question: What does Epsom salt do to the body?
comment: There are several medical uses for magnesium sulphate, the compound that is usually called Epsom salt. It can be used as a laxative for instance. Because it can't be absorbed through the wall of your intestines, water in your body will migrate towards the magnesium sulphate in a process called osmosis. Your stool will become less solid and will be easier to pass. The magnesium will also trigger the release of a hormone that stimulates your bowel movement.
passages: Epsom salt has been traditionally used as a component of bath salts. Epsom salt can also be used as a beauty product. Athletes use it to soothe sore muscles, while gardeners use it to improve crops. It has a variety of other uses: for example, Epsom salt is also effective in the removal of splinters.
  
  Section::::Hydrates and anhydrous material, production.
  
  A variety of hydrates are known.
   In South Korea, Phyto Corporation has developed a technology of extracting low-sodium salt from "Salicornia europaea", a salt-accumulating plant. The company claims the naturally-derived plant salt is effective in treating high blood pressure and fatty liver disease by reducing sodium intake. The company has also developed a desalted Salicornia powder containing antioxidative and antithrombus polyphenols, claimed to be effective in treating obesity and arteriosclerosis, as well as providing a means to help resolve global food shortages.
  
  Section::::Industrial use.
  
  Section::::Industrial use.:Historical.
   Magnesium salicylate
  
  Magnesium salicylate is a common analgesic and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to treat mild to moderate muscular pain. It is also used to treat headaches, general back pain, and certain joint pains like arthritis.
  
  It is found in a variety of over-the-counter (OTC) medications, most notably the brand of such medication called "Doan's Pills," as an anti-inflammatory, primarily for back-pain relief. Magnesium salicylate can be an effective OTC alternative to prescription NSAIDs, with both anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects.
  
  Section::::Controversy.
   It was patented in 1991 and came into medical use in 2002. It is available as a generic medication. A month supply in the United Kingdom costs the NHS less than 2.50 £ as of 2019. In the United States the wholesale cost of this amount is less than US$5. In 2016, it was the 164th most prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 3.8 million prescriptions.
  
  Section::::Medical uses.
  
  Olmesartan is used for the treatment of hypertension. It may be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents.
   On a consumer level, salt substitutes, which usually substitute a portion of sodium chloride content with potassium chloride, can be used to increase the potassium to sodium consumption ratio. This change has been shown to blunt the effects of excess salt intake on hypertension and cardiovascular disease. It has also been suggested that salt substitutes can be used to provide an essential portion of daily potassium intake, and may even be more economical than prescription potassium supplements.
   Common side effects include low blood pressure, skin flushing, and low blood calcium. Other side effects may include vomiting, muscle weakness, and decreased breathing. While there is evidence that use during pregnancy may harm the baby, the benefits in certain conditions are greater than the risks. Its use during breastfeeding is deemed to be safe. Magnesium sulfate for medical use is the magnesium sulfate heptahydrate salt. The way it works is not fully understood, but is believed to involve depressing the action of neurons.
   BULLET::::- Magnesium sulfate is effective in decreasing the risk that pre-eclampsia progresses to eclampsia. IV magnesium sulfate is used to prevent and treat seizures of eclampsia. It reduces the systolic blood pressure but doesn't alter the diastolic blood pressure, so the blood perfusion to the fetus isn't compromised. It is also commonly used for eclampsia where compared to diazepam or phenytoin it results in better outcomes.
  
  Section::::Uses.:Agriculture.
   Magnesium sulfate is the primary treatment and preventative measure in women with eclampsia. It lowers systolic blood pressure while maintaining diastolic blood pressure, thus leaving blood flow to the fetus uncompromised.
  
  Section::::Medical uses.:Early delivery.
  
  Magnesium sulphate was once used as a tocolytic, but meta-analyses have failed to support it as an anti-contraction medication. Usage for prolonged periods (more than five to seven days) may result in health problems for the baby.
   A low sodium diet reduces the intake of sodium by the careful selection of food. The use of a salt substitute can provide a taste offsetting the perceived blandness of low-salt food; potassium chloride is widely used for this purpose. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends daily potassium intake of not less than 3,510 mg.
   Fosfestrol sodium is also used to a lesser extent by oral administration initially at a dosage of 360 to 480 mg three times per day in the treatment of prostate cancer. Maintenance doses of 120 to 240 mg three times per day may be used and can be gradually reduced to 240 mg/day.
  
  Section::::Medical uses.:Available forms.
  
  Fosfestrol is available in the form of solutions for intravenous administration and tablets for oral administration.
  
  Section::::Side effects.
   Selurampanel
  
  Selurampanel (INN, code name BGG492) is a drug closely related to the quinoxalinedione series which acts as a competitive antagonist of the AMPA and kainate receptors and, as of 2015, is being investigated in clinical trials by Novartis for the treatment of epilepsy. It has also been studied in the acute treatment of migraine, and was found to produce some pain relief, but with a relatively high rate of side effects.
   Lack of solubility in water and bioavailability limits the potential of parthenolide as a drug, however synthetic analogs may be developed that could be absorbed to a more useful extent. The feverfew plant is used in herbalism for a variety of aliments. Some vendors specify the content of parthenolide in their products, believing it to be the primary constituent responsible for its activity.
  
