Antispasmodic (Direct-Acting) Pregnancy: Mebeverine is NOT recommended during pregnancy — there are no or limited data from use in pregnant women and animal studies are insufficient with respect to reproductive toxicity. Mebeverine should NOT be used during breast-feeding — it is unknown whether mebeverine or its metabolites are excreted in human milk and excretion in milk has not been studied in animals. There are no clinical fertility data, but animal studies do not indicate harmful effects.

Mebeverine Hydrochloride

Brand names: Colofac, Colofac MR

Mebeverine is an antispasmodic used to relieve the cramping abdominal pain and spasm of irritable bowel syndrome and related gastrointestinal disorders.

Auto-extracted from the source labelling — not yet independently clinician-verified. These values were distilled from the UK SPC (or the US label where noted) but have not had a clinician sign-off. Confirm against the current SmPC before prescribing.

Adult dose

Dose: One 135 mg film-coated tablet three times a day, preferably 20 minutes before meals

Route: Oral — swallow the film-coated tablets with a sufficient amount of water (at least 100 ml); tablets should not be chewed because of the unpleasant taste

Frequency: Three times a day

Adults, including the elderly. Strength is that of the fetched product, 'Mebeverine hydrochloride 135 mg Film-coated Tablets'; no maximum daily dose is stated in §4.2. Duration of use is not limited. After a period of several weeks, when the desired effect has been obtained, the dosage may be gradually reduced. If one or more doses are missed, the patient should continue with the next dose as prescribed — the missed dose(s) should not be taken in addition to the regular dose. Paediatric: these 135 mg tablets are NOT recommended for use in children and adolescents below 18 years due to insufficient data on safety and efficacy; no paediatric dose is stated. Special populations: no posology studies have been performed in elderly patients or in renal and/or hepatic impairment; no specific risk was identified from available post-marketing data and no dosage adjustment is deemed necessary. Excipients: contains lactose — patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, total lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption should not take this medicine. Note: this id duplicates 'mebeverine-hydrochloride' — both resolve to the same eMC SPC (medicines.org.uk/emc/product/101109); consider deduplicating the two pages.

Dose adjustments

Renal

No posology studies have been performed in patients with renal and/or hepatic impairment; no specific risk could be identified from available post-marketing data and no dosage adjustment is deemed necessary.

Dose auto-extracted from UK Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) via the eMC — not yet clinician-verified. Always confirm against the product SmPC and your local formulary before prescribing.

Contraindications

Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients

Side effects

Hypersensitivity, including anaphylactic reactions (frequency not known — spontaneous post-marketing reports)
Urticaria
Angioedema
Face oedema
Exanthema (allergic reactions are mainly, but not exclusively, limited to the skin)

Interactions

No interaction studies have been performed except with alcohol — in vitro and in vivo animal studies demonstrated the absence of any interaction between mebeverine hydrochloride and ethanol

Clinical monograph

How it works

It is a direct relaxant of gastrointestinal smooth muscle, easing spasm without the systemic antimuscarinic effects seen with anticholinergic antispasmodics.

Prescribing in practice

Avoid in paralytic ileus.
It has few systemic effects, which makes it a useful option where anticholinergic burden is a concern.
It is usually taken before meals.

Monitoring

No specific laboratory monitoring is needed; review symptom control and reconsider the diagnosis if pain persists or alarm features develop.

Counselling the patient

Take this medicine before your meals.
It works on the gut to ease cramping pain and spasm.
Tell your doctor if your symptoms change or do not improve.

Evidence & guidelines

An established option for IBS-related abdominal pain in NICE guidance on irritable bowel syndrome.

Reference: NICE CG61 Irritable Bowel Syndrome; Drug verified in RxNorm (NLM); confirm dosing against the manufacturer SPC (eMC). Verify against your local formulary and current prescribing references before prescribing. The structured dose values shown have been reviewed by a clinician. Monograph status: clinician-reviewed (2026-07-04).

Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.

Calculators

DOAC Score for Selecting Direct Oral Anticoagulant in Non-Valvular AF · Anticoagulation

Pathways