Simeticone ( INN), also known as simethicone (

USAN 280px, "Samguk Sagi" Book 04. Silla's Records. In 512, Usan-guk（于山國）was Ulleungdo（鬱陵島） Usan-guk, or the State of Usan, occupied Ulleung-do and the adjacent islands during the Korean Three Kingdoms period. According to th ...

), is an anti-foaming agent used to reduce bloating, discomfort or pain caused by excessive gas.

Medical uses

Simeticone is used to relieve the symptoms of excessive gas in the

gastrointestinal tract The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The GI tract contains all the major organs of the digestive system, in humans and ...

, namely bloating, burping, and flatulence. While there is a lack of conclusive evidence that simeticone is effective for this use, ⁣ studies have shown that it can relieve symptoms of functional dyspepsia and functional bloating. It has not been fully established that simeticone is useful to treat

colic Colic or cholic () is a form of pain that starts and stops abruptly. It occurs due to muscular contractions of a hollow tube (small and large intestine, gall bladder, ureter, etc.) in an attempt to relieve an obstruction by forcing content out. ...

in babies, and it is not recommended for this purpose. A study in the United Kingdom reported that according to parental perception simeticone helped infant colic in some cases. Simeticone can also be used for suspected postoperative abdominal discomfort in infants.

Side effects

Simeticone does not have any serious side effects. Two uncommon side effects (occurring in 1 in 100 to 1 in 1,000 patients) are constipation and nausea.

Pharmacology

Simeticone is a non-systemic

surfactant Surfactants are chemical compounds that decrease the surface tension between two liquids, between a gas and a liquid, or interfacial tension between a liquid and a solid. Surfactants may act as detergents, wetting agents, emulsion#Emulsifiers , ...

which decreases the surface tension of gas bubbles in the GI tract. This allows gas bubbles to leave the GI tract as

flatulence Flatulence, in humans, is the expulsion of gas from the intestines via the anus, commonly referred to as farting. "Flatus" is the medical word for gas generated in the stomach or bowels. A proportion of intestinal gas may be swallowed enviro ...

or belching. Simeticone does not reduce or prevent the formation of gas. Its effectiveness has been shown in several

in vitro ''In vitro'' (meaning in glass, or ''in the glass'') studies are performed with microorganisms, cells, or biological molecules outside their normal biological context. Colloquially called " test-tube experiments", these studies in biology a ...

studies.

Chemistry

Simethicone is a mixture of dimethicone and

silicon dioxide Silicon dioxide, also known as silica, is an oxide of silicon with the chemical formula , most commonly found in nature as quartz and in various living organisms. In many parts of the world, silica is the major constituent of sand. Silica is one ...

Names

The INN name is "simeticone", which was added to the INN recommended list in 1999. Simeticone is marketed under many brand names and in many

combination drugs A combination drug or a fixed-dose combination (FDC) is a medicine that includes two or more active ingredients combined in a single dosage form. Terms like "combination drug" or "combination drug product" can be common shorthand for a FDC pr ...

; it is also marketed as a veterinary drug. Brand names include A.F., Acid Off, Aero Red, Aero-OM, Aero-Sim, Aerocol, Aerox, Aesim, Aflat, Air-X, Anaflat, Antiflat, Baby Rest, Bicarsim, Bicarsim Forte, Blow-X, Bobotic, Bobotik, Carbogasol, Colic E, Colin, Cuplaton, Degas, Dentinox, Dermatix, Digesta, Dimetikon Meda, Disflatyl, Disolgas, Elugan N, Elzym, Endo-Paractol, Enterosilicona, Espaven Antigas, Espumisan, Espumisan L, Flacol, Flapex, Flatidyl, Flatoril, Flatulex, Flucolic, Gas X, Gas-X, Gaselab, Gaseoflat, Gaseoflatex, Gaseophar, Gaseoplus, Gaseovet, Gaservol, Gasimetin, Gasnil, Gasofilm, Gastrex, Gastrosen, Gazim X, Gazix, Geludrox-HS, Genasyme, Ilio-Funkton, Imogas, Imogaze, Imonogas, Infacalm, Infacol, Infacolic, Lefax, Lefaxin, Lefoam, Logastin, Luftal, Maxi Flat, Meteosim, Metiorisan, Metsil, Mylanta, Mylicon, Mylicongas, Mylom, Mymus, Nanog, Neodrop, Neogasol, Neolanta, Orocure, Ovol, Pedicon, Phazin, Phazyme, Restime, Rugby Gas Relief, Sab Simplex, Salinal, Semecon, Semeth, Sicongast, Siflat, Silbione, Siligas, Silipin, Sim, Simcone, Simecon, Simecrin, Simedill, Simegut, Simet, Simethicon, Simethicone, Simetic, Simeticon, Simeticona, Simeticone, Siméticone, Simeticonum, Simetigast, Simflat, Simicol, Simicon, Wilcon, Wind-eze and WindSetlers. It is also marketed as a combination drug: * with algeldrate as Kestomatine * with