  Section::::"In vitro" biological activities.
  
  Parthenolide has a variety of reported "in vitro" biological activities, including:
   In 1618, a farmer at Epsom in England attempted to give his cows water from a well there. The cows refused to drink because of the water's bitter taste, but the farmer noticed that the water seemed to heal scratches and rashes. The substance became known as Epsom salts and its fame spread. It was eventually recognized as hydrated magnesium sulfate, ·7.
   If taken by mouth it is deemed to be very toxic. Side effects may include nausea, vomiting, and shortness of breath may occur. If a sufficiently large amount (about 10 grams) is eaten death may occur.
  
  Concentrated solutions when drunk have resulted in adult respiratory distress syndrome or swelling of the airway. Recommended measures for those who have ingested potassium permanganate include gastroscopy. Activated charcoal or medications to cause vomiting are not recommended. While medications like ranitidine and N-acetylcysteine may be used in toxicity, evidence for this use is poor.
  
  Section::::Mechanism of action.
   It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system. It is available as a generic medication and is not very expensive. In the United States, one hundred doses are about US$14. The sodium salt, dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate, also is used as a food additive, emulsifier, dispersant, and wetting agent, among other uses. In 2016 it was the 127th most prescribed medication in the United States with more than 5 million prescriptions.
  
  Section::::Medical use.
  
  Section::::Medical use.:Constipation.
   The most common adverse effects of short-term use include headache (reported by 7% of people in clinical trials), drowsiness (2%), dizziness (1%), and diarrhea (1%); the most common side effects of long-term use included
  
  drowsiness (8%),
  
  dizziness (5%),
  
  allergy (4%),
  
  sinusitis (4%),
  
  back pain (3%),
  
  diarrhea (3%),
  
  drugged feeling (3%),
  
  dry mouth (3%),
  
  lethargy (3%),
  
  sore throat (3%),
  
  abdominal pain (2%),
  
  constipation (2%),
  
  heart palpitations (2%),
  
  lightheadedness (2%),
  
  rash (2%),
  
  abnormal dreams (1%),
  
  amnesia (1%),
  
  chest pain (1%),
  
  depression (1%),
  
  flu-like symptoms (1%),
  
  and
  
  sleep disorder (1%).
   Common side effects include dizziness, headaches, diarrhea, and back pain. Serious side effects may include kidney problems, low blood pressure, and angioedema. Use in pregnancy may harm the baby and use when breastfeeding is not recommended. It is a angiotensin II receptor antagonist and works by blocking the effects of angiotensin II.
   Magnesium sulfate (medical use)
  
  Magnesium sulfate as a medication is used to treat and prevent low blood magnesium and seizures in women with eclampsia. It is also used in the treatment of torsades de pointes, severe asthma exacerbations, constipation, and barium poisoning. It is given by injection into a vein or muscle as well as by mouth. As epsom salts, it is also used for mineral baths.
   Section::::Indications.
  
  Historically, sultiame has been used to treat partial seizures. In Australia, it is currently registered for behavioural disorders associated with epilepsy; hyperkinetic behaviour; temporal lobe epilepsy; myoclonic seizures; grand mal attacks; and Jacksonian seizures. In contrast to other sulfonamide drugs, sultiame is devoid of antibacterial activity.
  
  Section::::Adverse effects.
   Magnesium stearate is generally considered safe for human consumption at levels below 2500 mg/kg per day and is classified in the United States as generally recognized as safe (GRAS). In 1979, the FDA's Subcommittee on GRAS Substances (SCOGS) reported, "There is no evidence in the available information on ... magnesium stearate ... that demonstrates, or suggests reasonable grounds to suspect, a hazard to the public when they are used at levels that are now current and in the manner now practiced, or which might reasonably be expected in the future."
   Side effects may include irritation of the skin and discoloration of clothing. If it is taken by mouth, toxicity and death may occur. Potassium permanganate is an oxidizing agent. The British National Formulary recommends that each 100 mg be dissolved in a liter of water before use.
   Artesunate is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system. The wholesale cost in the developing world is US$2.09 to US$2.57 a dose. It is not commercially available in the United States; however, can be gotten from the Centers for Disease Control. It was originally made from the sweet wormwood plant.
  
  Section::::Medical uses.
   Section::::Uses.
  
  Lithium sulfate is used to treat bipolar disorder (see lithium pharmacology).
   Side effects include skin irritation, and salicylate poisoning. Salicylate poisoning tends to only occur when applied to a large area and in children. Use is thus not recommended in children less than two years old. It comes in a number of different strengths.
  
  Salicylic acid overdose can lead metabolic acidosis with compensatory respiratory alkalosis. In people presenting with an acute overdose, a 16% morbidity rate and a 1% mortality rate are observed.
  
  Section::::Mechanism of action.
   Because magnesium is a mobile nutrient, magnesium chloride can be effectively used as a substitute for magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) to help correct magnesium deficiency in plants via foliar feeding. The recommended dose of magnesium chloride is smaller than the recommended dose of magnesium sulfate (20 g/l). This is due primarily to the chlorine present in magnesium chloride, which can easily reach toxic levels if over-applied or applied too often.
  