[Diphenoxinhydrochloride, a new anti-diarrhea agent].

The new antidiarrheal drug difenoxin hydrochloride is a preparation with a broad range of action; it is suitable for symptomatic treatment of acute and chronic diarrhea of varying etiology and may be administered as additional medication in cases of specific intestinal infections accompanied by diarrhea. Difenoxin hydrochloride was tested in two studies involving 220 patients with acute diarrhea and 41 patients with chronic diarrhea respectively. Side effects were extremely rare and stool frequency and consistency returned to normal at a daily dose of about 6 tablets. This dose could be reduced for the chronic cases after initial treatment with the higher dose. Positive results were obtained within a very short time in more than 80% of the acute cases and in more than 70% of the chronic cases.