Dioctahedral smectite (Smecta®)

What is this medication for?

Dioctahedral smectite is used to treat:

• Acute diarrhoea in adults
• Persistent diarrhea in adults
• Acute diarrhoea in children 2 years and above, in addition to oral rehydration 

It works by forming a protective layer in your stomach and intestine walls, making them stronger against harmful agents.

Diarrhoea can cause loss of fluids and salts from the body, and taking this medication on its own does not replace the fluid and salt loss. Ensure you continue to take sufficient fluid and oral rehydration salts to prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.

How should I take or use this medication?

• Take this medication with or without food.
• This medication may affect how other medications are absorbed. If you are taking other medications, please space them apart for at least 2 hours.

How to prepare and take dioctahedral smectite:

• For adults: Stir the contents of one sachet thoroughly in 50 ml of water before taking.
• For children (2 years and above): The contents of the sachet can be added and thoroughly stirred in a feeding bottle with 50 ml of water, to be given during the day, or thoroughly mixed with a semi-liquid food such as broth, stewed fruit, mashed vegetables or baby food.

Note: Dioctahedral smectite should not be used in infants and children under 2 years of age. 

What should I do if I forget to take or use this medication?

This medication may be taken when required for a short period of time. This means that you may stop taking the medication when you no longer have symptoms.

What precautions should I take when taking or using this medication?

Inform your healthcare professional if:

• You are allergic to this medication or any of the other ingredients of this medication.
• You are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. It is not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding as there is not enough experience with such use.
• You are taking any other medications, including supplements, traditional medications and herbal remedies.
• You have fructose intolerance (a condition where you are unable to break down a sugar known as fructose), glucose and galactose malabsorption (a condition where the body cannot absorb glucose and galactose), or sucrase-isomaltase insufficiency (a rare condition which affects your body's ability to break down certain sugars), as this medication contains glucose and saccharine and should not be used in these conditions.

In children 2 years and above, acute diarrhoea should be treated together with early oral rehydration to avoid dehydration. Long-term use of dioctahedral smectite should be avoided.

If your symptoms do not improve within 7 days, consult your doctor.

If you have any questions about this medication, please discuss with your healthcare professional.

What are some common side effects of this medication? ​

Generally, the medication is well-tolerated. 

What are some rare but serious side-effects that I need to seek medical advice immediately? 

Very rarely, constipation (difficulty in passing stools) or worsening of constipation may occur. If this happens, inform your healthcare professional.

The symptoms of a drug allergy include one or more of the following:

• Swollen face/eyes/lips/tongue
• Difficulty in breathing
• Itchy skin rashes over your whole body

If you experience any of these symptoms, you should stop your medication and see your healthcare professional immediately.  

You can also find out about drug allergies by watching these videos:

For videos in 中文, Melayu and தமிழ், click here.

What food or medication should I avoid when I take or use this medication?

As dioctahedral smectite may affect how other medications are absorbed by the body, avoid taking other medications at the same time as this medication. If you are taking other medications, please ensure that you space apart the administration with other medications for at least 2 hours.

How should I store this medication?

Store in a cool and dry place, at or below 25°C. Keep this medication away from children. 

How do I throw away this medication safely? ​

Pack this medication into a black trash bag and seal it tightly before throwing into the rubbish chute or bin.