Summary
This review examines anti-flatulence medications, especially simethicone, focusing on comparing the safety and efficacy of simethicone with other drugs and methods, including Western medicine, traditional medicine, and folk remedies worldwide. Simethicone is a silicone compound that works by reducing the surface tension of gas bubbles in the digestive tract, helping to easily expel excess gas without absorption into the body, thus very safe with few side effects. Other medications such as combinations of simethicone with activated charcoal, probiotics, or traditional herbal medicines are also evaluated for effectiveness and safety. Non-medication approaches like dietary adjustments and folk remedies are also applied and play a supportive role in controlling flatulence.
1. Overview of Anti-Flatulence Medications
Anti-flatulence medications are drugs and measures aimed at reducing discomfort caused by gas accumulation in the digestive tract. Besides simethicone, there are drugs combined with activated charcoal, probiotics, or others that reduce gas formation or help absorb excess gas. Simethicone has been FDA approved since 1952, is not absorbed into the bloodstream, making it very safe, used at various doses for adults and children with few serious side effects. Other drugs like Bisacodyl and Lactulose, mainly laxatives, indirectly reduce flatulence by improving bowel motility. The simethicone-activated charcoal combination (Carbosylane) has shown significantly better improvement than placebo on symptoms of bloating and abdominal distension.[1][2][3]
2. Simethicone - Characteristics and Notable Effects
Simethicone is a non-absorbable surfactant that reduces the surface tension of gas bubbles, causing them to coalesce and be easily expelled through flatulence or belching. It does not reduce gas production but relieves discomfort caused by gastrointestinal gas. Recent studies show simethicone effectively reduces symptoms of bloating, indigestion, flatulence, and postprandial abdominal pain. Simethicone is available as tablets, capsules, chewables, or liquids, sold over the counter and widely used worldwide. It is very safe, not systemically absorbed, with no serious side effects, and can be used in pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and young children. Mild side effects like diarrhea or nausea are very rare.[1][3][8][12]
3. Other Anti-Flatulence Drugs and Methods
Besides simethicone, activated charcoal (e.g., Carbosylane) helps absorb excess gas and other toxins, significantly enhancing symptom relief compared to simethicone alone. Probiotics, especially when combined with Bacillus coagulans and simethicone, reduce flatulence and support gut microbiota balance, improving digestive function and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms. Laxatives (Bisacodyl, Lactulose) regulate bowel movements and reduce constipation, thus indirectly decreasing gas accumulation. Traditional medicine uses herbs like ginger, fennel, Egyptian fennel, coriander seeds, anise seeds, eucalyptus oil... which have antispasmodic, anti-flatulent, and digestive-supporting properties proven by modern research and long-standing practice in Southeast Asia and the Middle East.[2][3][4][14]
4. Non-Medication Methods and Global Folk Remedies
Dietary habit adjustments highly valued in flatulence control include thorough chewing, eating slowly, avoiding overeating, avoiding drinking cold water or beverages during meals, not eating multiple food types simultaneously, and avoiding gas-producing foods like beans, cruciferous vegetables, fatty foods, and carbonated drinks. Additionally, folk remedies using herbal teas (ginger, peppermint, chamomile), acupressure, acupuncture, and cupping therapy are applied regionally.[4][10][11]
5. Comparison of Simethicone with Other Anti-Flatulence Drugs on Safety and Efficacy
🔹 Simethicone's advantage lies in its non-absorbability, very high safety, suitable for all populations, and few side effects; its action mainly reduces symptoms by breaking gas bubbles without affecting gastrointestinal physiological processes. [1][8][14]
🔹 The combination of activated charcoal with simethicone shows more significant symptom improvement than simethicone alone but requires further evaluation for safety and appropriate dosage.[2][13]
🔹 Probiotics serve as a good supportive choice, especially for flatulence caused by gut microbiota disorders, with effectiveness depending on the probiotic strain and combinations with other drugs.[3]
🔹 Laxatives and other stimulant medications also play a role in gas reduction through regulating bowel motility but may cause side effects such as abdominal pain and diarrhea. [12]
🔹
Traditional
herbal methods provide additional benefits, particularly safe when used
correctly in dosage; however, more modern studies are needed to standardize and
compare their efficacy with Western medicines. [4][12]
MAIN REFERENCES
1. Ingold CJ. Simethicone - StatPearls. NCBI Bookshelf. 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555997/
2. Lecuyer M, Cousin T, Monnot MN, Coffin B. Efficacy of an activated charcoal-simethicone combination in dyspeptic syndrome: a randomized prospective study. Gastroenterol Clin Biol. 2009. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19349130/
3. Colinox clinical trial on simethicone with Bacillus coagulans for IBS. PMC. 2013. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24867512/
4. Larijani B et al. Prevention and Treatment of Flatulence From Traditional Persian Medicine Perspective. Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2016. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4893422/
5. Burta O et al. Efficacy and safety of APT036 versus simethicone in functional bloating. Transl Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468896718300581
OTHER REFERENCES
6. WebMD - Simethicone (Mylicon, Gas-X) uses and side effects. 2025. https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-341-8265/simethicone-oral/simethicone-oral/details
7. NHS - About simeticone. 2025. https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/simeticone/about-simeticone/
8. Mayo Clinic - Simethicone Side effects & dosage. 2025. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/simethicone-oral-route/description/drg-20068838
9. ScienceDirect - Overview of Simethicone. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/simethicone
10. Healthline - Trapped Gas Remedies. 2019. https://www.healthline.com/health/immediate-relief-for-trapped-gas-home-remedies-and-prevention-tips
11. Vinmec - How to treat excessive flatulence. 2024. https://www.vinmec.com/eng/blog/how-to-cure-a-lot-of-farting-and-bad-smell-en
12. https://consensus.app/questions/simethicone-efficacy-for-gas-relief/
13. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21478070/
14. https://www.pharmacist.com/Blogs/CEO-Blog/beat-the-bloat-and-gas