Osmotic laxative
Macrogol 3350
Brand names: Movicol, Laxido, Cosmocol
Adult dose
Dose: Constipation: 1–3 sachets/day in divided doses. Faecal impaction: 8 sachets/day for up to 3 days, dissolved in 1 litre of water
Route: PO
Frequency: OD-TDS
Paediatric dose
Route: PO
Frequency: divided
Age bands
- 12–24m: 1–4 paediatric sachets/day
- 24–144m: 1–4 paediatric sachets/day; up to 12 sachets for impaction
Use Movicol Paediatric Plain in children <12
Clinical pearls
- First-line laxative for constipation in adults and children
- Faecal impaction: high-dose 'disimpaction regimen' over 3 days
Contraindications
- Bowel obstruction/perforation
- Toxic megacolon
- Severe inflammatory bowel disease
- Ileus
Side effects
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating
- Nausea
- Electrolyte disturbance (rare with proper hydration)
Reference: BNFc; BNF; NICE CG99/CKS; https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/macrogol-3350/. Verify against your local formulary and the latest BNF before prescribing.
Related
Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.
Calculators
Drugs
Pathways
- Lower Gastrointestinal Bleed · BSG 2019; NICE NG141
- Variceal Upper GI Bleed · BSG 2015; Baveno VII (2022)
- Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis (SBP) · BSG / EASL 2018
- Hepatorenal Syndrome · EASL 2018; ICA 2015
- Hepatic Encephalopathy · EASL 2014; West Haven criteria
- Clostridioides difficile Colitis · NICE NG199 (2021); IDSA/SHEA 2021