Anti-Diarrheal Drugs

 Antidiarrheal drug, any drug that relieves symptoms of 

diarrhea, the frequent passage of a watery loose stool. In
general, the antidiarrheal drugs may be divided into
different groups based on chemical or functional
similarities; these groups include adsorbents, antimotility
agents, and bacterial replacements (probiotics).
 These agents are thought to work by binding to and thereby
neutralizing the actions of diarrhea-causing toxins that are
produced by infectious agents or by preventing the adherence
 of infectious agents to the walls of the gastrointestinal tract.

 Examples of adsorbents used in the treatment of diarrhea

include kaolin, pectin, activated charcoal, attapulgite
(aluminum silicate), and bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol).
 Opioids, such as codeine and loperamide (Imodium), and anticholinergic drugs,
such as dicyclomine and atropine.

 The opiate derivative diphenoxylate typically is given with atropine in a

combination marketed as Lomotil. Although opioids carry a risk of dependency
and addiction, codeine and the synthetic analogs diphenoxylate and loperamide
produce little dependence, and they have been used successfully for diarrhea.

 Probiotics consist of harmless organisms that interfere with the colonization of

the gastrointestinal tract by pathogenic (disease-causing) organisms. Probiotics
commonly used in the treatment of diarrhea include commercial preparations of
the bacterium Lactobacillus acidophilus and the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii.
Special Considerations
 Before taking anti-diarrheal drugs, tell your doctor
if you are allergic to it.
 Antibiotics may rarely cause a severe intestinal

condition(clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea)

 During pregnancy, this medication should be used

only if clearly needed.