Laxative

A laxative is a preparation used for encouraging defecation, or the elimination of feces. Laxatives are most often taken to treat constipation. Certain stimulant, lubricant, and saline laxatives are used to evacuate the colon for rectal and bowel examinations. They are sometimes supplemented by enemas.

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Laxatives are often abused by bulimics or anorexics. Laxative abuse is a problem that is potentially very serious since it can lead to problems such as intestinal paralysis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and pancreatitis, among others.

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There are several types of laxatives, listed below. A type not listed is the combination laxative, which simply means that the laxative has more than one ingredient, with a combination of effects. Laxatives may be oral or in suppository form.

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It is interesting to note that, while there is no gender based medicine to ease constipation, advertisers tend to promote some brands as being "More for a lady" than others.

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Defecation: Defecation or feceation, in physiology, is the act or process by which organisms eliminate solid or semisolid waste material from the digestive tract. Humans remove waste anywhere from several times daily to a few times weekly; sloths can go for a week or more without eliminating. Waves of muscula...

Feces: Feces (American English) or faeces/fæces (Commonwealth English) are semi-solid waste products from an animal digestive tract expelled through the anus (or cloaca) during defecation. In humans, defecation may occur (depending on the individual and the circumstances) from once every two or thre...

Constipation: Constipation is a condition of the digestive system where a person (or other animal) experiences hard feces that is difficult to eliminate; it may be extremely painful, and in extreme cases (fecal impaction) lead to symptoms of bowel obstruction. Causes may be dietary, hormonal and anatomical. Treat...