Activated carbon (Carbo activatus). Activated carbon Is it possible to use expired activated carbon?

Activated carbon is a fairly cheap adsorbent that is used to treat patients of all age groups. It promotes the binding of toxic substances in the body and their gentle removal. This drug is inexpensive, so many families stock it for future use; it is stored in the home medicine cabinet for several years. But when asked whether it is possible to drink expired activated carbon, doctors give an ambiguous answer.

General characteristics of the drug

Activated carbon is a natural medicine.

This substance has a porous structure and is extracted from various carbon-containing materials - wood, nut shells and some fruit seeds. The sorbent is obtained at high temperature; the active substance is carbon.

The healing properties directly depend on the presence of an active double bond on the surface of the tablets. The drug has many pores, which provide a good adsorbing effect.

The effect of the drug on the body

The effect of the medication on the body begins almost instantly after ingestion.. It helps remove all contaminants from the liquid by binding them to its particles. Adsorption occurs from the moment when toxic substances begin to penetrate into tissues. The drug does not remove toxic substances that have already been absorbed into the bloodstream. But the toxins that the stomach and intestines contain are absorbed.

Activated carbon adsorbs on its surface not only toxic substances, but also vitamins, minerals and beneficial substances. Therefore, it must be used with great caution.

Shelf life of the adsorbent

Mostly The shelf life of activated carbon in tablets is two years what is written on the packaging. The medicine is characterized by high hygroscopicity, so it must be stored in a dry place and without compromising the integrity of the blister. The shelf life of the drug will be unlimited if it is stored in a dry, ventilated area in the original packaging.

In fact, the shelf life of activated carbon is not only two years, it can be stored for a long time if certain conditions are met. Adsorption characteristics will appear until a chemical reaction occurs between the coal, water and air.

Your home medicine cabinet needs to be periodically reviewed and expired medications replaced!

What happens if you take an expired drug?

If a person drinks expired activated carbon, there will be no harm to the body.. This medicine does not break down into harmful components during storage. If the medicine was stored correctly, then, despite the expiration date, it will be able to bind and remove toxins from the body. If stored incorrectly, activated carbon will simply be digested by the stomach and released naturally.

When the expiration date of the adsorbent has expired and there is no pharmacy nearby, then it is quite possible to use such tablets as first aid. It definitely won’t make things worse from taking this drug.

Is it possible to be poisoned by expired activated carbon?

It is very difficult to be poisoned by expired adsorbent. This can only occur if an abnormal number of tablets are eaten.

There will be no poisoning as such; simply due to the leaching of nutrients and vitamins from the body, the person will experience weakness, dizziness and mild nausea.

In this case, it does not matter at all whether coal has a certain shelf life or not. Abuse of both normal and expired activated carbon will lead to deterioration in health.

How to properly store adsorbent

In order for the medicine to bring only benefits when used, it must be stored correctly:

1. Purchase in limited quantities and store on the door of the refrigerator, in a tight bag or container.
2. Do not keep activated carbon near volatile substances that can evaporate.
3. Tablets should be stored only in the original package and together with instructions for use.

If the tablets or capsules are only a few months out of date, they can be safely taken to treat intestinal disorders and poisoning. In other cases, it is better to play it safe and buy a more recent medication.

When the activated carbon that is in the home medicine cabinet is long expired, then only the person can decide whether to drink it or not. It will not do any harm, but it may also be of little benefit.

The ability of activated carbon to absorb harmful substances from the body has been known for a long time, so for digestive problems it has been actively used for many years. Due to the cheapness of the drug, it was purchased for future use, and it could be stored at home for years. But the question of whether it’s possible to drink expired activated carbon has, of course, an unambiguous answer.

For other medications, the expiration date means the loss of all valuable qualities, the possibility of decomposition into harmful components and harm to health. With activated carbon a slightly different situation: it consists of an inorganic compound, mainly consisting of carbon-containing components (sand, salt, stones). If it does not come into contact with moisture, absorbing it, then its shelf life is a very relative concept.

This drug is recognized as one of the safest for the body, which can be taken by everyone without exception, it is drunk - 1 t. per 10 kg of weight.

The drug can be used for the following diseases

– in case of disruption of digestive processes;

– if you suspect cholera, typhoid fever, salmonellosis, dysentery;

– with alcohol abuse (for a hangover);

– for allergic reactions.

