image by: Fan of Retail

HWN Suggests

The Chemistry of Pepto Bismol

Pepto was first made in the early 20th century. It was created by a doctor inside of his own home looking for a cure to the widespread disease of cholera. After his medicine became a hit and he could not manufacture enough inside his home he brought his recipe to a pharmacal company in New York. The name was then changed to its currents name in 1919 Pepto Bismol to help appeal to the adult population more. Although the main purpose is no longer needed it now is used for other stomach problems such as indigestion, diarrhea, nausea, and heartburn.

It is not know exactly how the pepto bismol reacts inside the stomach. Pepto bismol“Coats” the irritated tissues to calm down the explosive…

read full article

Featured

  Travelers Diarrhea

BSS is recommended for travelers with mild-to-moderate diarrhea to somewhat reduce stool frequency. Recent travelers to Mexico had significant symptom relief with bismuth subsalicylate (BSS) in a trial, though loperamide was favored vs BSS in travelers to Latin America. Loperamide was more efficacious than BSS for symptom duration.

 Is Pepto-Bismol Safe for Kids?

The pink stuff treats upset stomach and diarrhea, but the original Pepto-Bismol formula isn’t recommended for kids. Here’s what parents need to know. Pepto-Bismol can help treat upset stomach, nausea, gas, and diarrhea. The main ingredient is bismuth subsalicylate—and since 2003, the FDA has urged anyone under 12 to avoid it. What's the reason? Bismuth subsalicylate is a derivative form of aspirin, which might cause Reye syndrome in children.

 Pandemic First Aid: What To Bring When You Travel

Since diarrhea can be a symptom of COVID-19, should I pack an anti-diarrheal medication? Both doctors agree that it’s a good idea to bring some anti-diarrheal medication. Dr. Greenough prefers Pepto-Bismol, either in liquid or chewable form. He also suggests traveling with 16-30, rice-based oral hydration powder sachets for hydration and electrolyte replacement. Dr. Wolfson prefers Imodium. “Pepto-Bismol contains an aspirin-like compound that can irritate the stomach and the bismuth turns the stool a dark blackish color,” he says. “I’ve had a number of patients who were concerned they were bleeding from the bowel only to find out that they were taking Pepto-Bismol.” The best medication for you may depend on possible interactions with other prescribed drugs you’re taking so it’s prudent to speak to your physician.

Articles of Interest

Don't leave home without this medicine

Pepto-Bismol® (bismuth subsalicylate) is another medicine that I always pack when I travel. It reduces abdominal cramping, nausea, and diarrhea but is not quite as effective in relieving diarrhea as loperamide. Available as wintergreen-flavored chewable tablets, liquid as well as regular tablets, Pepto-Bismol® will turn your stools black.

Pepto Bismol (Bismuth Subsalicylates) OTC: Review & Drug Profile.

No controlled studies assess the frequency of the side effects. However, Pepto Bismol is considered a safe drug in usual doses.

Staying Healthy While Traveling the Globe

Before every meal, we each chewed one pink tablet of bismuth subsalicylate (sold as Pepto-Bismol and various store brands). I have used this preventive since first reading about it in 1980 in The Journal of the American Medical Association in a study led by Dr. Herbert L. DuPont, an infectious disease and travel medicine specialist at the University of Texas, Houston. The study described how using these tablets greatly reduced the risk of traveler’s diarrhea among American students traveling to Mexico. In a subsequent study published in 1987, Dr. DuPont and colleagues reported that two tablets chewed four times a day reduced the risk of developing diarrhea by 65 percent. (Each tablet contained the standard dose, 262 milligrams of bismuth subsalicylate.)

Bismuth encephalopathy- a rare complication of long-standing use of bismuth subsalicylate

Although rare, bismuth encephalopathy should be considered in patients presenting with subacute encephalopathy and myoclonus. This encephalopathy can be subacute even after a chronic exposure. Cessation of bismuth can lead to a complete resolution in weeks.

Bismuth for IBD and IBS-D

Pepto-Bismol is approved for the treatment of diarrhea, including travellers’ diarrhea. This study reflects very early research into oral bismuth as a potential maintenance treatment for pouchitis, indeterminate colitis, and IBS-D, but it is not currently a recommended long-term treatment for these conditions. Even though over-the-counter medications are readily available, they are still potent drugs and you should only use them for the purposes stated on the product’s packaging or according to your physician’s instructions.

