ATC Group: A06AD Osmotically acting laxatives

The World Health Organization's ATC classification organizes medical drugs based on therapeutic properties, chemical composition, and anatomy. It helps make essential medicines readily available globally and is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry.

Position of A06AD in the ATC hierarchy

Level Code Title
1 A Alimentary tract and metabolism
2 A06 Laxatives
3 A06A Laxatives
4 A06AD Osmotically acting laxatives

Group A06AD contents

Code Title
A06AD01 Magnesium carbonate
A06AD02 Magnesium oxide
A06AD03 Magnesium peroxide
A06AD04 Magnesium sulfate
A06AD10 Mineral salts in combination
A06AD11 Lactulose
A06AD12 Lactitol
A06AD13 Sodium sulfate
A06AD14 Pentaerithrityl
A06AD15 Macrogol
A06AD16 Mannitol
A06AD17 Sodium phosphate
A06AD18 Sorbitol
A06AD19 Magnesium citrate
A06AD21 Sodium tartrate
A06AD61 Lactulose, combinations
A06AD65 Macrogol, combinations

Active ingredients in A06AD

Active Ingredient Description
Lactitol

Lactitol is a sugar alcohol used as a replacement bulk sweetener for low calorie foods with approximately 40% of the sweetness of sugar. Lactitol also promotes colon health as a prebiotic. Lactitol is a laxative and is used to prevent or treat constipation.

Lactulose

Lactulose is a synthetic disaccharide which is metabolised by gastro-intestinal bacterial flora to low molecular weight acids (chiefly lactic and acetic acids). There is no endogenous metabolising enzyme in the human gut. Its mode of action in constipation is as an osmotic agent producing soft stools.

Macrogol

High molecular weight (4000) macrogols are long linear polymers which retain water molecules by means of hydrogen bonds. When administered by the oral route, they lead to an increase in volume of intestinal fluids.

Magnesium carbonate

Magnesium carbonate, MgCO3 (archaic name magnesia alba), is an inorganic salt. The most common magnesium carbonate forms are the anhydrous salt called magnesite (MgCO3) and the di, tri, and pentahydrates known as barringtonite (MgCO3ยท2 H2O), nesquehonite (MgCO3ยท3 H2O), and lansfordite (MgCO3ยท5 H2O), respectively. The primary use of magnesium carbonate is the production of magnesium oxide by calcining.

Magnesium citrate
Magnesium oxide

Magnesium oxide (MgO), or magnesia, is an empirical formula of MgO and consists of a lattice of Mg2+ ions and O2โˆ’ ions held together by ionic bonding.

Magnesium peroxide
Magnesium sulfate

Magnesium sulfate is a saline purgative. It can be employed locally in various inflammatory conditions, due to its osmotic action.

Mannitol

Mannitol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol used clinically primarily for its osmotic diuretic properties.

Sodium phosphate
Sodium sulfate

Sodium Sulfate Anhydrous is the anhydrous, sodium salt form of sulfuric acid. Sodium sulfate anhydrous disassociates in water to provide sodium ions and sulfate ions. Sodium ion is the principal cation of the extracellular fluid and plays a large part in the therapy of fluid and electrolyte disturbances. Sodium sulfate anhydrous is an electrolyte replenisher and is used in isosmotic solutions so that administration does not disturb normal electrolyte balance and does not lead to absorption or excretion of water and ions.

Sodium tartrate
Sorbitol

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