Magnesium phosphate
Encyclopedia
Magnesium phosphate is a general term for salts of magnesium
and phosphate
appearing in three forms:
Various forms have been used as laxative
s and antacid
s.
, or GRAS, list of substances.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and common oxidation number +2. It is an alkaline earth metal and the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and ninth in the known universe as a whole...
and phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
appearing in three forms:
- Magnesium phosphate monobasic (Mg(H2PO4)2)
- Magnesium phosphate dibasic (MgHPO4)
- Magnesium phosphate tribasic (Mg3(PO4)2)
Various forms have been used as laxative
Laxative
Laxatives are foods, compounds, or drugs taken to induce bowel movements or to loosen the stool, most often taken to treat constipation. Certain stimulant, lubricant, and saline laxatives are used to evacuate the colon for rectal and/or bowel examinations, and may be supplemented by enemas under...
s and antacid
Antacid
An antacid is a substance which neutralizes stomach acidity.-Mechanism of action:Antacids perform a neutralization reaction, increasing the pH to reduce acidity in the stomach. When gastric hydrochloric acid reaches the nerves in the gastrointestinal mucosa, they signal pain to the central nervous...
s.
Safety
Magnesium phosphate dibasic and tribasic are listed on the FDA's Generally recognized as safeGenerally recognized as safe
Generally recognized as safe is an American Food and Drug Administration designation that a chemical or substance added to food is considered safe by experts, and so is exempted from the usual Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act food additive tolerance requirements.-History:On January 1, 1958,...
, or GRAS, list of substances.