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Milk of Magnesia is an aqueous suspension of magnesium hydroxide
Magnesium hydroxide

Magnesium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Mg2. As a suspension in water, it may be referred to as Milk of Magnesia....
, Mg
Magnesium

Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, atomic weight 24.3050 and common oxidation number +2.Magnesium, an alkaline earth metal, is the ninth most abundance of the chemical elements in the universe by mass....
(O
Oxygen

Oxygen no O2 produced; 2) O2 produced, but absorbed in oceans & seabed rock; 3) O2 starts to gas out of the oceans, but is absorbed by land surfaces and formation of ozone layer; 4-5) O2 sinks filled and the gas accumulates]]...
H
Hydrogen

Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the chemical symbol H. At standard temperature and pressure, hydrogen is a colorless, odorless, nonmetallic, tasteless, highly combustion and explosive Diatomic molecule gas with the molecular formula H2....
)2 in water. Milk of Magnesia is a saline
Salt

A salt, in chemistry, is defined as the product formed from the neutralisation reaction of acids and base . Salts are ionic compounds composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically electric charge ....
 osmotic
Osmosis

Osmosis is the diffusion of a solvent through a Semipermeable membrane, from a solution of low solute concentration to a solution with high solute concentration , up a solute concentration gradient....
 (hydrating) 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 rectum and bowel examinations, and may be supplemented by enemas in that circumstance....
. The name derives from the suspension's milky white appearance and the magnesium in its composition.

term "Milk of Magnesia" was first used as a white-colored, aqueous, mildly alkaline
Base (chemistry)

In chemistry, a base is most commonly thought of as an aqueous substance that can accept protons. A base is also often referred to as an alkali if OH- ions are involved....
 suspension
Suspension (chemistry)

In chemistry, a suspension is a heterogeneous fluid containing solid particles that are sufficiently large for sedimentation. Usually they must be larger than 1 micrometre....
 of magnesium hydroxide
Magnesium hydroxide

Magnesium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Mg2. As a suspension in water, it may be referred to as Milk of Magnesia....
 formulated at about 8%w/v
Percentage solution

In biology, percentage solutions are often preferred to molar solution solutions. A 1% solution would have 1 g of solute dissolved in a final volume of 100 ml of solution....
 by Charles Henry Phillips
Charles Henry Phillips

Charles Henry Phillips was an England pharmacist who is universally known for his invention Phillips Milk of Magnesia....
 in 1880 and sold under the brand name Phillips' Milk of Magnesia for medicinal usage.






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Milk of Magnesia is an aqueous suspension of magnesium hydroxide
Magnesium hydroxide

Magnesium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Mg2. As a suspension in water, it may be referred to as Milk of Magnesia....
, Mg
Magnesium

Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, atomic weight 24.3050 and common oxidation number +2.Magnesium, an alkaline earth metal, is the ninth most abundance of the chemical elements in the universe by mass....
(O
Oxygen

Oxygen no O2 produced; 2) O2 produced, but absorbed in oceans & seabed rock; 3) O2 starts to gas out of the oceans, but is absorbed by land surfaces and formation of ozone layer; 4-5) O2 sinks filled and the gas accumulates]]...
H
Hydrogen

Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the chemical symbol H. At standard temperature and pressure, hydrogen is a colorless, odorless, nonmetallic, tasteless, highly combustion and explosive Diatomic molecule gas with the molecular formula H2....
)2 in water. Milk of Magnesia is a saline
Salt

A salt, in chemistry, is defined as the product formed from the neutralisation reaction of acids and base . Salts are ionic compounds composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically electric charge ....
 osmotic
Osmosis

Osmosis is the diffusion of a solvent through a Semipermeable membrane, from a solution of low solute concentration to a solution with high solute concentration , up a solute concentration gradient....
 (hydrating) 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 rectum and bowel examinations, and may be supplemented by enemas in that circumstance....
. The name derives from the suspension's milky white appearance and the magnesium in its composition.

History

The term "Milk of Magnesia" was first used as a white-colored, aqueous, mildly alkaline
Base (chemistry)

In chemistry, a base is most commonly thought of as an aqueous substance that can accept protons. A base is also often referred to as an alkali if OH- ions are involved....
 suspension
Suspension (chemistry)

In chemistry, a suspension is a heterogeneous fluid containing solid particles that are sufficiently large for sedimentation. Usually they must be larger than 1 micrometre....
 of magnesium hydroxide
Magnesium hydroxide

Magnesium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Mg2. As a suspension in water, it may be referred to as Milk of Magnesia....
 formulated at about 8%w/v
Percentage solution

In biology, percentage solutions are often preferred to molar solution solutions. A 1% solution would have 1 g of solute dissolved in a final volume of 100 ml of solution....
 by Charles Henry Phillips
Charles Henry Phillips

Charles Henry Phillips was an England pharmacist who is universally known for his invention Phillips Milk of Magnesia....
 in 1880 and sold under the brand name Phillips' Milk of Magnesia for medicinal usage. Although the name may at some point have been owned by GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline

