Name mix-up
Melonex vs meloxicam: are they the same thing?
No, Melonex capsules and meloxicam are different products. Melonex capsules are a US dietary supplement with a 500 mg blend of L-citrulline and two forms of L-arginine. Meloxicam is a prescription NSAID painkiller, and in parts of South Asia one of its brand names is also Melonex. The capsules contain no meloxicam, and we publish no doses for the drug.
Written by the Melonex label deskUpdated
Side by side01
Are Melonex capsules and meloxicam the same product?
No, Melonex capsules and meloxicam are two unrelated products that happen to share a name. The capsules are an amino acid dietary supplement. Meloxicam is a prescription painkiller, and one of its brand names in South Asia is also Melonex.
The supplement comes in a white bottle of 60 capsules. Each capsule holds a 500 mg blend of L-citrulline DL-malate, L-arginine alpha-ketoglutarate and L-arginine HCl. It has no meloxicam in it. It is not a painkiller, an NSAID, an antibiotic or a fever reducer.
The drug is sold as tablets, injections, oral suspensions, boluses and syrups, for people and for animals. A doctor or a vet decides who gets it and how much.
| Point | Melonex capsules (sold here) | Melonex brand of meloxicam |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Dietary supplement | Prescription NSAID painkiller (MedlinePlus, meloxicam) |
| What is in it | 500 mg blend of L-citrulline DL-malate, L-arginine AKG and L-arginine HCl | Meloxicam |
| Forms | 60 capsules in a white bottle | Tablets, injections, oral suspensions, boluses, syrups |
| Made for | Adults | People and animals, by prescription |
| Where sold | Online in the US, one checkout | Pharmacies and vet suppliers in parts of South Asia |
| Label wording | "Heart Support*", "Circulation Support*", "Natural Formula*" | Arthritis pain, swelling and stiffness, for people (MedlinePlus, meloxicam) |
| Main warning | Not after a heart attack; may add to blood pressure drugs and nitrates (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine) | Boxed warning for heart attack, stroke and stomach bleeding (MedlinePlus, meloxicam) |
| Dose on this site | The label's: 1 capsule a day, up to 2 | None. Ask a doctor or vet. |
| For pets | Never | Only as a vet directs (FDA, pain relievers for pets) |
The drug02
What is meloxicam?
Meloxicam is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID, that doctors prescribe for the pain, swelling and stiffness of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (MedlinePlus, meloxicam). It is also prescribed for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in children aged 2 and older.
For people it comes as tablets and as an oral suspension (MedlinePlus, meloxicam). The dose comes from the prescriber and the pharmacy label.
Like other NSAIDs except aspirin, meloxicam carries a boxed warning about the heart and the gut (MedlinePlus, meloxicam). Those warnings are the main reason a mix-up with a supplement matters.
- It may raise the risk of a heart attack or a stroke.
- It can cause ulcers, bleeding or holes in the stomach or intestine.
- These problems can start without warning and may be fatal.
- It should not be taken right before or right after heart bypass surgery.
Veterinary use03
How is meloxicam used for animals?
Meloxicam is also a veterinary NSAID. In the US, the FDA has approved it for dogs, both by mouth and as an injection (FDA, pain relievers for pets).
For cats the approval is narrow: a single injection around the time of surgery. No NSAID is approved for long-term use in cats, and repeated meloxicam doses can cause kidney failure and death in cats (FDA, pain relievers for pets).
In pets, NSAID side effects include vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, ulcers, and kidney and liver damage (FDA, pain relievers for pets). For cattle, goats, birds or rabbits we have no source, so ask the animal's vet.
Approved, vet only
Oral and injectable forms exist. The vet sets the amount and the length of treatment.
One injection, at surgery
Repeated doses can be deadly for cats. Never give a cat leftover meloxicam.
Ask the vet
Boluses and injections for livestock are vet products. We publish nothing on them.
Questions about the capsules and animals are answered on Melonex and pets.
Our rule04
Why does this site never give a meloxicam dose?
We never give a meloxicam dose because it is a prescription drug, and only the doctor or vet who examined the patient can set one safely. A number copied from a website skips that check.
The risks are not small. In people, the drug carries warnings for heart attack, stroke and stomach bleeding (MedlinePlus, meloxicam). In cats, repeated doses can kill (FDA, pain relievers for pets).
We are also the wrong source: Gomelonex is a USA authorized retailer of the capsules, not a pharmacy or a vet clinic.
For a person
Ask the doctor who prescribed it, or a pharmacist. Follow the pharmacy label, not a search result.
For a pet or farm animal
Ask your vet. Do not work out an amount from a weight chart you found online.
If an animal swallowed medicine
Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 1-888-426-4435 (ASPCA, top pet poisons). A person who took too much should call a doctor right away.
Melonex: from $49 a bottle60 capsules · 2, 3 or 6 bottles · free US shipping on 3 or 6 · 60-day guarantee
See packsSearch results05
How can you tell which Melonex a search result means?
