj Pharmaceutical an Industrial
conglomerate, having diversified interest in Pharmaceuticals and healthcare, Chemicals, API and Agro commodities mainly offers unique opportunities for all its associates to grow in capacity as one of a
significant part in curing lives worldwide and building a disease-free nation. Taj Pharma is having more than 600+ brands in different divisions and multiple subsidiaries to meet up most of the requirements of
buyers in our industry along with a very efficient staff management capacity.

5. Nicardipine Hydrochloride
 Nicardipine Hydrochloride is the hydrochloride salt
form of nicardipine, a synthetic derivative of
nitrophenyl-pyridine and potent calcium-channel
blocker (3).
 Nicardipine (Nifedipine Family) blocks calcium ions
from certain cell walls and inhibits contraction of
coronary and peripheral arteries, resulting in lower
oxygen requirements for heart muscle and decreased
arterial contraction and spasm (3).
 It is used clinically as a cerebral and coronary
vasodilator (3).
Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd India | Taj Pharma | Taj Pharmaceuticals Mumbai, Company Overview of Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited |Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited Taj Pharmaceutical an Industrial
conglomerate, having diversified interest in Pharmaceuticals and healthcare, Chemicals, API and Agro commodities mainly offers unique opportunities for all its associates to grow in capacity as one of a
significant part in curing lives worldwide and building a disease-free nation. Taj Pharma is having more than 600+ brands in different divisions and multiple subsidiaries to meet up most of the requirements of
buyers in our industry along with a very efficient staff management capacity.

6. Why Nicardipine A Specialty Drug?
Intravenous Nicardipine is a specialty drug for the following
reasons:
 Nicardipine has a selective arterial vasodilator mode of action
(6, 7, 9).
 It is suitable for emergencies because it effectively lowers the
BP with minimal adverse effects in severe blood pressure
elevation by achieving rapid dose-related increases in plasma
concentrations (6, 7, 9).
 It has unique pharmacological effects wherein the drug
selectively reduces systemic and coronary resistance thereby
increasing coronary blood flow (6, 7, 9).
 It is also used for paediatric hypertension (6, 7, 9).
Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd India | Taj Pharma | Taj Pharmaceuticals Mumbai, Company Overview of Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited |Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited Taj Pharmaceutical an Industrial
conglomerate, having diversified interest in Pharmaceuticals and healthcare, Chemicals, API and Agro commodities mainly offers unique opportunities for all its associates to grow in capacity as one of a
significant part in curing lives worldwide and building a disease-free nation. Taj Pharma is having more than 600+ brands in different divisions and multiple subsidiaries to meet up most of the requirements of
buyers in our industry along with a very efficient staff management capacity.

7. Nicardipine Finished Products (Export)
Sr. No. Product Name Strength Brand Name Manufacturer
1 Nicardipine
Hydrochloride
Capsules
20 mg/30 mg - MYLAN
2 Nicardipine
Hydrochloride
Sustained Release
Capsules
30 mg/45 mg/
60 mg
CARDENE
SR
EKR
THERAPEUTICS
3 Nicardipine
Hydrochloride
Injection
25 mg/10 ml
(2.5 mg/ml)
- SANDOZ
4 Nicardipine
Hydrochloride
Injection
40 mg/200 ml
(0.2 mg/ml)
CARDENE
I.V.
BAXTER
HEALTHCARE
Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd India | Taj Pharma | Taj Pharmaceuticals Mumbai, Company Overview of Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited |Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited Taj Pharmaceutical an Industrial
conglomerate, having diversified interest in Pharmaceuticals and healthcare, Chemicals, API and Agro commodities mainly offers unique opportunities for all its associates to grow in capacity as one of a
significant part in curing lives worldwide and building a disease-free nation. Taj Pharma is having more than 600+ brands in different divisions and multiple subsidiaries to meet up most of the requirements of
buyers in our industry along with a very efficient staff management capacity.

