Antidotal efficacy of activated charcoal in presence of jam, starch and milk.

The effect of addition of jams, marmalades, starches and milk products on the adsorptive capacity of activated charcoal for acetylsalicyclic acid was determined in vitro. The addition of these products to an aqueous suspension of activated charcoal decreased the adsorption of acetylsalicylic acid from 98% to 95% or 90% (jams and marmalades) or to 80% (milk). Starches had no effect. It appears that the use of jams to make ingestion of activated charcoal easier is acceptable.