RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Hydrotalcite (altacite)
JF Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin
JO Drug Ther Bull
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 71
OP 71
DO 10.1136/dtb.13.18.71
VO 13
IS 18
YR 1975
UL http://dtb.bmj.com/content/13/18/71.abstract
AB Hydrotalcite (Altacite - Roussel) is synthetic aluminium magnesium hydroxide carbonate hydrate which also occurs naturally as a crystalline mineral. It is promoted for the treatment of ‘acid-pepsin’ disease, that is peptic ulceration, gastritis, dyspepsia, hyperacidity and heartburn associated with reflux oesophagitis and hiatus hernia. It is claimed that hydrotalcite reduces pepsin activity by maintaining the pH of gastric contents at levels between 4 and 5 and by precipitating and adsorbing pepsin. In vitro it has a buffering effect between pH 3 and 5. Other aluminium-based antacids, e. g. aluminium hydroxide are also said to reduce pepsin activity, but whether hydrotalcite is more effective is not known.