If the drug’s expiration date has long expired, you must decide for yourself whether you can drink expired activated carbon. It is, of course, harmless, but it is unlikely to bring the benefit that a person expects.

Activated carbon is one of the simplest and most accessible medicines used for enterosorption of harmful substances and detoxification of the body.

Despite its simplicity, activated carbon remains one of the most effective remedies for a wide range of diseases or poisonings. We will talk about activated carbon in the article.

Dear readers! Our articles talk about typical ways to resolve legal issues, but each case is unique.

If you want to know how to solve exactly your problem - contact the online consultant form on the right or call free consultation:

Find out about the requirements for a car first aid kit from ours.

Composition and release form

What is the medicine made from?

Activated carbon as a medicinal product is manufactured from organic carbon-containing materials:

• coal coke obtained by coking coal;
• charcoal;
• petroleum coke and other materials.

Received raw materials subject to activation, that is, opening the pores by exposure to chemicals or physical exposure to steam at temperatures up to 800°C and subsequent oxidation.

The resulting activated carbon has a large number of pores and, therefore, an increased specific surface area. Thanks to these qualities, activated carbon has found its use in medicine as an adsorbent and detoxifying agent.

Activated carbon is available in a variety of release forms: tablets, granules, capsules, powders and pastes.

Does it have an expiration date?

Does activated carbon have an expiration date? Activated carbon itself can be stored forever, since before becoming, it lay under the earth’s surface for millions of years.

However, due to the fact that Russian legislation defines a mandatory procedure for setting expiration dates for medicines, then has it and activated carbon.

You will find information on storing open protein on our website.

What do GOSTs say?

Valid in the Russian Federation national standard GOST R 56357-2015 “Activated carbon AG-3. Technical conditions".

According to it, the guaranteed shelf life of granular activated carbon is 3 years from the date of production.

Before and after opening the package

How long does it last without packaging? The shelf life of activated carbon produced in the form of tablets is is 2 years, shelf life is at least 3 years, although even after this period it will not cause harm. But this only applies to tablets that do not come into contact with air.

When storing coal outside the packaging, it interacts with the environment and gradually loses its adsorbing and absorbent properties, therefore such coal has a reduced shelf life of 6 months.

After its expiration, coal won't do any harm, but you can’t expect any tangible benefits from it.

Where is the drug stored in the pharmacy?

Activated carbon is stored at ambient temperature, packaged in manufacturer's containers.

During storage, access to precipitation or groundwater is not allowed.

Due to the high flammability of coal proximity is not allowed flammable substances, heat sources or open flames.

About, when should you take it activated carbon, and when not, you can find out from the video:

How to keep it at home?

Activated carbon is a fairly unpretentious drug that can be easily stored at home.

If these conditions are met, coal can be stored for a very long time, exceeding the shelf life indicated by the manufacturer.

What happens to the medicine over time?

When the packaging is sealed, coal retains its enterosorption properties During a long time.

However, if there is access to air, then its sorption properties gradually decrease, since the surface of the preparation is covered with adsorbed substances.

Is it possible to get poisoned by expired paracetamol? find out right now.

How to understand that the tablets are not suitable for use?

Externally determine that activated carbon is spoiled, difficult, since the substance is odorless and its color remains unchanged.

Therefore, you need to pay attention to the packaging, if it damp, then the sorption properties of the drug are probably reduced.

Activated carbon that has been left for a long time without any packaging at all is also better not to use.

Can using expired product cause harm?

Be poisoned by expired activated carbon impossible, even if its expiration date has long expired. In the worst case, it simply will not bring any benefit to the body.

However, if coal was stored unprotected in the vicinity of volatile substances, the drug could “absorb” them and, if consumed, these substances could theoretically cause harm to the body.

Another situation in which coal can be harmful is abuse to them when a huge number of tablets are drunk.

In this case, the absorption of nutrients and medications is reduced.

However, this applies to a lesser extent to expired activated carbon, since enterosorption properties are reduced.

Activated carbon is a universal enterosorbent that every person should have in their home medicine cabinet.

Provided that it is stored properly, this drug can be stored almost forever and in any case should not cause harm to the human body.

ABOUT methods of application activated carbon you can learn from the video:

Activated carbon is a simple and cheap adsorbent for the body. It is present in almost any first aid kit. But many people use this drug quite rarely and therefore sooner or later they may find that the shelf life of activated carbon has expired when the need to use this drug arose. How to be in this case?

