[Acid-neutralizing capacity of over-the-counter gastrointestinal medications]

Abstract

There is little information regarding the acid-neutralizing capacity of over-the-counter (OTC) gastrointestinal medicines. In this study, we assessed the acid-neutralizing capacity of OTC and prescribed gastrointestinal drugs based on the Japanese Pharmacopoeia 16th Edition. The acid-neutralizing capacity of the OTC drugs was calculated using experimental results for the crude materials found in the prescribed drugs based on OTC antacid quantity. The measured acid-neutralizing capacities of the OTC drugs agreed with the respective calculated values. These results indicate that the acid-neutralizing capacity of OTC drugs labeled as an antacid without information on their capacity can be estimated based on the quantity and capacity of the antacid components.