What are oral digestive enzymes? Oral digestive enzymes are complex proteins naturally produced by the body to help digest and breakdown the foods we eat. The pancreas is the organ responsible for making and secreting digestive enzymes. Oral digestive enzymes are used when the pancreas is unable to produce enough digestive enzymes. The main digestive...
Category: digestion
Entyvio (vedolizumab): Crohn’s/UC Drug Side Effects & Dosage
What is Entyvio and how is it used? Entyvio is a prescription medicine used in adults for the treatment of: moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease. Entyvio (vedolizumab), an integrin receptor antagonist, is a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody produced in Chinese hamster ovary cells. It is not known if...
Magnesium citrate for Constipation, Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects
What is magnesium citrate? How does it work (mechanism of action)? Magnesium citrate is supplied as an oral tablet or liquid saline laxative. Magnesium citrate retains water in the intestines by osmosis. Increasing water in the bowel aids motility, usually producing a bowel movement within one-half to six hours. What are the uses for magnesium...
daclatasvir (Daklinza): Hep C Drug Side Effects & Dosage
What is daclatasvir (Daklinza)? Daclatasvir (Daklinza) is an oral tablet used for the treatment of chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), genotype 1 or 3. It belongs to a class of drugs called direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs). Similar drugs include: boceprevir (Victrelis) sofosbuvir (Sovaldi) simeprevir (Olysio) telaprevir (Incivek) Viekira Pak (ombitasvir, paritaprevir, ritonavir,...
Bismuth (Pepto Bismol, Kaopectate) Side Effects & Dosage
What is bismuth subsalicylate-oral, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Bismuth subsalicylate (BSS) is a commonly used over the counter medicine used to treat: diarrhea, upset stomach, nausea, indigestion, and heartburn. Bismuth subsalicylate is also used to prevent traveler’s diarrhea and to treat Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection as part of a quadruple-drug...
ribavirin ( Rebetol, Copegus): Drug Side Effects and Dosage
What is ribavirin, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Ribavirin is an antiviral drug. It is used in combination with interferon for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Although the exact mechanism of its action is unknown, it is thought to interfere with the production and/or action of viral DNA and RNA which...
Bisacodyl (Dulcolax): Laxative Uses, Side Effects & Dosage
What is bisacodyl? What is bisacodyl used for? Bisacodyl is a stimulant laxative. It stimulates the muscles in the wall of the small intestine and colon to generate a bowel movement. It also alters water and electrolyte levels in intestines, increasing the level of fluids which also produce a laxative-like effect. Bisacodyl is used for...
Colyte (peg-3350 and electrolytes) Colonoscopy Prep Side Effects
Generic drug: peg-3350 and electrolytes Brand name: Colyte What is Colyte (peg-3350 and electrolytes), and how does it work? Colyte (peg-3350 and electrolytes) is a prescription medicine used to clean the colon before a colonoscopy or barium enema X-ray examination. Colyte cleans your colon by causing you to have diarrhea. Cleaning your colon helps your...
glycopyrrolate (Robinul): Surgery Drug Uses & Side Effects
What is glycopyrrolate, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Glycopyrrolate is a synthetic anti-cholinergic medication. Glycopyrrolate works by blocking acetylcholine activity on smooth muscles and other tissues. Acetylcholine is neurotransmitter, a chemical that nerves use for communicating. Blocking of acetylcholine leads to decrease in volume and acidity of stomach secretions and decrease in...
Belladonna & Opium Suppositories: Uses & Side Effects
What is belladonna and opium? Belladonna/opium is a man-made narcotic analgesic and anti-spasmodic combination medication. Belladonna and opium suppositories are used for relief of moderate to severe pain associated with ureteral spasm not responsive to non-narcotic analgesics and to space intervals between injections of opiates. Is belladonna and opium available as a generic drug? Yes What are the side effects...