Bismuth Subsalicylate - Oral

Side effects from this medication are rare. The most common side effects are darkening of the stools and/or tongue. These effects are harmless and will disappear when you stop the medication.

Extracting Bismuth from Pepto Bismol

Bismuth is a very odd metal that you see in cosmetic pigments and as a replacement for lead, since it is less toxic. You will also see it — or an alloy — in fire sprinklers since it melts readily. However, the most common place you might encounter bismuth is Pepto Bismol — the ubiquitous pink liquid you use when your stomach is upset.

Feeling Nauseated and Heading for the Pepto? Wait!

We all get queasy from time to time. Whether we ate a piece of fish that didn’t taste quite right, we had one too many gluten-free neat vodkas at the company holiday party or for those of us girls, we’re going through a certain time of the month, the resulting upset stomach and nauseated feelings are one in the same, and not exactly enjoyable. For many, it’s a beeline straight to the franchise drug store for some good old TUMS or Pepto Bismol.

How does Pepto-Bismol work?

Pepto-Bismol includes the active ingredient bismuth subsalicylate. Bismuth exhibits anti-bacterial, anti-diarrheal and anti-inflammation properties.

How does this medication work? What will it do for me?

Bismuth subsalicylate belongs to a class of medications called antacids and adsorbents. It is used to help relieve heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, nausea, and diarrhea. How bismuth subsalicylate works is not completely understood, but it is thought to work by coating the stomach and intestines (protecting them from stomach acid), by reducing inflammation in the stomach, and by killing certain bacteria.

How effective is Pepto Bismol for diarrhea?

Pepto-Bismol is thought to treat diarrhea by: increasing the amount of fluid your intestines absorb. reducing inflammation and overactivity of your intestines. preventing your body’s release of a chemical called prostaglandin that causes inflammation.

How Pepto-Bismol is killing it on Google search

Pepto-Bismol is leveraging existing product label information for product content purposes. And it's winning SEO.

Pepto-Bismol Tablets Resembling Foreign Bodies on Abdominal Imaging

When bismuth subsalicylate is ingested in a sufficient amount, it becomes radiopaque enough to be noticeably visible in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This typically only rings true for the tablet form, however, as the liquid form is usually too diluted to cause the same effect.

Polisorb vs Pepto Bismol: What's the Difference?

Whether you hung with the Smurfs in the 80s, sung along with Barney in the 90s, or laughed along with SpongeBob in the 2000s, we all have one thing in common — we all took Pepto Bismol for nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, diarrhea. And for a good reason! Pepto Bismol was the long-time, nearly unchallenged go-to for acute (and not so cute) tummy troubles.

The Short-Lived, Icky Life of Pepto-Bismol’s 24-Hour Bug

Launched in 1919 and currently produced by Procter & Gamble, this pink liquid has spent nearly a century acting as a medicine cabinet staple that treats and provide relief for the five symptoms of overindulgence including nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, and diarrhea.

What Are Pepto Bismol's Inactive Ingredients?

Pepto Bismol Original Liquid contains 525 mg of bismuth subsalicylate as the active ingredient for the treatment of heartburn, nausea, indigestion, upset stomach, and diarrhea. The medication also contains the following inactive ingredients: benzoic acid, D&C red no. 22, D&C red no. 28, flavor, gellan gum, magnesium aluminum silicate, methylcellulose, salicylic acid, sodium salicylate, sorbic acid, sucralose, and water.

Resources

Kaopectate

Effective on diarrhea from bacteria, stomach viruses, & other causes.

Pepto Bismol

Relieves upset stomach due to overindulgence in food and drink, including heartburn, indigestion, nausea, gas, belching and fullness. Relieves diarrhea and traveler’s diarrhea. Eat, Drink and be Covered

ScienceDirect

Bismuth colloids have an antibacterial action, which is relevant for the treatment of infectious diarrhea and peptic ulcers (e.g., Helicobacter pylori). The salicylate component of bismuth subsalicylate may exert intestinal antiinflammatory and antisecretory actions.