Activated charcoal
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Activated charcoal
Activated charcoal is powdered charcoal that has no odor or flavor and is a common antidote used in hospitals for certain ingested poisons. It helps prevent the absorption of many poisons from the gastrointestinal tract but does not significantly impair the absorption of other poisons, such as alcohols, cyanides, iron and other metals, corrosives, and most types of pesticides.
While activated charcoal may be a useful addition to a household emergency kit as an antidote to accidental poisonings in small children, it should only be used when specified by a Poison Control Center or a health professional.
Activated charcoal can be purchased at pharmacies.
Credits
| Author | Jeannette Curtis |
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman, MATC |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Last Updated | May 25, 2007 |
| Last updated: | May 25, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Reviewed By: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC |
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