SIMETHICONE
Anti- dyspeptic Carminatives
Simethicone is an effective antiflatulent. It is used for relief of the painful symptoms o excess gas in the digestive tract. Such gas is frequency caused by excessive swallowing of ar Or Dy eating foods that disagree, or leading to indigestion. Mode of action: Simethicone acts n the stomach and intestines to change the surface tension of gas bubbles. enabling them to coalesce, thus gas is freed and eliminated more easily by belching or passing flatus. Its defoaming action relieves flatulence by dispersing and preventing the formation of mucous surrounded gas pockets in the G.I tract.
Ind: 1. Flatulence, abdominal distention, fullness, gas, and windy colic. Simethicone drop is specially used in infants.
2. Postoperative gas pains- Simethicone aids in the elimination of gas from the G.I tract and can be used to reduce postoperative gas pains.
2. Large bowel preparation- the addition of simethicone to a polyethylene glycol bowel preparation produces symptomatic improvement prior to investigation in patients undergoing colonoscopy.
3. Treatment of poisoning- Simethicone has an anecdotal use as an antifoaming agent in the management of accidental ingestion of foaming detergents.
C/I: Contra-indicated in renal failure, severely debilitated patients, Ist trimester of pregnancy.
S/E: Simethicone is physiologically inert and no adverse effect has been noted after oral ingestion.=
Precaution: Do not exceed 12 doses per day except under the advice and supervision of a physician Keep the medicine out of the reach of children.
Pregnancy &Lactation: No data are available to suggest any harmful effect in pregnancy, still it is not advised to give in the 1st trimester. Excretion of simethicone in breast milk has not been established and is also unlikely.
Dosage & Admin: Children less than 2 years of age- 20mg (0.3ml or 5 drops) 4 times daily up to 240mg (3.6ml or 55 drops)/day.
Children 2-12 years of age- 40mg (0.6ml or 10 drops) 4 times daily.
Adults- 40-80mg (0.6ml-1.2ml or 10-20 drops) 4 times daily, up to 500mg (7.5m)/day.
Take all the dosages after meals and at bedtime.
In the case of infants, can be given with feeds. Shake the bottle well before each use.
Drug interaction: There is no evidence that simethicone modifies the effect of other drugs. The defoaming effect of simethicone is reduced by antacids such as aluminum hydroxide and magnesium carbonate, which absorb the silicone.