Purgatives and Laxatives
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Purgatives are drugs which cause marked intensification of intestinal activity and results in the expulsion of intestinal content from the colon and rectum.
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The terms aperient and cathartic are also applied to describe the purgatives. A distinction is made according to the intensity of action.
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Laxative or aperient: are milder in action, elimination of soft but formed stools
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Purgatives or cathartic: are stronger action resulting in more fluid evacuation.
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Laxative and cathartics are used for:
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Relief of acute non dietary constipation
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Removal poisons from the gastrointestinal tract
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Prevention of tenesmus in advanced pregnancy or prolapse
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Evacuation of the bowel prior to surgery or radiography
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Many drugs in low doses act as laxative and in larger doses as purgatives.
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Type of stools and latency of action of purgatives employed in usually recommended doses
Soft formed feces (take 1-3 days) /font>
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Semi fluid stools (take 6-8 hours) /font>
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Watery evacuation (within 1-3 hours) /font>
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Bulk forming
Docusates
Liquid paraffin
Lactulose
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Phenolphthalein
Bisacodyl
Senna
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Saline purgatives
Castor oil
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Last modified: Wednesday, 25 April 2012, 10:06 AM