Simeticone

Simeticone (INN), also known as simethicone (USAN), is an anti-foaming agent used to reduce bloating, discomfort or pain caused by excessive gas.

Medical uses
Simeticone is used to relieve the symptoms of excessive gas in the gastrointestinal tract, namely bloating, burping, and flatulence. While there is a lack of conclusive evidence that simeticone is effective for this use,⁣ studies have shown that it can relieve symptoms of functional dyspepsia and functional bloating.

It has not been fully established that simeticone is useful to treat colic in babies, and it is not recommended for this purpose. A study in the United Kingdom reported that according to parental perception simeticone helped infant colic in some cases.

Simeticone can also be used for suspected postoperative abdominal discomfort in infants.

Side effects
Simeticone does not have any serious side effects. Two uncommon side effects (occurring in 1 in 100 to 1 in 1,000 patients) are constipation and nausea.

Pharmacology
Simeticone is a non-systemic surfactant which decreases the surface tension of gas bubbles in the GI tract. This allows gas bubbles to leave the GI tract as flatulence or belching. Simeticone does not reduce or prevent the formation of gas. Its effectiveness has been shown in several in vitro studies.

Chemistry
Simeticone is a mixture of dimethicone and silicon dioxide.

Names
The INN name is "simeticone", which was added to the INN recommended list in 1999.

Simeticone is marketed under many brand names and in many combination drugs; it is also marketed as a veterinary drug.

Brand names include A.F., Acid Off, Aero Red, Aero-OM, Aero-Sim, Aerocol, Aerox, Aesim, Aflat, Air-X, Anaflat, Antiflat, Baby Rest, Bicarsim, Bicarsim Forte, Blow-X, Bobotic, Bobotik, Carbogasol, Colic E, Colin, Cuplaton, Degas, Dentinox, Dermatix, Digesta, Dimetikon Meda, Disflatyl, Disolgas, Elugan N, Elzym, Endo-Paractol, Enterosilicona, Espaven Antigas, Espumisan, Espumisan L, Flacol, Flapex, Flatidyl, Flatoril, Flatulex, Flucolic, Gas X, Gas-X, Gaselab, Gaseoflat, Gaseoflatex, Gaseophar, Gaseoplus, Gaseovet, Gaservol, Gasimetin, Gasnil, Gasofilm, Gastrex, Gastrosen, Gazim X, Gazix, Geludrox-HS, Genasyme, Ilio-Funkton, Imogas, Imogaze, Imonogas, Infacalm, Infacol, Infacolic, Lefax, Lefaxin, Lefoam, Logastin, Luftal, Maxi Flat, Meteosim, Metiorisan, Metsil, Mylanta, Mylicon, Mylicongas, Mylom, Mymus, Nanog, Neodrop, Neogasol, Neolanta, Orocure, Ovol, Pedicon, Phazin, Phazyme, Restime, Rugby Gas Relief, Sab Simplex, Salinal, Semecon, Semeth, Sicongast, Siflat, Silbione, Siligas, Silipin, Sim, Simcone, Simecon, Simecrin, Simedill, Simegut, Simet, Simethicon, Simethicone, Simetic, Simeticon, Simeticona, Simeticone, Siméticone, Simeticonum, Simetigast, Simflat, Simicol, Simicon, Wilcon, Wind-eze and WindSetlers.

It is also marketed as a combination drug:
 * with algeldrate as Kestomatine
 * with aluminium or magnesium salts and in some cases both, as Alamag Plus, Almacone, Alposim, Aluphagel, Alutop, Amico-L Andursil, Axcel Eviline, Boots Wind Relief, Di-Gel, Diovol Plus, Diovol Plus AF, Gas Ban DS, Hydrosil, Iosopan Plus, Kremil, Kremil-S, Maalox Plus, Mi-Acid, Mygel, Mylagen, Polysilane Delalande, Rumibex and Trial AG
 * with alverine as Avarin, Meteospasmyl, Nady-Spasmyl
 * with barium sulfate as Bario Dif
 * with bismuth as Gastop
 * with calcium carbonate as Flamints, Gaseoflatex Plus, Malugel, Titralac Plus
 * with activated charcoal as Carbosylane, Clingest, Finigax. Flatuna
 * with cinitapride as Rogastril Plus
 * with clebopride as Flatoril
 * with dicycloverine as Cloact, Colicspam, Colimix, Colispas, Coliza-D, Cyclopam, Fri-Spas, Meftal Spas, Respas, Simcomine, Spasact, Spasmindon DPS
 * with domperidone as Bigetric, Dom Simecon, Doprokin-S, Glomoti, Moperidona AF, Mutecium, Praxis
 * with hydrotalcite as Altacide and Talsil Forte
 * with homatropine as Aero-Sim Compuesto, Asestor, Factor AG, Sedotropina Flat
 * with lactulose as Dinolak
 * with levonorgestrel as Jaydess
 * with loperamide as Eldoper Plus, Imodium Duo, Imolopesim, Loperamide HCl/Dimeticon, Loperuma, Lositala, Losiwuto, Regulane AF, Stoperan Plus, Toban F Plus
 * with magaldrate as Aci Basic, Aci-Tip, Acicone-S, Acid-Farvet, Acifin, Amalset, Antiax, Asidrat, Assis, Avicid, Banacid-s, Buenox, Cremalon, Curecid, Digax, Digeril, Endcid, Gaseovet MS, Gastrine, Gastrogel, Gastroral, Gastrorapid, Magacid, Magal-D, Magalat, Magaldrato+Simeticona, Magaldrax, Maganta Plus, Magsilon, Marlox Plus, Megacil Plus, Megalrat Plus, Minicidez, Miopan Plus, Novelta, Oxecone-MS, Riopan Plus, Rolac Plus, Sedo Mag, Simagal, Simelgat Plus, Taimacon, Zymcon
 * with metoclopramide as Anaflat Compuesto, Di-Aero OM, Digespar, Factorine, Pangastren
 * with mosapride as M-Pride-MPS, Moxar, Moza MPS
 * with pancreatin as Anaflat Enzimático, Digenil, Digesflat, Enzym Lefax, Enzymet, Enzymin, fermento duodenal, Finigax Indigestion, Flaton, Flazymec, Gasflat, Gaszym, Gesdyp, Hazmolin, Komflat, MeteoZym, Pankreoflat, Tripanzym
 * with papaverine as Espasmo Siligas
 * with pinaverium as Alevian Duo, Pladuet, Planex
 * with pipenzolate bromide as Cadinol, Gasorbol Gotas
 * with phloroglucinol as Meteoxane
 * with trimebutine as Eumotil-S, Eumotrix Plus, Libertrim SDP, Libertrim SII, Muvett S
 * with urea as Hidribet.

It is also marketed as a veterinary drug under the brands Birp and Methysilox.