Megalac
Megalac Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Food Interaction and all others data.
Megalac is a buffering antacid that has been used in peptic ulcers and dyspepsia. It is a crystalline polyhydrate of aluminium/magnesium silicate and mediates its buffering activity by binding hydrogen ions within the polymer. However its therapeutic efficacy is not comparable to other approved antacids, as it is no more effective in neutralizing acid and binding bile salts than other conventional antacids .
Given that there are generally more widely available conventional antacids that are just as - if not more - effective than almasilate, almasilate products are only available in certain parts of Europe and/or Asia.
Various non-prescription antacid products are available to the general public to purchase and use as a treatment for relieving the occasional, limited, and non-severe sensation of heartburn (or acid indigestion) that may frequently be associated with stomach indigestion (or dyspepsia) or gastroesophageal reflux disease (when stomach contents may rise back up into the esophagus and cause a taste of acid in the back of the mouth, among other symptoms) .
| Trade Name | Megalac |
| Generic | Almasilate |
| Almasilate Other Names | Almasilate, Almasilato, Almasilatum, Magnesium aluminosilicate hydrate |
| Type | |
| Formula | Al2H2MgO9Si2 |
| Weight | Average: 280.445 Monoisotopic: 279.8718534 |
| Protein binding | Once present in the bloodstream, 60% of aluminum is bound to transferrin proteins, 34% is bound to albumin protein, and the remainder is bound to citrate in the normal human blood serum . Furthermore, 33% of serum magnesium is bound to protein, where approximately 75% of the protein bound fraction of magnesium is bound to albumin and the remaining 25% to globulins . |
| Groups | Approved, Experimental |
| Therapeutic Class | |
| Manufacturer | |
| Available Country | |
| Last Updated: | September 19, 2023 at 7:00 am |
Uses
Megalac is indicated for use as an antacid for the neutralization of excess stomach acid . It is subsequently also used for the symptomatic treatment of diseases where it is necessary to neutralize acid in the stomach, for example, for treating stomach and duodenal ulcers or heartburn and stomach conditions caused by excess stomach acid .
Megalac is also used to associated treatment for these conditions: Acid indigestion, Dyspepsia, Heartburn, Upset stomach
How Megalac works
Megalac is a crystalline polyhydrate of aluminum/magnesium silicate and mediates its buffering activity by binding hydrogen ions within the polymer . Specifically, the aluminosilicate minerals dissolve, and in doing so consume acidic hydrogen ions and release moieties like H4SiO4, Al3+, and other cations, including the magnesium associated with the compound . Megalac consequently contributes to the overall acid-neutralization by consuming acid hydrogen ion in this way . Additionally, aluminum and other metals released from the original compound may also accumulate into secondary aluminum and magnesium based antacid like products that can act as secondary pH buffers .
Toxicity
Readily accessible data regarding the toxicity of almasilate is not available.
Food Interaction
- Take after a meal.
- Take with a full glass of water.
Volume of Distribution
The distribution of aluminum can occur in the bones, lungs, spleen, liver, kidney, nervous tissues, muscles, the blood itself, and the heart . The highest levels of aluminum in mammalian tissues are found in the skeleton, lungs, kidneys, spleen, thyroid, and parathyroid glands .
Conversely, approximately half of the total magnesium in the body is distributed intracellularly in soft tissue and the other half is present in the bones . Less than 1% of the total magnesium content is present in the blood . In pregnant women, apparent volumes of distribution were evidently observed to range from 0.250 to 0.442 L/kg .
Elimination Route
In regards to aluminum-containing antacids like the aluminum-magnesium complex almasilate, it is reported that the bioavailability of ingested aluminum from such antacids is only between 0.01-1% . Additionally, while the optimal absorption of magnesium appears to be in the small intestine and particularly in the ileum and jejunum, with some absorption in the colon, it is believed that the transfer of magnesium from blood to extravascular space is quick and efficient .
Half Life
Readily accessible data regarding the half-life of almasilate is not available.
Clearance
Readily accessible data regarding the clearance of almasilate is not available.
Elimination Route
The routes of excretion of aluminum in the body are mainly from the kidneys, which account for 95% of the elimination . Magnesium is largely excreted in the urine .
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