activated charcoal

Therapeutic Classification: antidotes

Pharmacologic Classification: adsorbents

REMS

Acute management of many oral poisonings following emesis/lavage.

Binds drugs and chemicals in the GI tract.

Therapeutic effects:

Decreased intestinal absorption of drugs or chemicals in the overdose situation.

Absorption: None.

Distribution: None.

Metabolism/Excretion: Excreted unchanged in the feces.

Half-Life: Unknown.

(antidote)

ROUTE	ONSET	PEAK	DURATION
PO	within min	unknown	4–12 hr

Contraindicated in:

No known contraindications.

Use Cautiously in:

Poisonings due to cyanide, corrosives, ethanol, methanol, petroleum distillates, organic solvents, mineral acids, or iron;
Endoscopic examination (observation will be obscured).

Drug-drug:

Other drugs including laxatives will be adsorbed by charcoal and as a result will not be systemically absorbed from the GI tract.

Milk, ice cream, or sherbet will decrease the ability of charcoal to absorb other agents.

Antidote

PO (Adults ): 25–100 g (may be repeated q 4–6 hr).
PO (Children 1–12 yr): 25–50 g (may be repeated q 4–6 hr).
PO (Children <1 yr): 1 g/kg (may be repeated q 4–6 hr).

(Generic available)

Powder: 15-; 25- 30-; 40-; 120-; 125-g 240-gOTC containers
Oral suspension: 12.5 g/60 mLOTC; 15 g/72 mLOTC; 15 g/120 mLOTC; 25 g/120 mLOTC; 30 g/120 mLOTC; 50 g/240 mLOTC; 15 g/120 mLOTC; 25 g/125 mLOTC; 50 g/225 mLOTC; 50 g/250 mLOTC
In combination with: sorbitol (Actidose with Sorbitol); Charcoaid; Pediatric Charcodote; Charac-tol; (Charcodote TFS)OTC

Assess neurologic status; administer only if patient is alert (unless airway is protected).
Inquire as to the type of drug or poison and time of ingestion.
Consult reference, poison control center, or physician for symptoms of toxicity of ingested agent(s).
Monitor BP, pulse, respiratory and neurologic status, and urine output as indicated by toxicity of agent(s). Notify physician if symptoms persist or worsen.

Lab Test Considerations:

Chronic use may impair absorption of essential nutrients. This may result in decreased mineral or electrolyte levels.

Treatment of Poisoning: Activated charcoal is most effective if administered within 30 min of ingestion of drug or poison. Dosage may be repeated for drugs subjected to enterohepatic elimination to minimize further absorption.
- If syrup of ipecac is used, administer ipecac first and wait until emesis occurs before administering activated charcoal.
PO: Mix dose in 6–8 oz water; administer as a slurry (unless using suspension with or without sorbitol). Do not administer with milk products (milk, ice cream, or sherbet). May need to be diluted with additional water to be thin enough to administer through a nasogastric tube.
- Shake oral suspension well before administration.
- Rapid ingestion may cause vomiting. If vomiting occurs shortly after administering dose, confer with physician about repeating dose.
- Do not administer other oral drugs for 2 hr before or after administering activated charcoal.
- Slurry is constipating; physician may order a laxative to speed removal of the drug. May not be required with products containing sorbitol.

Inform patient that stools will turn black.
Poisoning: When counseling, discuss methods of prevention, need to confer with poison control center, physician, or emergency department before administering, and need to bring ingested substance to emergency department for identification.

Prevention or resolution of toxic effects of ingested agent.

Acta-Char Liquid-A, Actidose-Aqua, CharcoAid 2000, Insta-Char, Insta-Char Aqueous Suspension, Liqui-Char, SuperChar Aqueous

Aqueous Charcodote, Charac-50, Charcodote

NDC Code

0220- Boiron
- 0220-1158- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 0220-1158-41- 80 PELLET in 1 TUBE (0220-1158-41)

0220- Boiron
- 0220-1168- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 0220-1168-41- 5 [hp_C] in 1 TUBE (0220-1168-41)

0220- Boiron
- 0220-1169- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 0220-1169-41- 6 [hp_C] in 1 TUBE (0220-1169-41)

0220- Boiron
- 0220-1172- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 0220-1172-41- 9 [hp_C] in 1 TUBE (0220-1172-41)

0220- Boiron
- 0220-1173- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 0220-1173-41- 12 [hp_C] in 1 TUBE (0220-1173-41)

0220- Boiron
- 0220-1176- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 0220-1176-41- 15 [hp_C] in 1 TUBE (0220-1176-41)

0220- Boiron
- 0220-1177- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 0220-1177-41- 30 [hp_C] in 1 TUBE (0220-1177-41)

0220- Boiron
- 0220-1196- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 0220-1196-41- 200 [kp_C] in 1 TUBE (0220-1196-41)

0220- Boiron
- 0220-1197- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 0220-1197-41- 1 [hp_M] in 1 TUBE (0220-1197-41)

0220- Boiron
- 0220-1200- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 0220-1200-41- 12 [hp_X] in 1 TUBE (0220-1200-41)

0220- Boiron
- 0220-1201- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 0220-1201-41- 30 [hp_X] in 1 TUBE (0220-1201-41)

