Patient leaflet - Activated Charcoal 200 mg/ml oral suspension
What Activated Charcoal 200 mg/ml Oral Suspension is and what it is used for
Activated Charcoal is suspension containing the active ingredient activated charcoal.
Activated Charcoal is used as an emergency treatment for acute oral poisoning or drug overdose. It works by absorbing the drugs or toxic substances so reducing their absorption into the blood or helping to eliminate them from the body. Activated Charcoal itself is not absorbed into the blood and passes through the gut unchanged. Activated Charcoal is usually taken under medical supervision.
What you need to know before you are given Activated Charcoal 200 mg/ml Oral Suspension
Do not take Activated Charcoal
Activated Charcoal should not be used unless the patient is fully conscious.
Other medicines and Activated Charcoal Tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.
If you know what poison has been taken, tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse immediately. Activated Charcoal is effective in most cases, but not generally used if the poison is one of the following:
Alcohol
- Turpentine
- Corrosives such as alkalis, bleach and strong acids
- Petrol
- Paint thinner and other solvents
- Cleaning fluid
- Furniture polish
- Iron salts
- Insecticides such as malathion and DDT You should not take Activated Charcoal if you have taken a medicine to make you sick or an oral antidote such as methionine as they will be absorbed by Activated Charcoal.
Activated Charcoal may obscure endoscopic visualisation of oesophageal and gastric lesions produced by the toxin and so will render difficult any immediate endoscopy that may be required. A laxative is often administered with Activated Charcoal to hasten the removal of the poison and charcoal, which may result in diarrhoea. Activated Charcoal may stain if spilt.
Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility
If you are pregnant, breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse for advice before taking this medicine.
Driving and using machines
Activated Charcoal should not affect your ability to drive or operate machines.
How Activated Charcoal 200 mg/ml Oral Suspension is given to you
If a doctor has prescribed Activated Charcoal for you, you should follow his/her instructions. Activated Charcoal can be taken after vomiting or after having a stomach pump. It may be given by tube into the stomach, under medical supervision only.
Adults and Children over 12 years of age:
The usual adult dose is one full bottle (250 ml; equivalent to 50 g activated charcoal), taken as soon as possible after ingestion of poison, repeated if necessary. For multiple dose therapy, the dose may be repeated every 4-6 hours. 1
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Package leaflet: Information for the user
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Activated Charcoal 200 mg/ml Oral Suspension
Children under 12 years of age:
Children aged under 12 years should be given half of one bottle (125 ml; equivalent to 25 g activated charcoal), unless there is a risk to life, in which case a dose of 50 g is recommended, taken as soon as possible after ingestion of the poison, repeated if necessary. The dose is given usually under medical supervision. For multiple dose therapy, the dose may be repeated every 4-6 hours.
Children under 1 year of age:
Dose is calculated according to body weight. For single dose therapy, 1g or 5ml per kg bodyweight taken as soon as possible after ingestion of poison. For multiple dose therapy, the dose may be repeated every 4-6 hours. If the poison has diuretic properties (i.e. increases urine output) or has been taken with alcohol, plenty of fluid should be drunk after taking Activated Charcoal.
Method of Administration
Activated Charcoal should swallowed as a suspension. Activated Charcoal should be taken as soon as possible after the potential poison has been swallowed. It is important to take the whole dose.
Shake well before use.
Do not exceed the recommended dose.
Remember to tell any doctor or pharmacist who is giving you advice about other medical conditions that you have taken Activated Charcoal. If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. The following side effects have been reported:
- constipation
- vomiting
- diarrhoea.
Rarely, patients may experience
- blockage or perforation of the intestine have been associated with multiple dosing with activated charcoal.
Activated charcoal will usually produce black stools.
Accidental inhalation of the medicine into the lungs, can cause lung damage/produce airways obstruction.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme Website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.
By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
How to store Activated Charcoal 200 mg/ml Oral Suspension
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Do not store above 25 °C. Do not freeze. Use immediately upon opening.
Any remaining unused Activated Charcoal should be discarded after the first use.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
Contents of the pack and other information
What Activated Charcoal contains
The active substance is activated charcoal 200 mg/ml The other ingredient is purified water.
What Activated Charcoal looks like and contents of the pack
Plastic bottles with screw cap. Each bottle contains 250 ml (50 g activated charcoal).
Marketing Authorisation Holder:
Teva UK Limited, Castleford, WF10 5HX, United Kingdom
Manufacturer:
Norit Nederland B.V., Mr. Ovingkanaal O.Z.3, 7891 EV Klazienaveen, The Netherlands. This leaflet was last revised in June 2025. PL 00289/1489
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