The drug "Activated carbon" is a finely porous carbon that is activated due to special processing. This is a sorbent that helps remove substances that are potentially hazardous to health from the body. Due to its high surface activity, coal binds hazardous substances that enter the gastrointestinal tract and, without entering into a chemical reaction with them, removes them from the body.
Pharmacodynamics
It is used as an antidiarrheal agent due to its ability to sorb. It is also a detoxifier and polyvalent antidote. The high activity of the active substance allows you to quickly adsorb toxins, poisons, barbiturates, heavy metal salts, fragments of narcotic and sedatives, waste products of harmful bacteria, hydrocyanic acid and alkaloids even before they begin to be absorbed into the blood from the gastrointestinal tract.
In addition, charcoal helps remove excess production of metabolic products, including urea, bilirubin and cholesterol. A lower activity of the substance towards malathion, methanol and cyanides was noted. If it enters the gastrointestinal tract, it does not irritate the mucous membrane.
How to get rid of smell in the refrigerator using activated carbon
Activated carbon is the main component of all air filters, including those designed to eliminate odors in the refrigerator. It is worth purchasing an expensive filter egg for the refrigerator once and disassembling it to make sure of this. In order to get rid of an unpleasant odor, it is enough to remove 30 tablets of activated carbon and place them in a fabric bag. Such a filter can be placed on the door or in the farthest corner of one of the shelves. For older generation refrigerators that do not have a ventilation system, it is recommended to make two filter bags. They are placed on the lower and upper shelves.
Indications
Activated carbon is prescribed for:
- beginning symptoms of intoxication of unknown origin, like a sorbent;
- food poisoning;
- when symptoms characteristic of salmonellosis and dysentery appear;
- drug poisoning (uncontrolled use);
- drug use;
- alcohol intoxication, as a sobering agent;
- hangover syndrome, as a sorbent;
- allergic reactions of food and medicinal origin;
- chronic flatulence;
- preparatory activities for ultrasound examinations of the abdominal cavity;
- diagnosed renal failure;
- jaundice.
Activated carbon cannot be taken as a single drug. It always acts as an addition to prescribed therapy, accelerating the removal of poisons and helping the functioning of the filtering organs.
When is it prescribed?
Activated carbon has a wide spectrum of action.
It is prescribed for:
- poisoning with stale food;
- problems with digesting food (bloating, diarrhea, etc.);
- overdose and side effects of medications;
- gastrointestinal infections (salmonella, dysentery, etc.);
- acute and chronic pancreatitis, cholecystitis.
It is also prescribed in preparation for various studies of the gastrointestinal tract (X-ray, endoscopy, etc.).
The drug does not enter the bloodstream, but immediately dissolves in the intestines. For this reason, it can be taken even by pregnant women and nursing mothers. Pregnant women in the early stages often experience toxicosis, the symptoms of which are nausea and vomiting. However, expectant mothers can take it only after consulting a doctor.
Contraindications
Patients with:
- diagnosed ulcerative colitis and other ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract;
- bleeding of the abdominal organs;
- intestinal obstruction;
- intestinal atony.
In addition, patients undergoing treatment with other antitoxic drugs, the effect of which is possible after absorption of the active substance into the blood, should not take activated carbon. This is explained by the fact that charcoal blocks the absorption of drugs, interfering with treatment.
How to give your dog activated charcoal
Pets, especially dogs, often pick up low-quality food on the street. If after a walk the dog begins to show symptoms of poisoning, it needs to be given activated charcoal. This will reduce the level of absorption of toxins into the blood. When an animal refuses to eat or drink on its own due to weakness, you need to grind 10 tablets of activated carbon using a mortar or coffee grinder. Dilute the resulting powder with a small amount of water and inject it using a syringe without a needle along the cheek into the throat. After successful ingestion of the drug, the animal must be given a drink. If the dog does not drink on its own, give clean water also through a syringe.
Directions for use and dosage
The tablets are taken orally with clean drinking water one hour before the intended meal or two hours after the meal. If the patient is forced to take other medications, then charcoal consumption is permissible 1.5-2 hours after taking another drug.
The dosage is calculated based on the patient’s weight, degree of intoxication and age:
- a single dose for adults is 8 tablets (2 g) - for mild symptoms of poisoning, 12 pcs. (3 g) tablets for obvious symptoms of food poisoning.
- a single dose for children is calculated taking into account weight: 1 g of coal per 1 kg of weight - for severe symptoms of increased gas formation or food allergies.
Both adults and children should take charcoal three times a day.
The duration of the course, as a rule, depends on the patient’s symptoms. Usually it does not exceed 3-4 days. For long-term and acute allergic reactions, treatment can last up to 14 days.
Is it possible to give activated charcoal to infants?
