laxative
Sign in to savethumb|Glycerin suppositories used as laxatives. Laxatives, purgatives, or aperients are substances that loosen stools and increase bowel movements. They are used to treat and prevent constipation.
Article
18 sectionsContents
- Types
- Bulk-forming agents
- Dietary fiber
- Emollient agents (stool softeners)
- Lubricant agents
- Saline laxative agents
- Stimulant agents
- Miscellaneous
- Serotonin agonist
- Chloride channel activators
- Comparison of available agents
- Effectiveness
- Problems with use
- Laxative abuse
- Laxative gut
- Historical and health fraud uses
- See also
- References
thumb|Glycerin suppositories used as laxatives. Laxatives, purgatives, or aperients are substances that loosen stools and increase bowel movements. They are used to treat and prevent constipation.
Laxatives vary as to how they work and the side effects they may have. Certain stimulant, lubricant, and saline laxatives are used to evacuate the colon for rectal and bowel examinations, and may be supplemented by enemas under certain circumstances. Sufficiently high doses of laxatives may cause diarrhea. Some laxatives combine more than one active ingredient, and may be administered orally or rectally.