Look at the form and the words around the name. If a result mentions an injection, a bolus, a syrup, an oral suspension, a tablet, milligrams per kilogram or an animal, it is about the meloxicam drug. If it mentions capsules, a Supplement Facts panel, L-arginine or L-citrulline, it is about these capsules.
Names with "Plus" or "Z Plus" belong to the drug side of the search. We do not know what those products contain, and we will not guess.
| Clue in the result | Usually means |
|---|---|
| Injection, inj, 30 ml or 100 ml vial | Meloxicam drug |
| Bolus, syrup, oral suspension, drops | Meloxicam drug |
| Dose per kg, dogs, cats, cattle, goats | Meloxicam drug (ask a vet) |
| "Plus", "Z Plus", tablet strengths | Drug-side products we cannot describe |
| Capsules, 60 count, Supplement Facts | Melonex capsules |
| L-arginine, L-citrulline, heart and circulation support | Melonex capsules |
| Instituto Experience, Lakeland FL | Melonex capsules (the distributor) |
How to spot the capsule bottle
- The word Melonex in deep red serif letters, with a framed red dot between gold rules
- "ADVANCED SUPPORT" in gold under the name
- Three small icons, then "60 CAPSULES" and "DIETARY SUPPLEMENT"
- On the side: distributed for Instituto Experience, Lakeland, Florida
The capsules06
What is inside Melonex capsules instead?
Melonex capsules contain amino acids, not a drug. The label lists one 500 mg proprietary blend: L-Citrulline DL-Malate, L-Arginine (Alpha-Ketoglutarate dihydrate), L-Arginine HCL.
The rest is the capsule and two processing aids: Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (capsule), Microcrystalline Cellulose, Magnesium Stearate.
The split inside the blend is not printed, which the labeling rules allow (21 CFR 101.36, blends). Because lines are listed by weight, citrulline malate holds between about 167 and 500 mg a capsule, arginine AKG at most 250 mg and arginine HCl at most 167 mg.
The front reads "Heart Support*", "Circulation Support*" and "Natural Formula*". Those are structure/function claims carrying the FDA asterisk, and none of them is about pain or swelling (FDA, structure/function claims).
What the capsules are
- A dietary supplement for adults
- 1 capsule a day with 8 oz of water, up to 2
- 60 capsules in each bottle
What the capsules are not
- Not a painkiller or an NSAID
- Not an antibiotic or a fever reducer
- Not a medicine for any animal
Each line is explained on the Melonex ingredients page, and the full panel is on supplement facts.
Taking both07
Can you take Melonex capsules while on meloxicam?
Ask the doctor who prescribed the meloxicam before you add Melonex capsules. No study has tested the two together, so nobody can promise the pair is fine for you.
There are reasons to check first. Meloxicam carries a stomach bleeding warning (MedlinePlus, meloxicam). Mayo Clinic says arginine may raise bleeding risk with blood thinners and antiplatelet drugs, and may push blood pressure too low when added to blood pressure medicine (Mayo Clinic, L-arginine).
Do not stop, skip or change meloxicam or any other prescription because you started a supplement. The capsules are not a swap for a painkiller. Talk to your doctor before any change.
The wider list of interactions and side effects is on Melonex side effects.
FAQ08
Melonex and meloxicam: more questions
Does Melonex contain meloxicam?
No. The Melonex label lists only L-citrulline DL-malate, L-arginine alpha-ketoglutarate dihydrate and L-arginine HCl in a 500 mg blend, plus the capsule shell, microcrystalline cellulose and magnesium stearate. No drug of any kind appears on the Supplement Facts panel.
Is Melonex Plus the same as Melonex capsules?
No. Melonex Plus and Melonex Z Plus are names that show up beside tablets, boluses and injections, on the drug side of the search. We do not know their exact contents. The capsules sold here are one product with one label, in bottles of 60.
Why does a Melonex search show injections and syrups?
Because the meloxicam brand called Melonex comes in those forms in parts of South Asia, and search engines mix both products under one word. The capsule supplement is never sold as an injection, a syrup or a liquid of any kind.
Can I order the meloxicam version of Melonex on this website?
No. Gomelonex sells only the capsule supplement, through the Melonex checkout. Meloxicam is a prescription drug, so get it through a doctor or a vet and a licensed pharmacy, never from a supplement retailer or an online marketplace.
Can Melonex capsules ease arthritis pain the way meloxicam does?
No. The capsule label claims heart and circulation support only, and no trial supports using arginine or citrulline as a painkiller. For arthritis pain, ask your doctor which treatment fits you, and keep taking any medicine you were prescribed.
Who should I ask about a meloxicam dose?
Ask the doctor who prescribed it, a pharmacist, or, for an animal, your vet. Doses depend on the patient, and this site publishes none. Do not copy a number from a forum, a seller page or a chart found online.
Who wrote this09
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, AHA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a USA authorized Melonex retailer, not by the manufacturer or the distributor. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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