The ability of activated carbon to relieve symptoms of flatulence by removing gases from the intestines can be used in infants suffering from intestinal pain. Colic, which occurs against the background of increased gas formation, prevents the child from sleeping, and becomes a real nightmare for young parents. A single dose for an infant should be calculated based on the proportion: 200 mg per 1 kg of body weight. Considering the standard mass of coal in 1 tablet is equal to 0.25 g, a five-kilogram child should be given 4 tablets at a time. This is inconvenient, given that charcoal produces a slight effervescence in contact with liquid. After crushing the tablets, adding a small amount of water, you can give it to the baby through a spoon. However, it is much more convenient to use other carminatives produced in the form of suspensions.
Side effect
A side effect observed in all patients without exception is discoloration of the stool in black. Dark plaque on teeth and fillings is possible if the patient chews the tablet before swallowing it. This may also cause the saliva to have black spots.
If the recommended doses are exceeded, activated carbon can cause constipation, because as a result of its excessive intake, hard and dense feces are formed that are difficult to move through the intestines.
If taking the sorbent causes any other negative reaction, you should immediately inform your doctor.
Which is better: activated carbon or Polysorb?
Polysorb is also a sorbent that prevents the absorption of toxic substances into the blood. It, like coal, binds toxic substances and helps remove them along with stool from the intestines. Polysorb is sold in powder form, which must be mixed with water in the proportions indicated on the package, in accordance with the patient’s body weight.
If the patient cannot swallow several tablets of activated carbon, it is easier for him to use diluted Polysorb powder. But, given the difference in price, we can say that crushing tablets yourself will not be a big problem for those who do not want to overpay.
Charcoal for diarrhea
Activated carbon helps with diarrhea due to the fact that it acts by the adsorption method. Coal collects harmful components with its substance, and thus concentrates them, after which they are eliminated from the body naturally. It is possible to say definitively whether activated charcoal helps with diarrhea only after knowing the cause of diarrhea.
So, most often, bowel dysfunction is caused by poisoning - harmful microflora develops, fermentation occurs, and diarrhea occurs. In this case, activated carbon is very effective, because it will collect harmful substances and remove them from the body during the day. In this case, it is necessary to drink a sufficient amount of charcoal for the cleansing to occur completely. For diarrhea, it is necessary to take large dosages of activated carbon - three times a day at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight.
The intensive course cannot be used for long, no more than 7-10 days, since active weight loss and exhaustion may occur. After any sorbent course, it is necessary to take probiotics containing beneficial bacteria, which, when taking charcoal, are eliminated along with harmful substances. You need to drink activated carbon with plenty of water - this is a must, which will allow the carbon to act more effectively. If you ignore it, it will not allow the charcoal particles to dissolve sufficiently and spread throughout the intestines.
How much should I give my child?
How much coal to drink if a child is poisoned? After all, the body of a small person tolerates intoxication much harder. At the same time, the rate of exposure to drugs due to the incompletely formed gastrointestinal tract is quite high. It is for this reason that activated carbon, once in the baby’s body, begins to act after 3 minutes. Before giving a child a natural sorbent, it is worth consulting with specialized specialists - a pediatrician.
So, how should children take charcoal if they are poisoned? The admission rules are as follows:
- The dosage is calculated based on the child’s body weight. The smallest are prescribed ¼ of a tablet per 1 kg of weight. After taking the medication, it is recommended not to give the baby food for 2 hours.
- In case of poisoning, children (from 1 year old) undergo gastric lavage. After this, they are given an aqueous suspension of the drug. In this case, dosage calculation is also important. For every kilogram of body, 200 mg of carbon (activated) is required. The duration of therapy can be no more than 5 days.
Calculation example for a child (from 1 year): a single dosage for a child weighing 10 kg is 2000 mg. In other words, you need to give your baby 8 tablets at one time, since one tablet contains 250 mg of the active ingredient. The daily dosage is 24 tablets.
Activated carbon: dosage for pregnant women
In addition, pregnant women who, in case of poisoning, also take the drug they are looking for, also stand apart from all other categories of the population. In their case, the peculiarity associated with determining the dose is:
- additional weight of the fetus (or several if the pregnancy is multiple);
- additional weight of amniotic fluid.
The required additional kilograms cannot be taken into account when taking medications, since the body of pregnant women is very sensitive and reacts very clearly even to those medications that are considered safe for any other category of the population. So, if the expectant mother overdos it with the amount of activated carbon, the medicine may cause her constipation. The desired risk occurs during fetal development from 4 months, since at this stage:
- the uterus seriously increases in size;
- the growing fetus puts pressure on the intestines.
Intestinal obstruction caused by constipation is an unpleasant symptom that requires treatment, and in a certain sense it is even dangerous. That is why pregnant women calculating the dosage of activated carbon need to do the following:
- weigh yourself;
- subtract from the total weight: the weight of the fetus(s) + the weight of amniotic fluid.
