Methyl Cellulose as a Colloid Laxative.

Abstract

Conclusions

1. Methyl cellulose is a synthetic material having physical and chemical properties which would make it suitable for use as a colloid laxative. 2. Feeding it in a 10% concentration in the diet of rats, so they ingested an average of 11.4 g per kilo daily for 95 days, caused no change in the growth rate of the males, but decreased the growth of females about 14%, apparently as a result of decreased food intake. There were no significant pathological changes in the medicated animals observed at autopsy. 3. In doses of 10 g a day methyl cellulose approximately doubled the volume of the stools and increased their frequency in normal human subjects, a desirable clinical result sought by the use of colloidal laxatives. Each gram of methyl cellulose ingested increased the stools approximately 10 g. 4. Both the toxicological and clinical studies should be extended before a general therapeutic use of the drug as a laxative is approved.