| Class | Lubricant laxative |
|---|---|
| Chemistry |
Mixture of alkanes of different molecular mass, usually with carbon number over 35 |
| Routes of administration |
Oral or rectal |
| Absorption |
Non-absorbable |
| Solubility |
pKa > 30; not even slightly soluble in water |
| Distribution |
Not absorbed; remains in the bowel |
| Metabolism |
Inert; not metabolised by colonic bacteria |
| Elimination |
Eliminated largely unchanged in the stool |
| Time course of action |
Duration of effect depends largely on the gut motility |
| Target receptor |
Does not bind to any receptors |
| Mechanism of action |
By emulsifying the stool and coating the walls of the bowel, increases gut transit by decreasing the resistance to the passage of stool |
| Clinical effects |
Decreased absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, lipid pneumonitis with aspiration, pruritis ani, accidental rectal leakage |
| Literature reference |
Morgan (1938) |
| CICM details of understanding | Not specifically listed in the CICM syllabus |
| Mentioned around Deranged Physiology | |
| Related SAQs |