Competent reception
It is important to understand the following: in order to get rid of intoxication in the body, you need not just know how many charcoal tablets are taken per certain number of kilograms of a person’s body weight. You also need to have an idea about taking pills correctly, which means preventing various side effects of the drug.
Thus, taking the desired medicine is usually practiced in cases of poisoning. The desired state is stressful for the body, plus it contributes to dehydration. Activated carbon absorbs not only toxins, but also life-giving fluid, which is already in short supply in the body.
To avoid causing problems worse than poisoning, you must:
- take the tablets with plenty of clean water (at least 250 milliliters);
- take the tablets progressively, for example, 4 tablets in the first dose, then 2-3 or more in the second dose (break between uses is five minutes).
Each serving of tablets should be accompanied by plenty of fluids. You need to drink at least one glass. This precaution allows you to achieve the following:
- maintain water balance in the body;
- remove toxins more intensively, since water itself promotes their natural elimination.
Please note the following important points:
Moment #1
. Like any other medicine, the therapeutic effect of activated carbon is achieved no earlier than 25-30 minutes after taking the drug. In other words, if you took the pills, waited 20 minutes, but you didn’t feel better, you shouldn’t rush things. The medicine has just begun to provide you with the expected help; you should not take an additional dose, as this will not help, and may even worsen the situation.
Moment No. 2
. Coal is eliminated from the body naturally - through the intestines, along with feces. Do not be alarmed when you find black feces at the bottom of a faience fixture; this is not at all a sign of any disease. It’s just that the products of your vital activity are colored in such an extraordinary shade by activated carbon.
Moment #3
. Provided that the drug is taken not on an empty, but on a full stomach, it is recommended to slightly increase the initial dosage of the drug. So, you can, for example, add one or two more black tablets to the original number of black tablets.
Moment #4
. This drug should not be taken simultaneously with other medications. The thing is that the desired enterosorbent, not having artificial intelligence, does not act specifically on toxic and harmful substances, but absorbs everything it encounters in the body. Of course, you can easily make up for the loss of nutrients, but a medicine that is aimed at eliminating any of your other ailments will not have an effect.
To combine taking other medications with activated carbon, you need to do the following:
- drink the enterosorbent we are considering;
- After two hours, take another medicine.
If waiting is not an option, it is better to endure the discomfort of indigestion or other minor conditions, but give preference to a medicine that eliminates any more serious problems.
This rule, however, does not apply to medications that are administered to the patient:
- needle into muscle tissue;
- into a vein;
- under the skin;
- through the respiratory tract.
The fact is that the prefix “entero” in the word “enterosorbent” implies that activated carbon can only cleanse the gastrointestinal tract, removing toxins that accumulate in the intestines. It is not able to filter out blood “clogs”, therefore, it does not have any effect on the administration of medications carried out through this biological fluid.
Moment #5
.
In some situations, taking pills is somewhat difficult. For example, if a child under 10 years old does not know how to swallow them well. In this case, a suspension can be prepared from the drug, the effect of which, of course, will be similar. To do this you need:
- select the dosage of activated carbon by weight;
- Grind the resulting tablets into powder;
- mix with a few tablespoons of warm boiled water;
- Shake well and let the patient swallow the product;
- 10-15 minutes after administration, give the patient a glass of water.
Moment #6
.
A particularly severe form of poisoning also requires emergency intestinal lavage (enema) using the drug we are considering. To do this you need to do the following:
- select the dosage of the medicine according to the above scheme;
- crush the tablets into powder with a mortar or other device;
- stir the resulting powder in a liter of boiled water;
- carry out intestinal lavage according to the rules;
- if necessary, repeat the procedure a second time.
The required rinsing helps to cleanse toxins and remove feces accumulated in it from the intestines, which have absorbed the poisons that have poisoned the patient.
Is it worth using?
Many, having seen the scheme for treating intestinal slagging with charcoal, will ask themselves: “Do I need to waste my energy, stick to proper nutrition, give up alcohol, if I already feel good?” If you want your hair to shine, your nails to become strong and not gray and broken, your overall well-being to improve, it to become easier to move, all the unevenness and roughness have disappeared from your face, abdominal pain has gone away, gases have stopped tormenting you, especially during important meetings or going to the movies, then you should still think and answer yourself: “yes, it’s worth it.”
Properties of activated carbon
What properties does this medicine have?
- lack of smell and taste, which makes it possible to use it in children,
- does not dissolve in water,
- the basis of the drug is a porous structure, and adsorption will be stronger if the pore size is larger,
- adsorption capacity is measured by how much iodine the carbon absorbs (iodine index),
- is not influenced by external stimuli,
- Available in two forms - tablets and powder.
The main property of the drug is its ability to quickly absorb all types of poisons and also quickly remove them from the body. In addition, the medicine helps remove excess cholesterol from the blood. Another plus is its affordable price.