0395- Humco Holding Group. Inc.
- 0395-0527- Humco Charcoal Activated
  - 0395-0527-91- 28 g in 1 BOTTLE, PLASTIC (0395-0527-91)

0395- Humco Holding Group. Inc.
- 0395-0527- Humco Charcoal Activated
  - 0395-0527-98- 227 g in 1 BOTTLE, PLASTIC (0395-0527-98)

0574- Paddock Laboratories, LLC
- 0574-0120- Actidose
  - 0574-0120-04- 120 mL in 1 BOTTLE (0574-0120-04)

0574- Paddock Laboratories, LLC
- 0574-0120- Actidose
  - 0574-0120-08- 240 mL in 1 BOTTLE (0574-0120-08)

0574- Paddock Laboratories, LLC
- 0574-0120- Actidose
  - 0574-0120-74- 120 mL in 1 TUBE (0574-0120-74)

0574- Paddock Laboratories, LLC
- 0574-0120- Actidose
  - 0574-0120-76- 240 mL in 1 TUBE (0574-0120-76)

0574- Paddock Laboratories, LLC
- 0574-0121- Actidose Aqua
  - 0574-0121-04- 120 mL in 1 BOTTLE (0574-0121-04)

0574- Paddock Laboratories, LLC
- 0574-0121- Actidose Aqua
  - 0574-0121-08- 240 mL in 1 BOTTLE (0574-0121-08)

0574- Paddock Laboratories, LLC
- 0574-0121- Actidose Aqua
  - 0574-0121-25- 72 mL in 1 TUBE (0574-0121-25)

0574- Paddock Laboratories, LLC
- 0574-0121- Actidose Aqua
  - 0574-0121-74- 120 mL in 1 TUBE (0574-0121-74)

0574- Paddock Laboratories, LLC
- 0574-0121- Actidose Aqua
  - 0574-0121-76- 240 mL in 1 TUBE (0574-0121-76)

0574- Paddock Laboratories, LLC
- 0574-0122- EZ Char
  - 0574-0122-25- 25 g in 1 BOTTLE (0574-0122-25)

51662- HF Acquisition Co LLC, DBA HealthFirst
- 51662-1200- ACTIVATED CHARCOAL
  - 51662-1200-1- 129 mL in 1 TUBE (51662-1200-1)

54973- Hyland's
- 54973-0610- CARBO VEG
  - 54973-0610-4- 250 TABLET in 1 BOTTLE, PLASTIC (54973-0610-4)

54973- Hyland's
- 54973-2910- CARBO VEG
  - 54973-2910-4- 250 TABLET in 1 BOTTLE, PLASTIC (54973-2910-4)

68428- Washington Homeopathic Products
- 68428-039- Carbo Vegetabilis Kit Refill
  - 68428-039-01- 750 PELLET in 1 VIAL, GLASS (68428-039-01)

68428- Washington Homeopathic Products
- 68428-089- Carbo Vegetabilis Kit Refill
  - 68428-089-01- 750 PELLET in 1 VIAL, GLASS (68428-089-01)

68428- Washington Homeopathic Products
- 68428-287- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 68428-287-03- 75 PELLET in 1 VIAL, GLASS (68428-287-03)

68428- Washington Homeopathic Products
- 68428-287- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 68428-287-05- 150 PELLET in 1 VIAL, GLASS (68428-287-05)

68428- Washington Homeopathic Products
- 68428-287- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 68428-287-06- 1200 PELLET in 1 BOTTLE, GLASS (68428-287-06)

68428- Washington Homeopathic Products
- 68428-287- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 68428-287-11- 300 PELLET in 1 BOTTLE, GLASS (68428-287-11)

68428- Washington Homeopathic Products
- 68428-287- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 68428-287-12- 600 PELLET in 1 BOTTLE, GLASS (68428-287-12)

71919- Washington Homeopathic Products
- 71919-163- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 71919-163-07- 15 mL in 1 VIAL, GLASS (71919-163-07)

71919- Washington Homeopathic Products
- 71919-163- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 71919-163-08- 30 mL in 1 VIAL, GLASS (71919-163-08)

71919- Washington Homeopathic Products
- 71919-163- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 71919-163-09- 50 mL in 1 BOTTLE, GLASS (71919-163-09)

71919- Washington Homeopathic Products
- 71919-163- Carbo vegetabilis
  - 71919-163-10- 100 mL in 1 BOTTLE, GLASS (71919-163-10)

76472- HBC NATURALS INC
- 76472-1139- Carbo Vegetabilis 30c
  - 76472-1139-1- 80 PELLET in 1 CYLINDER (76472-1139-1)

section name header

Classifications ⬇

Indications ⬆ ⬇

Action ⬆ ⬇

Pharmacokinetics ⬆ ⬇

Time/Action Profile ⬆ ⬇

Contraind./Precautions ⬆ ⬇

Adv. Reactions/Side Effects ⬆ ⬇

Interactions ⬆ ⬇

Route/Dosage ⬆ ⬇

Availability ⬆ ⬇

Assessment ⬆ ⬇

Implementation ⬆ ⬇

Patient/Family Teaching ⬆ ⬇

Evaluation/Desired Outcomes ⬆ ⬇

US Brand Names ⬆ ⬇

Canadian Brand Names ⬆ ⬇

Code ⬆