Best before date

The most common form of activated carbon is tablets weighing 250 mg, placed in individual cells. One package contains 10 tablets. Activated carbon produced in such a pack usually has a shelf life of two years. This period is indicated on the packaging of the drug itself. But in fact this period is conditional. If storage conditions are properly observed, the shelf life of activated carbon is unlimited.

If the integrity of the packaging is damaged (in the place where the individual cell with the tablet is located), activated carbon gradually loses its properties, as it immediately begins to absorb substances from the environment. But even in this case, a coal tablet will not harm the body; it simply will not be able to absorb toxins and any other substances from the body.

How to store it correctly?

To ensure that the shelf life of activated carbon does not expire, and the properties of the drug are preserved for many years, the following rules must be observed:

• Activated carbon should be stored in a cool, dry place without freezing and high humidity (the freezer and the bathroom are not suitable);
• the place where the drug is stored should not be exposed to sunlight;
• when stored in the refrigerator, the package of activated carbon should be placed in a container or hermetically sealed bag (the drug may absorb some substances from the refrigerator and lose its properties);
• in the refrigerator, the drug should not be stored in places with strong cooling;
• There should be no substances that easily evaporate near the drug;
• the place where the medicine is stored should not be accessible to children or rodents.

The shelf life of activated carbon, if the above conditions are met, will be literally eternal.

Application

Adsorption is a property of activated carbon, which means the absorption of vapors, gases, substances or solutions. To remove harmful substances from the body, you need to drink activated carbon. Many people do not know what conditions this drug can be useful for. Activated charcoal might still be far from expiring if everyone took these tablets as needed.

Activated carbon, which is sold in pharmacies, has the following indications:

• flatulence (gas in the intestines);
• indigestion;
• excessive secretion of mucus and gastric juice;
• fermentation and rotting in the gastrointestinal tract;
• various poisonings (glycosides, food, alkaloids, chemicals, drugs);
• dysentery;
• salmonellosis;
• hepatitis (chronic or acute);
• atopic dermatitis;
• gastritis;
• bronchial asthma;
• enterocolitis;
• cholecystopancreatitis.

The medication has many indications, and it is practically harmless. If a drug such as activated carbon has expired, and there are concerns about its use, then it is easier to buy a fresh package at the pharmacy, especially since it costs a penny. There are many recipes for face and hair masks that use activated charcoal. If you actually use them, the package with the drug may run out much earlier than its expiration date.

Activated carbon is a fairly cheap adsorbent that is used to treat patients of all age groups. It promotes the binding of toxic substances in the body and their gentle removal. This drug is inexpensive, so many families stock it for future use; it is stored in the home medicine cabinet for several years. But when asked whether it is possible to drink expired activated carbon, doctors give an ambiguous answer.

Contents [Show]

General characteristics of the drug

Activated carbon is a natural medicine.

This substance has a porous structure and is extracted from various carbon-containing materials - wood, nut shells and some fruit seeds. The sorbent is obtained at high temperature; the active substance is carbon.

The healing properties directly depend on the presence of an active double bond on the surface of the tablets. The drug has many pores, which provide a good adsorbing effect.

The effect of the drug on the body

The effect of the medication on the body begins almost instantly after ingestion.. It helps remove all contaminants from the liquid by binding them to its particles. Adsorption occurs from the moment when toxic substances begin to penetrate into tissues. The drug does not remove toxic substances that have already been absorbed into the bloodstream. But the toxins that the stomach and intestines contain are absorbed.

Activated carbon adsorbs on its surface not only toxic substances, but also vitamins, minerals and beneficial substances. Therefore, it must be used with great caution.

Shelf life of the adsorbent

Mostly The shelf life of activated carbon in tablets is two years what is written on the packaging. The medicine is characterized by high hygroscopicity, so it must be stored in a dry place and without compromising the integrity of the blister. The shelf life of the drug will be unlimited if it is stored in a dry, ventilated area in the original packaging.

In fact, the shelf life of activated carbon is not only two years, it can be stored for a long time if certain conditions are met. Adsorption characteristics will appear until a chemical reaction occurs between the coal, water and air.

Your home medicine cabinet needs to be periodically reviewed and expired medications replaced!

