Clinical medicine profile
Bisacodyl
Stimulant Laxative [EPC]
- Route
- See product SmPC
- Schedule
- POM
- ATC
- Not assigned
- PPB status
- registered
Safety essentials
The information most likely to change a prescribing or dispensing decision.
Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity to the active substance or excipients.
- Additional absolute contraindications are indication- and product-specific — consult SmPC.
Precautions
- Obtain allergy and medication history.
- Adjust for renal/hepatic impairment, pregnancy, lactation, extremes of age and interacting drugs.
- Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest appropriate duration.
- Monitor for expected class adverse effects.
Dosing matrix
Population and organ-function guidance, shown together for faster comparison.
Directions -detach one suppository from the strip -remove wrapper before inserting into the rectum adults and children 12 years of age and older 1 suppository once daily children 6 to under 12 years 1/2 suppository once daily children under 6 years do not use
See label paediatric section if present; otherwise use paediatric formulary — do not extrapolate adult doses.
Review renal impairment dosing; many agents need CrCl/eGFR adjustment.
- CrCl 0–120: Confirm renal dosing in product SmPC / primary label.
Review hepatic impairment dosing; monitor LFTs if agent is hepatically cleared or hepatotoxic.
Use, effects & interactions
Indications
Directions -detach one suppository from the strip -remove wrapper before inserting into the rectum adults and children 12 years of age and older 1 suppository once daily children 6 to under 12 years 1/2 suppository once daily children under 6 years do not use
Adverse effects
- Excessive bowel activity that may result in diarrhoea, griping, abdominal cramps, electrolytic imbalances, nausea and vomiting.
- Non-functional colon due to the loss of muscle tone.
- Suppository may cause proctitis and inflammation.
Drug interactions
Open multi-drug checker ↗- Professional use: confirm indication, dose, duration, monitoring and patient counselling points against current Kenya STG / EML and the product SmPC.
- Document allergy status and key interactions.
Mechanism & disposition
It stimulates enteric nerves to cause colonic contractions as well as being a contact laxative Mechanism is agent-specific.
Read complete mechanism
It stimulates enteric nerves to cause colonic contractions as well as being a contact laxative Mechanism is agent-specific. At receptor, enzyme, ion channel, transporter or microbial target level, the drug alters a physiological or pathological pathway to produce its therapeutic effect. Confirm precise molecular mechanism in current SmPC / pharmacology reference for this INN before high-stakes decisions.
Product-specific
Product-specific
See product SmPC
are product-specific. Consider food effects, protein binding, hepatic CYP/UGT
when adjusting for organ impairment, age and drug interactions. Verify parameters in the current SmPC.
Pregnancy, lactation & diet
Use only if potential benefit justifies potential risk; prefer agents with better reproductive data when alternatives exist.
Assess infant risk vs benefit of maternal therapy; prefer agents with lactation data.
Brands & loaded prices
| Brand | Manufacturer | Pack | Observed price |
|---|---|---|---|
| BICOLEX | Not recorded | 5MG TABS 100*S | KES 185.97Daima Chemist price-list reference ↗ Source date not recorded · verify current price |
| DULCOLAX | DAIMA BIASHARA / Wholesale Import | TABS 5MG * 30 | KES 411.16Daima Chemist price-list reference ↗ Source date not recorded · verify current price |
Sources & review state
Decision support only. Confirm patient-specific decisions against the current product SmPC, Kenya STG/EML, and professional judgement.