Simethicone is an oral anti-foaming agent used to reduce bloating

Bloating

Bloating is any abnormal general swelling, or increase in diameter of the abdominal area. As a symptom, the patient feels a full and tight abdomen, which may cause abdominal pain sometimes accompanied by increased borborygmus or more seriously the total lack of borborygmus.-Symptoms:The most common...

, discomfort and pain caused by excess gas in the stomach or intestinal tract. It is a mixture of polydimethylsiloxane

Polydimethylsiloxane

Polydimethylsiloxane belongs to a group of polymeric organosilicon compounds that are commonly referred to as silicones. PDMS is the most widely used silicon-based organic polymer, and is particularly known for its unusual rheological properties. PDMS is optically clear, and, in general, is...

 and silica gel

Silica gel

Silica gel is a granular, vitreous, porous form of silica made synthetically from sodium silicate. Despite its name, silica gel is a solid. It is a naturally occurring mineral that is purified and processed into either granular or beaded form...

.

Chemical action and pharmaceutical effects

Simethicone is an anti-foaming agent that decreases the surface tension

Surface tension

Surface tension is a property of the surface of a liquid that allows it to resist an external force. It is revealed, for example, in floating of some objects on the surface of water, even though they are denser than water, and in the ability of some insects to run on the water surface...

 of gas bubble

Liquid bubble

A bubble is a globule of one substance in another, usually gas in a liquid.Due to the Marangoni effect, bubbles may remain intact when they reach the surface of the immersive substance.-Common examples:...

s, causing them to combine into larger bubbles in the stomach

Stomach

The stomach is a muscular, hollow, dilated part of the alimentary canal which functions as an important organ of the digestive tract in some animals, including vertebrates, echinoderms, insects , and molluscs. It is involved in the second phase of digestion, following mastication .The stomach is...

 that can be passed more easily. Simethicone does not reduce or prevent the formation of gas in the digestive tract

Gastrointestinal tract

The human gastrointestinal tract refers to the stomach and intestine, and sometimes to all the structures from the mouth to the anus. ....

, rather, it increases the rate at which it exits the body. However, simethicone can relieve pain caused by gas in the intestines by decreasing foaming which then allows for passing of flatus

Flatulence

Flatulence is the expulsion through the rectum of a mixture of gases that are byproducts of the digestion process of mammals and other animals. The medical term for the mixture of gases is flatus, informally known as a fart, or simply gas...

. Simethicone is not absorbed by the body into the bloodstream, and is therefore considered relatively safe. National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports there are usually no side effects when Simethicone is taken as directed. Although simethicone has also been promoted as a treatment for colic

Baby colic

Colic is a condition in which an otherwise healthy baby cries or displays symptoms of distress frequently and for extended periods, without any discernible reason...

, randomised controlled trials have not demonstrated efficacy for such use.

Simethicone solutions of differing concentration also have industrial applications for reducing foaming in certain chemical processes.

Dosage

Simethicone comes in many different oral forms, which have differing usual dosages

Effective dose

Effective dose may refer to:*Effective dose the dose of pharmacologic agent which will have a therapeutic effect in some fraction of the population receiving the drug...

. Though there are standard dosages for adults and teens, dosages for children should be determined by a doctor.

• Capsules or tablets:

Adults and teenagers: 60 to 125 milligrams (mg) four times a day, or 180mg twice a day, after meals and at bedtime. No more than 500 mg should be taken in twenty-four hours.

• Chewable tablets:

Adults and teenagers: 40 to 125 mg four times a day, after meals and at bedtime or the dose may be 150 mg three times a day, after meals. No more than 500 mg should be taken in twenty-four hours.

• Suspension:

Adults and teenagers: 40 to 95 mg four times a day, after meals and at bedtime. No more than 500 mg should be taken in twenty-four hours.

• Dissolving membrane:

A thin dissolving membrane dose that is placed on the tongue and dissolves with saliva

Saliva

Saliva , referred to in various contexts as spit, spittle, drivel, drool, or slobber, is the watery substance produced in the mouths of humans and most other animals. Saliva is a component of oral fluid. In mammals, saliva is produced in and secreted from the three pairs of major salivary glands,...

. No more than 500 mg should be taken in twenty-four hours.

Availability

Simethicone is generally available over the counter under many brand names in varying dosage sizes and combinations with other drugs, including:

• Aero-Red (Spain)
• Air-X (Thailand)
• Antacil (Thailand)
• Antiflat (Austria)
• Baby's Own Infant Drops
• Cuplaton (Orion Pharma)
• Deflatine
• De-Gas
• Disflatyl
• Espumisan (Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Poland)
• Flatulex
• Factor AG 200 (Argentina)
• GasAid
• Gascon (Taiwan)
• Gas-Med
• Gas Relief
• Gasvan (Serbia)
• Gas-X
• Gazim X (Israel)
• Genasyme
• Imodium Multi-Symptom Relief (formerly Imodium Advanced)
• Imogas
• Imonogas
• Infacol
  Infacol
  A brand of Simethicone sold in the United Kingdom and other countries in EU. The packet includes a dropper to use to administer the liquid to an infant. Registered under medicine code PL 0108/0100....
  
  
• Infacon
• Kremil-S
• Kupla Stop (Finland)

• Lefax (Germany)
• Little Tummys
• Luftal (Brazil and Mexico)
• Maalox
  Maalox
  Maalox is a brand name antacid containing aluminium hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide to neutralize or reduce stomach acid.Maalox helps relieve symptoms of excessive stomach acidity in patients with indigestion, heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux disease, or stomach or duodenal ulcers. In large...
  
   Anti-Gas
• Maalox Max
• Mag77
• Metsil (Turkey)
• Minifom (Norway, Sweden)
• My Baby Gas Relief Drops
• Mylanta
  Mylanta
  Mylanta is an over the counter antacid medication used for the treatment of acid reflux, heartburn, and gastroesophageal reflux disease .-Ingredients:...
  
   Gas
• Mylanta Gas Relief
• Mylicon Drops
• Mylicongas (Italy)
• Ovol
• Phazyme
• Rolaids
• SAB Simplex
• Siloxogene (India)
• Simeco
• Telament (South Africa)
• Triaerom (Peru)
• WindEze (UK)
• Flatin (HU)
• Refalgin (IT)

Other uses

Simethicone is used in some detergent

Detergent

A detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with "cleaning properties in dilute solutions." In common usage, "detergent" refers to alkylbenzenesulfonates, a family of compounds that are similar to soap but are less affected by hard water...

s when foaming is unwanted.

Simethicone is also used in the fermentation process to reduce the shearing of proteins by agitation.