What happens if you take an expired drug?

If a person drinks expired activated carbon, there will be no harm to the body.. This medicine does not break down into harmful components during storage. If the medicine was stored correctly, then, despite the expiration date, it will be able to bind and remove toxins from the body. If stored incorrectly, activated carbon will simply be digested by the stomach and released naturally.

When the expiration date of the adsorbent has expired and there is no pharmacy nearby, then it is quite possible to use such tablets as first aid. It definitely won’t make things worse from taking this drug.

Is it possible to be poisoned by expired activated carbon?

It is very difficult to be poisoned by expired adsorbent. This can only occur if an abnormal number of tablets are eaten.

There will be no poisoning as such; simply due to the leaching of nutrients and vitamins from the body, the person will experience weakness, dizziness and mild nausea.

In this case, it does not matter at all whether coal has a certain shelf life or not. Abuse of both normal and expired activated carbon will lead to deterioration in health.

How to properly store adsorbent

In order for the medicine to bring only benefits when used, it must be stored correctly:

1. Purchase in limited quantities and store on the door of the refrigerator, in a tight bag or container.
2. Do not keep activated carbon near volatile substances that can evaporate.
3. Tablets should be stored only in the original package and together with instructions for use.

If the tablets or capsules are only a few months out of date, they can be safely taken to treat intestinal disorders and poisoning. In other cases, it is better to play it safe and buy a more recent medication.

When the activated carbon that is in the home medicine cabinet is long expired, then only the person can decide whether to drink it or not. It will not do any harm, but it may also be of little benefit.

Activated carbon is the most popular and accessible absorbent, which is why it is widely used in the treatment of poisoning in children and adults. The low cost of the product often becomes the reason that it is purchased for future use, without thinking about the established shelf life of the medicine. Is it possible to take activated carbon internally after its shelf life has expired and what could be the risk?

In essence, it should be noted that the shelf life of drugs such as activated carbon is a very relative concept. The substance is an inorganic compound, the same as sand, salt or stones, which means it cannot deteriorate. Even after several years, after the agreed storage period, the coal will remain just coal and, when consumed, will not cause complications or a negative reaction in the body.

However, it is better not to use expired activated carbon. The thing is that over time it can lose all its beneficial properties and will be absolutely useless if poisoned. As a rule, this occurs when storage conditions are violated, if the integrity of the drug’s packaging is damaged or if the product was in a damp place. Coal perfectly absorbs moisture and various microelements from the air, which ultimately leads to a decrease in its absorbent properties.

The ability of activated carbon to absorb harmful substances from the body has been known for a long time, so for digestive problems it has been actively used for many years. Due to the cheapness of the drug, it was purchased for future use, and it could be stored at home for years. But the question of whether it’s possible to drink expired activated carbon has, of course, an unambiguous answer.

For other medications, the expiration date means the loss of all valuable qualities, the possibility of decomposition into harmful components and harm to health. The situation with activated carbon is slightly different: it consists of an inorganic compound, mainly consisting of carbon-containing components (sand, salt, stones). If it does not come into contact with moisture, absorbing it, then its shelf life is a very relative concept.

This drug is recognized as one of the safest for the body, which can be taken by everyone without exception, it is drunk - 1 t. per 10 kg of weight.

The drug can be used for the following diseases

– in case of disruption of digestive processes;

– if you suspect cholera, typhoid fever, salmonellosis, dysentery;

– with alcohol abuse (for a hangover);

– for allergic reactions.

If the drug’s expiration date has long expired, you must decide for yourself whether you can drink expired activated carbon. It is, of course, harmless, but it is unlikely to bring the benefit that a person expects.

You May Like

Activated carbon is one of the simplest and most accessible medicines used for enterosorption of harmful substances and detoxification of the body.

Despite its simplicity, activated carbon remains one of the most effective remedies for a wide range of diseases or poisonings. We will tell you about the shelf life of activated carbon in the article.

Dear readers! Our articles talk about typical ways to resolve legal issues, but each case is unique.

If you want to find out how to solve your particular problem, please use the online consultant form on the right or call the free consultation numbers:

Find out about the requirements for a car first aid kit from our article.

Composition and release form

What is the medicine made from?

Activated carbon as a medicinal product is manufactured from organic carbon-containing materials:

• coal coke obtained by coking coal;
• charcoal;
• petroleum coke and other materials.

