Top 17 Medicines for Diarrhea in India (Tablets, Syrups & More) 2021 | Dose4u |

Diarrhea  When you have loose or watery stool, it's called diarrhea. This is a very common condition and usually resolves without intervention. Diarrhea can happen for a wide variety of reasons and it usually goes away on its own in one to three days.

 Top 17 Medicines for Diarrhea in India (Tablets, Syrups & More)


1. Loperamide: Cures diarrhea

    Brand name – Diamode, Imodium, Imotil
    Composition – Loperamide
    Popularity level – 9
    Loperamide is an antidiarrheal medicine.  It reduces secretion in the intestines by acting on specific opioid receptors.
    Dosage –  2 tablets per day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
    Consumption of alcohol is contraindicated during use of this medicine.
    Price – The price range for Imodium 2 mg is $0.34 – $1.50 per pill or unit.

2. Lomotil: Cures severe diarrhea and disease associated diarrhea

    Brand name – Lomocot, Lonox
    Composition – Atropine, and Diphenoxylate
    Popularity level – 9.5
    Atropine is an anticholinergic drug, thus it decreases bowel motility and secretion. Diphenoxylate is an antimotility drug, thus it reduces peristaltic movement in the intestines.
    Dosage –  One tablet per day, preferably half an hour after a meal.
    Consumption of alcohol is contraindicated during use of this medicine.
    Use of this medicine is contraindicated in children below 12 years of age.
    Price – The cost for atropine/diphenoxylate oral liquid (0.025 mg-2.5 mg/5 mL) is around $67 for a supply of 60 milliliters.

3. Florastor: Reestablishes gut flora

    Brand name – Florastor
    Composition – Saccharomyces boulardii
    Popularity level – 8
    Florastor is a probiotic that contains healthy bacteria which reestablishes gut flora and thus controls diarrhea.
    Dosage –  Two capsules per day, preferably half an hour before the meal.
    Price – A pack of 20 capsules cost ₹1925.

4. Bismuth: Prevents excessive loss of water during diarrhea

    Brand name – Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol
    Composition – Bismuth subsalicylate
    Popularity level – 7
    Bismuth is an antidiarrhoeal drug that acts by decreasing PG synthesis in the intestinal mucosa due to which chloride secretion and loss of water from the intestines decreases.
    Dosage –  It is taken as a suspension,  60 ml every 6 hours.
    Price – Kaopectate costs $14.00 per pill or unit.

5. Opium: Decreases stool frequency

    Brand name – Paregoric
    Composition – Opium
    Popularity level – 2
    Opium is a narcotic analgesic which also decreases gut motility, thereby decreases stool frequency in diarrhea patients.
    Dosage – One tablet per day, preferably before bed.
    Consumption of alcohol is contraindicated during use of this medicine.
    This medicine should be taken under medical prescription only.
    Price – The cost for Paregoric oral liquid (2 mg/5 mL) is around $2,945 for a supply of 5760 milliliters.

6. Codeine: Decreases stool frequency

    Brand name – Acicod 10mg
    Composition – Codeine phosphate 30 mg
    Popularity level – 3
    Codeine is a narcotic analgesic drug which decreases gut motility.
    Dosage –  One tablet per day, preferably before bed.
    Consumption of alcohol is contraindicated during use of this medicine.
    This medicine should be taken under medical prescription only.
    This medicine should be used for short term treatment of severe diarrhea because it is a habit-forming drug.
    Price – A pack of 10 tablets cost ₹20.

7. Alosetron: Cures severe diarrhea

    Brand name – Lotronex
    Composition – Alosetron
    Popularity level – 3
    Alosetron acts as a serotoninergic neuroenteric modulator. It is used for the treatment of severe diarrhoea.
    Dosage – One tablet per day with or without a meal.
    Price – The cost for Lotronex oral tablet 0.5 mg is around $1,069 for a supply of 30 tablets.

8. Rifaximin: Cures bacterial infection

    Brand name – Xifaxan
    Composition – Rifaximin
    Popularity level – 6
    Rifaximin is an antibiotic drug which is used for the treatment of diarrhea associated with bacterial infection such as Traveller’s diarrhea.
    Dosage – One tablet twice daily, for 15 days.
    Price – The cost for Xifaxan oral tablet 200 mg is around $610 for a supply of 30 tablets.