8. Drug Indication
Intravenous Nicardipine is indicated for the treatment of acute
life-threatening hypertension, particularly in the event of:
 Malignant arterial hypertension/Hypertensive
encephalopathy
 Aortic dissection, when short-acting beta blocker therapy is
not suitable, or in combination with a beta-blocker when
beta-blockade alone is not effective
 Severe pre-eclampsia, when other intravenous
antihypertensive agents are not recommended or are contra-
indicated
 Nicardipine is also indicated for the treatment of post-
operative hypertension (3).
Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd India | Taj Pharma | Taj Pharmaceuticals Mumbai, Company Overview of Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited |Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited Taj Pharmaceutical an Industrial
conglomerate, having diversified interest in Pharmaceuticals and healthcare, Chemicals, API and Agro commodities mainly offers unique opportunities for all its associates to grow in capacity as one of a
significant part in curing lives worldwide and building a disease-free nation. Taj Pharma is having more than 600+ brands in different divisions and multiple subsidiaries to meet up most of the requirements of
buyers in our industry along with a very efficient staff management capacity.

9. Mechanism of Action
Nicardipine inhibits the influx of extracellular calcium
across the myocardial and vascular smooth muscle cell
membranes by deforming the channel, inhibiting ion-control
gating mechanisms, and/or interfering with the release of
calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (5).
The decrease in intracellular calcium inhibits the contractile
processes of the myocardial smooth muscle cells, causing
dilation of the coronary and systemic arteries, increased
oxygen delivery to the myocardial tissue, decreased total
peripheral resistance, decreased systemic blood pressure,
and decreased afterload (5).
Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd India | Taj Pharma | Taj Pharmaceuticals Mumbai, Company Overview of Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited |Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited Taj Pharmaceutical an Industrial
conglomerate, having diversified interest in Pharmaceuticals and healthcare, Chemicals, API and Agro commodities mainly offers unique opportunities for all its associates to grow in capacity as one of a
significant part in curing lives worldwide and building a disease-free nation. Taj Pharma is having more than 600+ brands in different divisions and multiple subsidiaries to meet up most of the requirements of
buyers in our industry along with a very efficient staff management capacity.

10. Pharmacokinetics
 Absorption:
• Nicardipine is completely absorbed but it is subjected to
saturable first pass metabolism and the systemic
bioavailablity is 35% following a 30 mg oral dose at
steady state (3, 4).
• Following infusion of Cardene I.V., nicardipine plasma
concentrations rapidly increase in dose-related manner
and after first few hours reach steady state at 24 – 48
hours, and later on decline tri-exponentially (3, 4).
Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd India | Taj Pharma | Taj Pharmaceuticals Mumbai, Company Overview of Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited |Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited Taj Pharmaceutical an Industrial
conglomerate, having diversified interest in Pharmaceuticals and healthcare, Chemicals, API and Agro commodities mainly offers unique opportunities for all its associates to grow in capacity as one of a
significant part in curing lives worldwide and building a disease-free nation. Taj Pharma is having more than 600+ brands in different divisions and multiple subsidiaries to meet up most of the requirements of
buyers in our industry along with a very efficient staff management capacity.

11. Continued…
 Distribution:
• Total plasma clearance (Cl) is 0.4 L/Hr*kg (following
infusion).
• The apparent volume of distribution is 8.3 L/kg (3).
 Metabolism:
• Nicardipine HCl is extensively metabolised by the liver
(3, 4).
 Elimination:
• Urine (oral: 60% as metabolites; IV: 49% as metabolites;
<1% as unchanged drug); feces (oral: 35%; IV: 43%).
Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd India | Taj Pharma | Taj Pharmaceuticals Mumbai, Company Overview of Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited |Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited Taj Pharmaceutical an Industrial
conglomerate, having diversified interest in Pharmaceuticals and healthcare, Chemicals, API and Agro commodities mainly offers unique opportunities for all its associates to grow in capacity as one of a
significant part in curing lives worldwide and building a disease-free nation. Taj Pharma is having more than 600+ brands in different divisions and multiple subsidiaries to meet up most of the requirements of
buyers in our industry along with a very efficient staff management capacity.