GlaxoSmithKline plc is a United Kingdom-based pharmaceutical industry, biological, and healthcare company. GSK is the world's second largest pharmaceutical company and a research-based company with a wide portfolio of pharmaceutical products covering anti-infectives, central nervous system, respiratory, gastro-intestinal/metabolic,...
, USPTO registrations show "Milk of Magnesia" to be registered to Bayer
Bayer

Bayer Aktiengesellschaft is a Germany chemical industry and pharmaceutical company founded in Barmen, Germany in 1863. Today it is headquartered in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany....
, and "Phillips' Milk of Magnesia" is registered to Sterling Drug
Sterling Drug

Sterling Drug was a global pharmaceutical company based in the United States, later known as Sterling-Winthrop, Inc., whose primary product lines included Radiocontrast, hormonal products, cardiovascular products, analgesics, antihistamines and muscle relaxants....
. In the UK, the non-brand (generic) name of "Milk of Magnesia" and "Phillips' Milk of Magnesia" is "Cream of Magnesia" (Magnesium Hydroxide Mixture, BP).

Pharmaceutical uses


Milks-of-magnesia are sold over-the-counter. They come in chewable-tablet, capsule, and liquid forms, and are also available in different flavors. Physicians recommend taking milk of magnesia with a full glass of juice or water to help with absorption. There are potential reactions with antibiotic
Antibiotic

In common usage, an antibiotic is a substance or compound that kills or inhibits the growth of bacteria. Antibiotics belong to the group of antimicrobial compounds used to treat infections caused by microorganisms, including fungus and protozoa....
s, and a physician should be consulted before ingestion if an individual is pregnant or nursing. Milk of magnesia is primarily used to alleviate constipation
Constipation

Constipation, costiveness, or irregularity, is a condition of the digestive system in which a person experiences hard feces that are difficult to expel....
, but can also be used to relieve indigestion and heartburn
Heartburn

Heartburn or pyrosis is a painful and burning sensation in the esophagus, just below the Sternum usually associated with regurgitation of gastric acid....
. When taken internally by mouth
Mouth

The mouth, buccal cavity, or oral cavity is the first portion of the alimentary canal that receives food and begins digestion by mechanically breaking up the solid food particles into smaller pieces and mixing them with saliva....
 as a 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 rectum and bowel examinations, and may be supplemented by enemas in that circumstance....
, the osmotic
Osmosis

Osmosis is the diffusion of a solvent through a Semipermeable membrane, from a solution of low solute concentration to a solution with high solute concentration , up a solute concentration gradient....
 force of the magnesia suspension
Suspension (chemistry)

In chemistry, a suspension is a heterogeneous fluid containing solid particles that are sufficiently large for sedimentation. Usually they must be larger than 1 micrometre....
 acts to draw fluids from the body and to retain those already within the lumen
Lumen (anatomy)

A lumen in biology is the inside space of a tubular structure, such as an artery or intestine. By extension, a lumen can also be the inside space of a cellular component or structure, such as the endoplasmic reticulum....
 of the intestine
Intestine

In anatomy, the intestine is the segment of the Gastrointestinal tract extending from the stomach to the anus and, in humans and other mammals, consists of two segments, the small intestine and the large intestine....
, serving to distend the bowel, thus stimulating nerves within the colon
Colon (anatomy)

The colon is the last portion of the digestive system in most vertebrates; it extracts water and salt from feces before they are defecation from the body....
 wall, inducing peristalsis
Peristalsis

Peristalsis is the rhythmic contraction of smooth muscles to propel contents through the digestive tract. The word is derived from New Latin and comes from the Greek language peristaltikos, peristaltic, from peristellein, "to wrap around," and stellein, "to place."...
 and resulting in evacuation of colonic
Colon (anatomy)

The colon is the last portion of the digestive system in most vertebrates; it extracts water and salt from feces before they are defecation from the body....
 contents. In years past it was advertised with the following slogan: "Take MOM in the PM, for BM (bowel movement) in the AM." It is also used as an antacid
Antacid

An antacid is any substance, generally a Base or basic salt, which counteracts gastric acid. In other words, antacids are stomach acid neutralization ....
, though more modern formulations combine the antimotility
Motility

Motility is a biology term which refers to the ability to move spontaneously and actively, consuming energy in the process. It can apply to either single-celled or multicellular organisms....
 effects of equal concentrations of aluminum hydroxide to avoid unwanted 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 rectum and bowel examinations, and may be supplemented by enemas in that circumstance....
 effects.

According to MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, milk of magnesia is useful against canker sores (aphthous ulcer) when used topically.

Milk of Magnesia is also used as a folk remedy, topically applied and massaged in (a few minutes before washing/shampooing), to relieve symptoms of seborrhea and dandruff
Dandruff

Dandruff is due to the excessive shedding of dead skin cells from the scalp. As it is normal for skin cell s to die and flake off, a small amount of flaking is normal and in fact quite common....
. The mechanism for its effectiveness in this application, like the causes of seborrhea itself, are at present unknown.

An additional folk use is for the treatment of acne or oily skin by applying topically.