9. Crofelemer: Cures diarrhea

    Brand name – Fulyzaq
    Composition – Crofelemer
    Popularity level – 2
    This is an antidiarrhoeal drug that acts by decreasing gut motility.
    Dosage –  One tablet twice daily or as prescribed by a doctor.
    Price – The cost for Fulyzaq oral delayed release tablet 125 mg is around $628 for a supply of 60 tablets.

10. Neomycin: Cures bacterial infection

    Brand name – Neotab, Neo-Fradin
    Composition – Neomycin
    Popularity level – 5
    Neomycin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic drug. It is used for the treatment of diarrhea associated with bacterial infection.
    Dosage –  One tablet twice daily for 5 days
    Price – The cost for neomycin oral tablet 500 mg is around $104 for a supply of 100 tablets.

11. Bifilac: Reestablishes gut flora

    Brand name – Bifilac
    Composition – Lactobacillus sp., Streptococcus sp., Clostridium butyricum, Bacillus mesenteric
    Popularity level – 8
    Bifilac is a probiotic which reestablishes gut flora and thus helps to control diarrhea.
    Dosage –  One capsule, twice daily to be taken on an empty stomach or half an hour before the meal.
    Price – A pack of 10 capsules costs ₹100.

12. Bifillin: Reestablishes gut flora

    Brand name – Bifillin
    Composition – Lactobacillus sp., Bifidobacterium bifidum, Streptococcus thermophiles, Saccharomyces boulardii
    Popularity level – 6
    Bifillin is a probiotic which reestablishes gut flora and thus helps to control diarrhoea.
    Dosage – One capsule, twice daily to be taken on an empty stomach or half an hour before a meal.
    Price – A pack of 10 capsules cost ₹60.

13. Acigut: Reestablishes gut flora

    Brand name – Acigut
    Composition – Lactobacillus sp. and Bifidobacterium sp.
    Popularity level – 6
    Acigut is a probiotic which reestablishes gut flora and thus helps to control diarrhoea.
    Dosage –  One capsule, twice daily to be taken on an empty stomach or half an hour before a meal.
    Price – A pack of 10 capsules costs ₹100.

14. Enterogermina: Reestablishes gut flora

    Brand name – Enterogermina
    Composition – Bacillus clausii
    Popularity level – 7
    Enterogermina is a probiotic which reestablishes gut flora and thus helps to control diarrhea. It is used for the treatment of severe cases of diarrhea and IBS.
    Dosage – One capsule, twice daily to be taken on an empty stomach or half an hour before the meal.
    Price – A pack of 4 capsules costs ₹140.

15. Racecadotril: Cures acute diarrhea

    Brand name – Cadotril, Racigyl, Redotil, Zedott
    Composition – Racecadotril
    Popularity level – 5
    Racecadotril is an oral enkephalinase inhibitor for use in the treatment of acute diarrhea. By preventing the degradation of endogenous enkephalins, racecadotril reduces hypersecretion of water and electrolytes into the intestinal lumen.
    Dosage – As per doctor’s prescription
    Price – A pack of 10 capsules of Cadotril cost ₹150.

16. Octreotide: Cure’s diarrhea in cancer and AIDS patients

    Brand name – Sandostatin
    Composition – Octreotide acetate
    Popularity level – 4
    Octreotide is a synthetic analog of somatostatin. It regulates the release of many gastrointestinal hormones such as a vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, gastrin, insulin, glucagon, secretin, motilin, and pancreatic polypeptide. This results in increases in gastrointestinal absorption of intestinal fluids and electrolytes and decreases in smooth muscle contractility and small bowel motility. It is used for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced diarrhoea in cancer patients and for treating refractory diarrhoea in AIDS patients.
    Dosage – As per doctor’s prescription. This medicine is given in the form of s.c. injection only.
    Price – The cost for Sandostatin LAR Depot intramuscular powder for injection, extended release 10 mg is around $2,964 for supply of 1 powder for injections.

17. Cotrimoxazole: Cures bacterial infection

    Brand name – Bactrim
    Composition – Trimethoprim and Sulfamethoxazole
    Popularity level – 5
    It is used to treat Travelers’ diarrhea and EPEC. Co-trimoxazole is a combination of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole and is in a class of medications called sulfonamides. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria.
    Dosage – One tablet per day, half an hour before a meal.
    Price – The cost for Bactrim oral tablet (400 mg-80 mg) is around $159 for a supply of 100 tablets.