aluminum Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It ha ...

magnesium Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 of the periodic ...

salts and in some cases both, as Alamag Plus, Almacone, Alposim, Aluphagel, Alutop, Amico-L Andursil, Axcel Eviline, Boots Wind Relief, Di-Gel, Diovol Plus, Diovol Plus AF, Gas Ban DS, Hydrosil, Iosopan Plus, Kremil, Kremil-S, Maalox Plus, Mi-Acid, Mygel, Mylagen, Polysilane Delalande, Rumibex and Trial AG * with alverine as Avarin, Meteospasmyl, Nady-Spasmyl * with

barium sulfate Barium sulfate (or sulphate) is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula Ba SO4. It is a white crystalline solid that is odorless and insoluble in water. It occurs as the mineral barite, which is the main commercial source of barium and ...

as Bario Dif * with

bismuth Bismuth is a chemical element with the symbol Bi and atomic number 83. It is a post-transition metal and one of the pnictogens, with chemical properties resembling its lighter group 15 siblings arsenic and antimony. Elemental bismuth occurs ...

as Gastop * with calcium carbonate as Flamints, Gaseoflatex Plus, Malugel, Titralac Plus * with

activated charcoal "Activated" is a song by English singer Cher Lloyd. It was released on 22 July 2016 through Vixen Records. The song was made available to stream exclusively on ''Rolling Stone'' a day before to release (on 21 July 2016). Background In an inter ...

as Carbosylane, Clingest, Finigax. Flatuna * with

cinitapride Cinitapride (trade names Cintapro, Pemix) is a gastroprokinetic agent and antiemetic agent of the benzamide class which is marketed in India, Mexico, Pakistan and Spain. It acts as an agonist of the 5-HT1 and 5-HT4 receptors and as an antagoni ...

as Rogastril Plus * with

clebopride Clebopride is a dopamine antagonist drug with antiemetic and prokinetic properties used to treat functional gastrointestinal disorders. Chemically, it is a substituted benzamide, closely related to metoclopramide. A small Spanish study found th ...

as Flatoril * with dicycloverine as Cloact, Colicspam, Colimix, Colispas, Coliza-D, Cyclopam, Fri-Spas, Meftal Spas, Respas, Simcomine, Spasact, Spasmindon DPS * with

domperidone Domperidone, sold under the brand name Motilium among others, is a dopamine antagonist medication which is used to treat nausea and vomiting and certain gastrointestinal problems like gastroparesis (delayed gastric emptying). It raises the l ...

as Bigetric, Dom Simecon, Doprokin-S, Glomoti, Moperidona AF, Mutecium, Praxis * with

hydrotalcite Hydrotalcite or formerly also Völknerite is a layered double hydroxide (LDH) of general formula ·4, whose name is derived from its resemblance with talc and its high water content. Multiple structures containing loosely bound carbonate ions exi ...

as Altacide and Talsil Forte * with

homatropine Homatropine (Equipin, Isopto Homatropine) is an anticholinergic medication that is an antagonist at muscarinic acetylcholine receptors and thus the parasympathetic nervous system. It is used in eye drops as a cycloplegic (to temporarily paral ...

as Aero-Sim Compuesto, Asestor, Factor AG, Sedotropina Flat * with

lactulose Lactulose is a non-absorbable sugar used in the treatment of constipation and hepatic encephalopathy. It is used by mouth for constipation and either by mouth or in the rectum for hepatic encephalopathy. It generally begins working after 8–12 ...

as Dinolak * with

levonorgestrel Levonorgestrel is a hormonal medication which is used in a number of birth control methods. It is combined with an estrogen to make combination birth control pills. As an emergency birth control, sold under the brand name Plan B One-Step amon ...

as Jaydess * with

loperamide Loperamide, sold under the brand name Imodium, among others,Drugs.co Page accessed September 4, 2015 is a medication used to decrease the frequency of diarrhea. It is often used for this purpose in inflammatory bowel disease and short bowel syn ...

as Eldoper Plus, Imodium Duo, Imolopesim, Loperamide HCl/Dimeticon, Loperuma, Lositala, Losiwuto, Regulane AF, Stoperan Plus, Toban F Plus * with magaldrate as Aci Basic, Aci-Tip, Acicone-S, Acid-Farvet, Acifin, Amalset, Antiax, Asidrat, Assis, Avicid, Banacid-s, Buenox, Cremalon, Curecid, Digax, Digeril, Endcid, Gaseovet MS, Gastrine, Gastrogel, Gastroral, Gastrorapid, Magacid, Magal-D, Magalat, Magaldrato+Simeticona, Magaldrax, Maganta Plus, Magsilon, Marlox Plus, Megacil Plus, Megalrat Plus, Minicidez, Miopan Plus, Novelta, Oxecone-MS, Riopan Plus, Rolac Plus, Sedo Mag, Simagal, Simelgat Plus, Taimacon, Zymcon * with

metoclopramide Metoclopramide is a medication used for stomach and esophageal problems. It is commonly used to treat and prevent nausea and vomiting, to help with emptying of the stomach in people with delayed stomach emptying, and to help with gastroesoph ...

as Anaflat Compuesto, Di-Aero OM, Digespar, Factorine, Pangastren * with

mosapride Mosapride is a gastroprokinetic agent that acts as a selective 5HT4 agonist. The major active metabolite of mosapride, known as M1, additionally acts as a 5HT3 antagonist, which accelerates gastric emptying throughout the whole of the gastroin ...

as M-Pride-MPS, Moxar, Moza MPS * with pancreatin as Anaflat Enzimático, Digenil, Digesflat, Enzym Lefax, Enzymet, Enzymin, fermento duodenal, Finigax Indigestion, Flaton, Flazymec, Gasflat, Gaszym, Gesdyp, Hazmolin, Komflat, MeteoZym, Pankreoflat, Tripanzym * with

papaverine Papaverine (Latin '' papaver'', "poppy") is an opium alkaloid antispasmodic drug, used primarily in the treatment of visceral spasms and vasospasms (especially those involving the intestines, heart, or brain), occasionally in the treatment of e ...

as Espasmo Siligas * with pinaverium as Alevian Duo, Pladuet, Planex * with pipenzolate bromide as Cadinol, Gasorbol Gotas * with

phloroglucinol Phloroglucinol is an organic compound with the formula C6H3(OH)3. It is a colorless solid. It is used in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and explosives. Phloroglucinol is one of three isomeric benzenetriols. The other two isomers are hydroxyqu ...

as Meteoxane * with trimebutine as Eumotil-S, Eumotrix Plus, Libertrim SDP, Libertrim SII, Muvett S * with

urea Urea, also known as carbamide, is an organic compound with chemical formula . This amide has two amino groups (–) joined by a carbonyl functional group (–C(=O)–). It is thus the simplest amide of carbamic acid. Urea serves an important ...

as Hidribet. It is also marketed as a veterinary drug under the brands Birp and Methysilox.

References

{{Drugs for functional gastrointestinal disorders Antiflatulents Food additives Silicon Silicon dioxide Digestive system Silicones