12. Alternative Drugs
 Clivedipine:
• Ultrashort-acting, I.V. administered, dihydropyridine calcium
channel blocker which works as an arterial selective
vasodilator.
• Like nicardipine, it could be used if nitroglycerin does not
control the blood pressure (8, 9).
Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd India | Taj Pharma | Taj Pharmaceuticals Mumbai, Company Overview of Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited |Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited Taj Pharmaceutical an Industrial
conglomerate, having diversified interest in Pharmaceuticals and healthcare, Chemicals, API and Agro commodities mainly offers unique opportunities for all its associates to grow in capacity as one of a
significant part in curing lives worldwide and building a disease-free nation. Taj Pharma is having more than 600+ brands in different divisions and multiple subsidiaries to meet up most of the requirements of
buyers in our industry along with a very efficient staff management capacity.

13. Taj Pharma as Generics Manufacturer
• As a leading generics manufacturer, Taj Pharma has
manufactured various formulations in the dosage form of
parenterals or injections which include various therapeutic
classes of cardiovascular (CVS) drugs.
• These formulations are in a lead in export markets and the
examples include injections of various drugs like
DOBUTAMINE, LABETALOL, DOPAMINE,
ISOXSUPRINE etc.
• Nicardipine HCl being a specialty drug of the CVS category,
production of this drug in the form of injection is the target in
near future.
Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd India | Taj Pharma | Taj Pharmaceuticals Mumbai, Company Overview of Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited |Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited Taj Pharmaceutical an Industrial
conglomerate, having diversified interest in Pharmaceuticals and healthcare, Chemicals, API and Agro commodities mainly offers unique opportunities for all its associates to grow in capacity as one of a
significant part in curing lives worldwide and building a disease-free nation. Taj Pharma is having more than 600+ brands in different divisions and multiple subsidiaries to meet up most of the requirements of
buyers in our industry along with a very efficient staff management capacity.

14. Conclusion and Future Scope
• Nicardipine appears to be better tolerated as it produces
slower and more prolonged decrease in blood pressure than
other drugs like Nifedipine (6, 7, 8, 9).
• Although nicardipine is not the primary choice of drug, it is
very useful when no other CVS drugs are effective (6, 7, 8, 9).
• Compared to nifedipine, oral nicardipine is safer as effective a
drug for initial treatment of urgent hypertension (6, 7, 8, 9).
• There is a huge scope of research and advancement in
nicardipine as a CVS drug to develop it as a primary choice of
drug by modulating it drawbacks.
Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd India | Taj Pharma | Taj Pharmaceuticals Mumbai, Company Overview of Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited |Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited Taj Pharmaceutical an Industrial
conglomerate, having diversified interest in Pharmaceuticals and healthcare, Chemicals, API and Agro commodities mainly offers unique opportunities for all its associates to grow in capacity as one of a
significant part in curing lives worldwide and building a disease-free nation. Taj Pharma is having more than 600+ brands in different divisions and multiple subsidiaries to meet up most of the requirements of
buyers in our industry along with a very efficient staff management capacity.

15. References
1. Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd https://tajpharma.com.
2. Medline Plus Drug Information.
3. PubChem.
4. Drugs.com.
5. DrugBank.
6. Ehud Grossman, Franz H. Messerli, in Comprehensive
Hypertension, 2007.
7. Liem P. Nguyen MD, Neal S. Gerstein MD, FASE,
in Essentials of Cardiac Anesthesia for Noncardiac
Surgery, 2019.
8. Cardiac Intensive Care (Second Edition), 2010.
9. Science Direct.
Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd India | Taj Pharma | Taj Pharmaceuticals Mumbai, Company Overview of Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited |Taj Pharmaceuticals Limited Taj Pharmaceutical an Industrial
conglomerate, having diversified interest in Pharmaceuticals and healthcare, Chemicals, API and Agro commodities mainly offers unique opportunities for all its associates to grow in capacity as one of a
significant part in curing lives worldwide and building a disease-free nation. Taj Pharma is having more than 600+ brands in different divisions and multiple subsidiaries to meet up most of the requirements of
buyers in our industry along with a very efficient staff management capacity.