Orlistat: Uses, Side Effects & Brands in Pakistan

Orlistat is a weight-loss medicine. It is used for obesity and weight management. In Pakistan it is available as capsules, made by 11 different manufacturers. On this page you can read how it works, its common side effects and precautions, and compare the brands and prices available at Medimart.

How Orlistat works

Orlistat blocks lipases, the digestive enzymes in the gut that break down dietary fat. Undigested fat cannot be absorbed and passes out in the stool, so fewer calories enter the body. Very little orlistat is absorbed itself, and it acts only inside the gut.

What is Orlistat used for?

• Obesity and weight management

Orlistat is used to help adults who are obese, or overweight with weight-related health problems, to lose weight alongside a reduced-calorie, low-fat diet and more physical activity. It can also help keep weight off once it has been lost. It works only on the fat in your food, so the diet plan is an essential part of treatment, not an optional extra.

Side effects of Orlistat

The side effects of Orlistat mostly affect the bowel and are worse after fatty meals. They include:

• Oily spotting or oily stools
• Wind with an oily discharge
• Urgent need to open the bowels
• Stomach pain
• Loose stools

See a doctor if you have severe or ongoing stomach pain, yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, or rectal bleeding.

Precautions and warnings

• Follow a low-fat diet spread across your daily meals; high-fat meals make bowel side effects much worse.
• It can reduce absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, so a multivitamin taken at bedtime, away from it, is usually advised.
• Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you take warfarin, levothyroxine, epilepsy medicines, ciclosporin or HIV medicines, as their effect may change.
• If you use the contraceptive pill and have severe diarrhoea, use extra contraception.
• Do not use it during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or if you have a long-term problem absorbing food or a blockage of bile flow (cholestasis).

Frequently asked questions about Orlistat

What is the price of Orlistat in Pakistan?

At Medimart, Orlistat products currently in stock range from Rs 480 to Rs 3,348 per pack, depending on the brand, strength and pack size. The lowest-priced option right now is Orlirise Capsule 120mg Capsule at Rs 480. Prices are updated regularly, so the product list on this page always shows the latest price.

Which brands of Orlistat are available in Pakistan?

Orlistat is sold in Pakistan under brand names such as Orlovit (CCL Pharmaceuticals Ltd), Abnil (Ali Gohar Pharmaceuticals Ltd), Orlis (Ferozsons Laboratories Limited), Orslim (Pharmevo LIMITED.), Orlifit (Getz Pharma Ltd), Osita (Xenon Pharmaceuticals .), Orlirise (Aspin Pharma) and Osker (Genix Pharma Ltd), along with 3 more brands listed below.

Do I need a prescription for Orlistat?

Orlistat is generally available without a prescription. Read the leaflet before use and ask a pharmacist or doctor if you are unsure, especially for children, during pregnancy, or if you take other medicines.

Can Orlistat be used during pregnancy?

Do not use it during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or if you have a long-term problem absorbing food or a blockage of bile flow (cholestasis).

Are all Orlistat brands the same?

Brands that contain the same amount of Orlistat in the same form are expected to work in the same way, although inactive ingredients, pack sizes and prices differ. Ask your doctor or pharmacist before switching from one brand to another.

Orlistat brands and prices in Pakistan

Medimart lists 11 products containing Orlistat from different manufacturers. Compare strengths, pack sizes and prices below and order online with cash on delivery.

Related medicines

Domperidone · Fluconazole · Dexamethasone · Aspirin · Divalproex Sodium (Valproate) · Terbinafine