Simethicone
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Contents
Chemical action and pharmaceutical effects
Simethicone is an anti-foaming agent that decreases the surface tension of gas bubbles, causing them to combine into larger bubbles in the stomach that can be passed more easily. Simethicone does not reduce or prevent the formation of gas in the digestive tract, rather, it increases the rate at which it exits the body.[3] However, simethicone can relieve pain caused by gas in the intestines by decreasing foaming, which then allows for easier passing of flatulence.
Simethicone is not absorbed by the body into the bloodstream, and is therefore considered relatively safe. National Institutes of Health (NIH)[4] reports there are usually no side effects when simethicone is taken as directed. Although simethicone has also been promoted as a treatment for colic in babies, randomised controlled trials have not demonstrated efficacy for this use; despite traditional views on the subject, colic does not appear to be caused by gas.[5][6]
Availability
Simethicone is generally available over the counter under many brand names in varying dosage sizes and combinations with other drugs, including:
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Side effects
The most common adverse effects of simethicone are gastrointestinal symptoms, including mild diarrhea, nausea, regurgitation, and vomiting.[9]
References
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- ↑ http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/digestive_disorders/gas_in_the_digestive_tract_85,P00369/
- ↑ http://www.badgut.org/information-centre/intestinal-gas.html
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ PubMed Health, produced by National Center for Biotechnology, a division of the National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health; see http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000747/
- ↑ University of Michigan clinical trial for simethicone used for colic
- ↑ Patient.info on colic
- ↑ Product information (German)
- ↑ Product information (German)
- ↑ from Micromedex Dug Information. Retrieved 2013-01-13.
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