Adco-Loperamide contains loperamide, a medicine that slows the gut to control diarrhoea. It is used for short-term relief of sudden diarrhoea and for managing ongoing diarrhoea in some long-term conditions. It comes as 2 mg tablets and a 1 mg/5 ml syrup. It controls the symptom without treating what caused it.
What is Adco Loperamide?
Adco-Loperamide contains loperamide hydrochloride, a South African generic from Adcock Ingram, registered as:
| Form | Strength | Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Tablet | Loperamide hydrochloride 2 mg | S2 |
| Syrup | Loperamide hydrochloride 1 mg/5 ml | S2 |
Schedule 2 means it is available from a pharmacist without a prescription, after a brief conversation about whether it is right for your situation.
Loperamide acts on opioid receptors in the wall of the gut. That sounds alarming, but the important detail is that loperamide is designed not to cross into the brain at normal doses — so at recommended amounts it has no pain-relieving or euphoric effect. It works purely on the bowel.
Acting there, it:
- Slows the muscular contractions that move contents through the intestine.
- Allows more time for water and salts to be absorbed, so stools become firmer.
- Increases tone in the anal sphincter, which helps with urgency.
The practical consequence is that loperamide is a symptom control, not a cure. It does not kill bacteria, clear a virus or treat inflammation. It makes diarrhoea less frequent and less urgent while the underlying cause resolves — or while it goes untreated, which is precisely why it is not appropriate in some situations.
What is Adco Loperamide commonly used for?
- Acute non-specific diarrhoea — the ordinary, sudden kind that comes on with a stomach upset.
- Traveller’s diarrhoea, for symptom control, often where getting to a bathroom is the practical problem.
- Chronic diarrhoea in diagnosed conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea, or inflammatory bowel disease in remission — under medical guidance.
- Diarrhoea after bowel surgery or in people with a stoma, to reduce output.
- Diarrhoea caused by some treatments, where a doctor has advised it.
- Reducing urgency and frequency, which is often what people most need help with.
Rehydration matters more than stopping the diarrhoea. The real danger in diarrhoea is fluid and salt loss, particularly in children and older people. Oral rehydration solution addresses that; loperamide does not. If you only do one thing, drink appropriately — do not let a tablet substitute for it.
How Adco Loperamide fits into this medicine category
| Group | Examples | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Antimotility | Loperamide (Adco-Loperamide) | Slows the gut; controls diarrhoea symptoms |
| Oral rehydration | ORS sachets | Replaces lost fluid and salts — the priority |
| Adsorbents | Kaolin, activated charcoal | Bind gut contents; limited evidence |
| Antispasmodics | Hyoscine | Relieve cramping, not diarrhoea itself |
| Anti-nausea | Metoclopramide | Nausea and vomiting |
| Antibiotics | Ciprofloxacin, metronidazole | Only for specific proven infections |
Most acute diarrhoea is self-limiting and needs fluids rather than medicine. Antibiotics are usually unnecessary and occasionally harmful. See the digestive and stomach medicines hub.
What to check before using Adco Loperamide
Do not take loperamide if you have a fever with bloody diarrhoea. This is the most important restriction. Those signs suggest an invasive bacterial infection, and slowing the gut keeps the organism and its toxins in the body longer. It can turn a manageable illness into a serious one.
Do not use it, or ask first, if you:
- Have blood or mucus in the stool.
- Have a high fever alongside diarrhoea.
- Have severe abdominal pain, or a swollen, tender abdomen.
- Have ulcerative colitis in a flare, or have been told you are at risk of toxic megacolon.
- Have had recent antibiotics. Diarrhoea afterwards may be C. difficile, where loperamide can be dangerous.
- Have liver disease. Loperamide is cleared by the liver and can accumulate.
- Are constipated as well, or have not passed wind.
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Are giving it to a child. Loperamide is generally avoided in young children; oral rehydration is the mainstay. Ask a pharmacist about age and weight before giving anything.
- Take medicines that affect heart rhythm, or that inhibit liver enzymes such as certain antifungals and HIV medicines.
Do not exceed the stated maximum, and do not take it for more than 48 hours for sudden diarrhoea without medical advice.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
Common effects are constipation, abdominal cramping, bloating, nausea, dry mouth and dizziness.
Stop and seek medical attention if you develop:
- A swollen, distended or very tender abdomen.
- No bowel movement at all combined with ongoing pain, which may indicate obstruction.
- Bloody stools or a fever appearing after you started it.
- Severe constipation once the diarrhoea settles.
- Swelling of the face, lips or tongue, or difficulty breathing.
- A severe rash or blistering skin.
- Palpitations, fainting or an irregular heartbeat.
That last point deserves emphasis. Taken in large quantities, loperamide causes dangerous heart rhythm disturbances and cardiac arrest. Very high doses have been misused to self-treat opioid withdrawal or to produce a high, and this has caused deaths. At recommended amounts the medicine is safe and does not reach the brain; deliberately exceeding them is genuinely life-threatening rather than simply ineffective. Anyone using it that way needs medical help, and that conversation is worth having.
Seek prompt advice for signs of dehydration — marked thirst, little or dark urine, dizziness on standing, dry mouth, or in a child, drowsiness, no wet nappies or no tears when crying.
See a doctor if diarrhoea lasts more than two days, keeps returning, follows foreign travel, comes with unintended weight loss, or wakes you at night — these point to a cause that needs identifying rather than suppressing.
Related medicine guides
Frequently asked questions
What are Adco-Loperamide tablets used for? Short-term control of diarrhoea — reducing how often and how urgently you need the toilet. Each tablet contains loperamide hydrochloride 2 mg.
Does it cure diarrhoea? No. It controls the symptom while the cause settles. It does not treat infection or inflammation.
How quickly does it work? Usually within a few hours of the first dose. Follow the pack instructions and do not exceed the maximum.
When should I not take it? If you have a fever with bloody diarrhoea, severe abdominal pain, or diarrhoea after recent antibiotics. In those situations slowing the gut can make things worse.
Can I give it to my child? Ask a pharmacist first. It is generally avoided in young children, where oral rehydration solution is the priority.
Is loperamide addictive? At recommended doses it does not reach the brain and has no such effect. Taking large quantities is dangerous for the heart and has caused deaths.
How long can I take it? No more than 48 hours for sudden diarrhoea without medical advice. Longer use should be supervised.
Should I drink more water? Yes. Replacing lost fluid and salts matters more than stopping the diarrhoea — oral rehydration solution is better than water alone.