Biological metabolism

When the patient takes the milk of magnesia (orally), the suspension
Suspension (chemistry)

In chemistry, a suspension is a heterogeneous fluid containing solid particles that are sufficiently large for sedimentation. Usually they must be larger than 1 micrometre....
 enters the stomach
Stomach

In most mammals, the stomach is a hollow muscular organ of the gastrointestinal tract involved in the second phase of digestion, following mastication....
. Depending on how much was taken, one of two possible outcomes will occur.

As an antacid
Antacid

An antacid is any substance, generally a Base or basic salt, which counteracts gastric acid. In other words, antacids are stomach acid neutralization ....
, milk of senmicdemagnesia is dosed at approximately 500mg to 1.5g in adults and works by simple neutralization
Neutralization

In chemistry, neutralization is a chemical reaction in which an acid and a base or alkali react to produce salt and water.During the process, hydrogen ions H+ from the acid or a hydronium H3O+ and hydroxide ions OH- or oxide ions O2- from the base react together to form a water mo...
, where the hydroxide
Hydroxide

In chemistry, hydroxide is the name for the Diatomic molecule anion OH-, consisting of oxygen and hydrogen atoms, usually derived from the Dissociation of a base ....
 ion
Ion

An ion is an atom or molecule which has lost or gained one or more electrons, giving it a positive or negative electrical charge. According to the Bohr_model this will be from or in the outer shield 'n'....
s from the Mg(OH)2 combine with acidic
Acid

An acid is traditionally considered any chemical compound that, when dissolved in water, gives a solution with a hydrogen ion Activity greater than in pure water, i.e....
 H+ ion
Ion

An ion is an atom or molecule which has lost or gained one or more electrons, giving it a positive or negative electrical charge. According to the Bohr_model this will be from or in the outer shield 'n'....
s produced in the form of hydrochloric acid by parietal cell
Parietal cell

Parietal cells, or oxyntic cells, are the stomach epithelium cell s that secrete gastric acid and intrinsic factor....
s in the stomach
Stomach

In most mammals, the stomach is a hollow muscular organ of the gastrointestinal tract involved in the second phase of digestion, following mastication....
 to produce water.

As a laxative, milk of magnesia is dosed at 2-5g, and works in a number of ways. First, Mg2+ is poorly absorbed from the intestinal tract, so it draws water from the surrounding tissue by osmosis
Osmosis

Osmosis is the diffusion of a solvent through a Semipermeable membrane, from a solution of low solute concentration to a solution with high solute concentration , up a solute concentration gradient....
. Not only does this increase in water content soften the feces, it also increases the volume of feces in the intestine (intraluminal volume) which naturally stimulates intestinal motility. Furthermore, Mg2+ ions somehow cause the release of CCK
Cholecystokinin

Cholecystokinin is a peptide hormone of the gastrointestinal system responsible for stimulating the digestion of fat and protein. Cholecystokinin, previously called pancreozymin, is synthesised by I-cells in the mucosal epithelium of the small intestine and secreted in the duodenum, the first segment of the small intestine, and ca...
, which causes intraluminal accumulation of water, electrolytes and intestinal motility. Although it has been stated in some sources, the hydroxide ions themselves do not play a significant role in the laxative effects of milk of magnesia, as basic solutions (i.e. solutions of hydroxide ions) are not strongly laxative, and non-basic Mg2+ solutions, like MgSO4, are equally strong laxatives mole
Mole (unit)

The mole is a Units of measurement of amount of substance: it is an SI base unit, and one of the few units used to measure this physical quantity....
 for mole (Tedesco & Di Piro, 1985; Curry, 1983).

Care should be taken with the use of milk of magnesia for either of these purposes, as it can easily cause diarrhea
Diarrhea

In medicine, diarrhea, also spelled diarrhoea , is characterized by frequent loose or liquid bowel movements. The spelling of "diarrhea" is an appropriation of the Greek "diarrhoia" meaning "a flowing through." ....
.

As already stated only a small amount of the magnesium from milk of magnesia is usually absorbed from a person's intestine (unless the person is deficient in magnesium). However, magnesium is mainly excreted by the kidneys so longterm, daily consumption of milk of magnesia by someone suffering from renal failure could lead in theory to hypermagnesemia
Hypermagnesemia

Hypermagnesemia is an electrolyte disturbance in which there is an abnormally elevated level of magnesium in the blood. Usually this results in excess of magnesium in the body....
.

As with any other medication, some people may have adverse reactions
Adverse drug reaction

An adverse drug reaction or adverse drug event is an expression that describes the unwanted, negative consequences associated with the use of given medications....
 to milk of magnesia. These can include weakness, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. High doses increase the likelihood of these reactions. Patients with severe chronic kidney disease
Renal failure

Renal failure or kidney failure is a situation in which the kidneys fail to function adequately. It is divided in acute and chronic forms; either form may be due to a large number of other medical problems....
 are advised to avoid overconsumption of milk of magnesia. Because the kidney functions to excrete magnesium, taking too much would wear out the kidney and lead to toxic levels of magnesium in the blood. Healthy individuals should not use this type of medication continuously for longer than one week, or an excessively harsh laxative effect may result.