title: Efficacy of dioctahedral smectite in acute watery diarrhea in Indian children: a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects and safety of dioctahedral smectite (DS) on the duration of acute watery diarrhea in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Randomized, open labeled, clinical controlled trial in a tertiary care hospital outpatient department (OPD) and emergency department. Participants were one hundred and seventeen children without any chronic illness between 2 and 5 years presenting to OPD, having acute watery diarrhea for <48 h with mild to moderate dehydration, not on antibiotics and requiring oral rehydration therapy. Intervention done was DS with a dose of 1.5 g thrice daily.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Freshly dissolved DS in a dose of 1.5 g thrice daily for 5 days significantly shortened the duration of acute watery diarrhea in children aged 2-5 years. There were no adverse effects on the use of DS. DS was acceptable to the children, and its administration was not accompanied with any side effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DS reduces the duration of diarrhea in Indian children and prevents a prolonged course, and therefore, may consistently reduce the costs in treatment of acute watery diarrhea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Al Ameen Medical College, Bijapur 586108, Karnataka, India. quais_mujawar@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Quais Mohammad
authors.initials: QM
authors.lastname: Mujawar
authors.forename: Ravi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Naganoor
authors.forename: Mir Dilshad
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Naushad
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Malagi
authors.forename: Achyut Narayan
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Thobbi
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003681:Dehydration / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D015532:Rehydration Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017640:Silicates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015532:Rehydration Solutions; D017640:Silicates; C033214:Smectite