Received raw materials subject to activation, that is, opening the pores by exposure to chemicals or physical exposure to steam at temperatures up to 800°C and subsequent oxidation.

The resulting activated carbon has a large number of pores and, therefore, an increased specific surface area. Thanks to these qualities, activated carbon has found its use in medicine as an adsorbent and detoxifying agent.

Activated carbon is available in a variety of release forms: tablets, granules, capsules, powders and pastes.

Does it have an expiration date?

Does activated carbon have an expiration date? Activated carbon itself can be stored forever, since before becoming a medicine, it lay under the earth’s surface for millions of years.

However, due to the fact that Russian legislation defines a mandatory procedure for setting expiration dates for medicines, then has it and activated carbon.

What do GOSTs say?

Valid in the Russian Federation national standard GOST R 56357-2015 “Activated carbon AG-3. Technical conditions".

According to it, the guaranteed shelf life of granular activated carbon is 3 years from the date of production.

Before and after opening the package

How long does it last without packaging? The shelf life of activated carbon produced in the form of tablets is is 2 years, shelf life is at least 3 years, although even after this period it will not cause harm. But this only applies to tablets that do not come into contact with air.

When storing coal outside the packaging, it interacts with the environment and gradually loses its adsorbing and absorbent properties, therefore such coal has a reduced shelf life of 6 months.

After its expiration, coal won't do any harm, but you can’t expect any tangible benefits from it.

Where is the drug stored in the pharmacy?

Activated carbon in pharmacies is stored at ambient temperature, packaged in manufacturer's containers.

During storage, access to precipitation or groundwater is not allowed.

Due to the high flammability of coal proximity is not allowed flammable substances, heat sources or open flames.

Does creatine have an expiration date and what is it? Read about it here.

About, when should you take it activated carbon, and when not, you can find out from the video:

How to keep it at home?

Activated carbon is a fairly unpretentious drug that can be easily stored at home.

1. Coal is stored in dry place, inaccessible to sunlight. Must be stored in original containers. The package of tablets should be placed in a bag or airtight container.
2. It is not allowed to store activated carbon in conditions high humidity or direct air access.
3. Temperature storage - from +5 to +23°C. The packaging must be placed at least 1 meter from heat sources (for example, radiators).
4. Activated carbon can be stored in a refrigerator, but then it is better to use an airtight container, since the charcoal can absorb surrounding odors. Activated carbon should not be placed in the freezer.
5. Finding coal in a home medicine cabinet with odorous and volatile substances, for example, with iodine, can lead to a gradual accumulation of these substances in coal. Therefore, it is not recommended to store these medications in close proximity for a long time.
6. Opened packaging is stored away from sources of odor and volatile substances.
7. It is advisable to store coal in a place inaccessible for small children and rodents.

If these conditions are met, coal can be stored for a very long time, exceeding the shelf life indicated by the manufacturer.

What happens to the medicine over time?

When the packaging is sealed, coal retains its enterosorption properties During a long time.

However, if there is access to air, then its sorption properties gradually decrease, since the surface of the preparation is covered with adsorbed substances.

Is it possible to get poisoned by expired paracetamol? Find out the answer right now.

How to understand that the tablets are not suitable for use?

Externally determine that activated carbon is spoiled, difficult, since the substance is odorless and its color remains unchanged.

Therefore, you need to pay attention to the packaging, if it damp, then the sorption properties of the drug are probably reduced.

Activated carbon that has been left for a long time without any packaging at all is also better not to use.

Can using expired product cause harm?

Be poisoned by expired activated carbon impossible, even if its expiration date has long expired. In the worst case, it simply will not bring any benefit to the body.

However, if coal was stored unprotected in the vicinity of volatile substances, the drug could “absorb” them and, if consumed, these substances could theoretically cause harm to the body.

Another situation in which coal can be harmful is abuse to them when a huge number of tablets are drunk.

In this case, the absorption of nutrients and medications is reduced.

However, this applies to a lesser extent to expired activated carbon, since enterosorption properties are reduced.

Activated carbon is a universal enterosorbent that every person should have in their home medicine cabinet.

Provided that it is stored properly, this drug can be stored almost forever and in any case should not cause harm to the human body.

Read about the expiration date of toothpaste here.

ABOUT methods of application activated carbon you can learn from the video: