Anti-diarrhoeal agent

An anti-diarrhoeal agent is a medicine given to combat diarrhoea. It reduces the volume and frequency of bowel movements, helping to prevent dehydration.

How do the anti-diarrhoeal agents work?

As diarrhoea is only the symptom of an illness or infection, these medicines do not treat the causes. They can be broken down into different therapeutic classes depending on their mechanism of action.

• According to the French Ordre national des pharmaciens, "Oral rehydration solutions (ORS) are the essential treatments for any acute diarrhoea regardless of its mechanism". Although they do not reduce the diarrhoea itself, they reduce dehydration;
• intestinal motility - slowing agents;
• intestinal anti-secretory agents;
• intestinal adsorbants (gas or liquid molecules are adsorbed onto a solid surface);
• micro-organisms which modify the intestinal flora;
• and intestinal anti-infectious agents.

Source: French Ordre national des pharmaciens, 4 April 2011