Description and Brand Names

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

US Brand Name

  1. Actidose-Aqua
  2. Charcoal
  3. Diarrest
  4. Di-Gon II
  5. Donnagel
  6. EZ-Char
  7. Kaodene NN
  8. Kaolinpec
  9. Kaopectate
  10. Kaopek
  11. Kerr Insta-Char

Canadian Brand Name

  1. Aqueous Charcodote Adult
  2. Aqueous Charcodote Pediatric
  3. Charcodote
  4. Charcodote Pediatric
  5. Charcodote Tfs
  6. Charcodote Tfs Pediatric

Descriptions


Activated charcoal is used in the emergency treatment of certain kinds of poisoning. It helps prevent the poison from being absorbed from the stomach into the body. Sometimes, several doses of activated charcoal are needed to treat severe poisoning. Ordinarily, this medicine is not effective and should not be used in poisoning if corrosive agents such as alkalis (lye) and strong acids, iron, boric acid, lithium, petroleum products (e.g., cleaning fluid, coal oil, fuel oil, gasoline, kerosene, paint thinner), or alcohols have been swallowed, since it will not prevent these poisons from being absorbed into the body.

Some activated charcoal products contain sorbitol. Sorbitol is a sweetener. It also works as a laxative, for the elimination of the poison from the body.Products that contain sorbitol should be given only under the direct supervision of a doctor because severe diarrhea and vomiting may result.

Activated charcoal has not been shown to be effective in relieving diarrhea and intestinal gas.

Activated charcoal may be available without a doctor's prescription; however, before using this medicine, call a poison control center, your doctor, or an emergency room for advice.

This product is available in the following dosage forms:

  • Suspension
  • Powder for Suspension
  • Powder

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.