Simethicone

See also: dimethicone in cosmetics

The simethicone - or dimethicone if you prefer - is an oral anti-foaming agent, used to alleviate all those troublesome symptoms due to an excessive presence of gas at the gastro-intestinal level (pain, cramps, borborigmi, sense of tension, belching, flatulence etc.).

The simethicone is in fact a carminative; as such it does not directly contrast the formation of gas, but favors its expulsion in the form of belching and flatulence.

Thanks to the presence of silica airgel in its composition, in fact, the simethicone decreases the surface tension of the air bubbles trapped in the gastro-intestinal mucus and "bolus", favoring its coalescence; thus larger bubbles are formed, containing free gas which is easily absorbed by the intestine wall or eliminated externally through peristaltic movements or eruption. The action of the simethicone is therefore purely physical, therefore independent of any chemical or enzymatic reaction.

In addition to counteracting all the symptoms related to bloating and meteorism, due to a bad digestive process, the simethicone is used as an aid in diagnostic imaging of the gastro-intestinal tract, for example to reduce shadows due to the presence of air in the radiographic images or ultrasuonografiche.

The use of simethicone has been proposed, without particular success, also in the treatment of gaseous colics of the newborn - infant.

For the adult, the dosage involves the intake of 60 - 125 mg of simethicone, two to four times a day at the end of each main meal, and possibly just before bedtime for the night's rest.

Side effects of the simethicone

Once ingested, the simethicone passes through the gastrointestinal tract unaltered, without being absorbed or metabolized, and without hindering digestion and absorption of nutrients. For example, it does not alter the volume and acidity of gastric secretions, and the toxic effects of overdosing are not known. All this, together with the many years of clinical experimentation (more than 30), makes the simeticone a safe and well tolerated drug. The only contraindications concern any individual hypersensitivity to the active ingredient or to the excipients contained in the various formulations.

There are no effects on the ability to drive and use machines.

After a short period of treatment without appreciable results, consult your doctor.

Unfortunately, the absence of an adequate amount of studies on the use of simeticone during pregnancy contraindicates its use to pregnant women, unless the doctor considers the benefits superior to the hypothetical risks. An analogous speech during breastfeeding, given that the excretion of simethicone in breast milk has not been sufficiently studied in animal models.