Activated Charcoal is being used since earlier times, as early as 3750 B.C. Since then activated charcoal has being used in various applications like Water treatment, Embalming, healthcare and beauty products. The cosmetic industry uses activated charcoal to a large extent. However, this is not the only application it is being used widely in healthcare sector too. This report studies a brief about activated charcoal and how it helps in treatment of patients suffering from overdose.

Activated Charcoal history and preparation process

Further during the 1700s, various adsorbent features of charcoal were described and in the beginning of 1800 it was first use

Activated Charcoal is being used since earlier times, as early as 3750 B.C. Since then activated charcoal has being used in various applications like Water treatment, Embalming, healthcare and beauty products. The cosmetic industry uses activated charcoal to a large extent. However, this is not the only application it is being used widely in healthcare sector too. This report studies a brief about activated charcoal and how it helps in treatment of patients suffering from overdose.

Activated Charcoal history and preparation process

Further during the 1700s, various adsorbent features of charcoal were described and in the beginning of 1800 it was first used in clinical applications. Early investigators have indicated efficiency of charcoal in helping solving clinical effects. It has been used in Healthcare since 1831 and has no side effects from strychnine owing to the continuous ingestion of charcoal.

At the same time, the American physician Hort, saved the life of a patient by governing oral charcoal. The patient had ingested mercury bichloride. Over the next one and half century, use of charcoal further grew, cleansed and stimulated to progress its adsorptive powers. Various studies have been written about the various features and clinical benefits of charcoal. In spite of the various benefits the adaption of activated charcoal across industries is slower.

Activated charcoal is prepared by one of the various carbon-containing material types for example Wood pulp with a low ash, rye starch and coal. Once the pure carbon or in other words Charcoal is obtained with the help of chemical process it is further broken into granular form. Further activation is done post treatment with oxygen, steam, acids and various other chemicals and removing of impurities in the process. This results in the final output of activated charcoal with a surface area of about 1000 m2/gram. Activated charcoal absorbs almost all types of toxins and drugs, but not the compounds.

Activated Charcoal in Treatment

Since almost more than one and half century poisoned patients are being treated with charcoal which is currently being overtaken by the importance of treating poisoned patients first with gastric emptying. Activated charcoal is often used in the treatment of overdoses and poisonings along with gastric emptying. Charcoal is used for treatment of poisoned patients and is currently used for one-time dose administered across emergency department settings.

Presently its uses its current usefulness has been limited primarily to a one-time dose usually administered in an emergency department setting. Recent evidence suggests that frequent and repeated doses of charcoal may be important for the victim of a serious toxic ingestion. Furthermore, oral charcoal administration only without previous gastric emptying might have a role in the management of some poisoned patients.

Activated charcoal is mostly used in the treatment of poisoning and overdose with respect to gastric emptying. This is generally done by two methods, for active patients through a syrup of ipecac consumed orally which leads to emesis and can be repeated if the first one fails. Post vomiting activated charcoal consumed as per the body weight to help patients recover. Another procedure is through the help of gastric tube which is passed through the patient’s airway. Liquid of almost around 2-3 liters is passed through the patient’s airway and it requires intubation.

As per the various recent studies that have challenged the traditional approaches to a poisoned patient. The use of only activated charcoal without prior emesis may be the most effective treatment modality for some types of poisonings. Activated charcoal has been shown to bind and prevent the absorption from the gastrointestinal area of various ingested drugs and chemicals.

A current study talks about the medical and clinical applications of emesis and the way it works to avoid dissolving of aspirin in adult volunteers. Research have proved that when ipecac consumed alone and caused emesis, there was a reduction of approximate 30% across various control values as compared to 50% of that when activated charcoal was administrated. This was further demonstrated by the fact that various subjects of the group vomited after consuming activated charcoal.

A new and exciting role for the use of charcoal in poisoning has emerged. This is the concept of lowering serum Use of activated charcoal in repeated manner has led to further reduction of toxic overdose of the tricyclic antidepressant. Just like a similar study has shown absorption of ingested carbamazepine (an anticonvulsant with a tricyclic structure), phenobarbital and phenylbutazone was almost completely avoided almost by (>95%) when 50 grams of activated charcoal was consumed within minutes. Also there was considerable reduction done in the overall drug absorbed when doses of activated charcoal was given at regular intervals.

Together, these experimental findings in humans indicate that oral administration of activated charcoal reduces or avoids dissolving of various ingested compounds. This works when administrated at the same time as the drug being ingested. It also reduces the T% of ingested or intravenously given compounds.

A number of case reports have proved the ability of reduction of the Th of digitoxin and other elements when doses are taken in repetition. When 10 comatose patients after overdose of phenobarbital overdoses were given a single dose of activated charcoal and sorbitol or repeated doses of activated charcoal and sorbitol. All of the patients needed intubation and ventilation. More than 50% of reduction in phenobarbital T%A was found over the group. There was no reduction in the time for mechanical ventilator support and total time taken for stay in the hospital was found. But, in spite of this dramatic drop in phenobarbital. In spite of the few number of patients there is a need for further examination in patients before any benefits are repeated dose of activated charcoal is given.

Conclusion

Activated charcoal works best by treating poisoning happens by direct absorption of various toxic substances in gastrointestinal tract. At present benefits are secured with the help of enterohepatic recirculation of substance beyond the circulation of gastrointestinal mucosa.