FDA pharmacologic class
Osmotic Laxative
8 medicines are in FDA's class of osmotic laxatives: potassium chloride (Klor-Con), sodium chloride, magnesium sulfate, polyethylene glycol 3350 (Miralax), sodium bicarbonate, lactulose (Enulose), sodium acetate and potassium acetate; 42 combination products also contain one. 27 of the 50 are listed from generic labelers (FDA NDC Directory, October 8, 2026). The lowest pharmacy cost is lactated ringers injection at $0.0038 per mL (NADAC).
Which medicines are osmotic laxative?
| Medicine | Brand names | Generic labelers (all forms) | Pharmacy cost | Boxed warning | Shortage | Recalls since 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potassium chloride | Klor-Con, Pokonza | 71 labelers | $0.0828 per tablet 10 mEq tablet | No | A presentation being discontinued | 24 |
| Sodium chloride | none listed | 14 labelers | $0.0887 per mL 0.9% vial | No | A presentation being discontinued | 77 |
| Magnesium sulfate | none listed | 17 labelers | $0.0039 per gram Epsom salt | No | No current entry | 10 |
| Polyethylene glycol 3350 | Miralax | 69 labelers | $0.0286 per gram 3350 powd | No | No current entry | 4 |
| Sodium bicarbonate | none listed | 22 labelers | $0.154 per mL 8.4% vial | No | In shortage | 18 |
| Calcium carbonate and famotidine and magnesium hydroxide | Pepcid, Dual | 20 labelers | $0.258 per tablet Acid reducer complete tablet chewable | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Calcium chloride, dextrose, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride and sodium lactate | Delflex | none listed | n/a | No | A presentation being discontinued | 18 |
| Sodium phosphate dibasic and sodium phosphate monobasic | none listed | 6 labelers | $0.0067 per mL Enema ready to use | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate | Zegerid, Konvomep | 20 labelers | $7.90 per packet 40-1,680 packet | No | No current entry | 5 |
| Lactulose | Enulose, Kristalose, Generlac | 22 labelers | $8.22 per packet 10 g packet | No | No current entry | 7 |
| Dextrose and potassium chloride and sodium chloride | none listed | 1 labeler | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Sodium acetate | none listed | 5 labelers | n/a | No | In shortage | 2 |
| Dextrose and sodium chloride | none listed | 2 labelers | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Potassium acetate | none listed | 2 labelers | n/a | No | No current entry | 1 |
| Alanine, arginine and 19 other ingredients | Clinimix | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 5 |
| Calcium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium chloride and sodium lactate | none listed | 2 labelers | $0.0038 per mL Lactated ringers injection | No | No current entry | 5 |
| Magnesium sulfate and potassium sulfate and sodium sulfate | Suprep | 9 labelers | $0.0901 per mL Sod sul-potass sul-mag sul solution | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Dibasic and monobasic | none listed | 4 labelers | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Potassium phosphate dibasic and potassium phosphate monobasic | none listed | 3 labelers | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Polyethylene glycol 3350, potassium chloride and 3 other ingredients | Golytely, Gavilyte | 3 labelers | $0.0046 per mL 3350 and electrolytes solution | No | No current entry | 1 |
| Potassium chloride and sodium chloride | none listed | 2 labelers | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Calcium chloride, dextrose, potassium chloride, sodium chloride and sodium lactate | none listed | 1 labeler | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Magnesium chloride, potassium chloride and 3 other ingredients | Normosol-R, Physiolyte, Isolyte | 1 labeler | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Polyethylene glycol 3350, potassium chloride, sodium bicarbonate and sodium chloride | Trilyte, Gavilyte-N | 3 labelers | $0.0046 per mL 3350-electrolyte solution | No | No current entry | 1 |
| Dextrose and potassium chloride | none listed | 1 labeler | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Calcium chloride, icodextrin, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride and sodium lactate | Extraneal | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Calcium chloride and potassium chloride and sodium chloride | Ringers | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Calcium chloride, magnesium chloride and 4 other ingredients | Bss, Balanced | 1 labeler | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride and sodium chloride | Plegisol, Cardioplegic | 2 labelers | n/a | No | A presentation being discontinued | 0 |
| Alanine, arginine and 22 other ingredients | Perikabiven, Kabiven | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 1 |
| Magnesium sulfate and potassium chloride and sodium sulfate | Sutab | none listed | $6.74 per tablet 1.479-0.225-0.188 g tablet | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Anhydrous citric acid and magnesium oxide and sodium picosulfate | Clenpiq | none listed | $0.518 per mL 175 mL solution | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Anhydrous dextrose, calcium chloride and 5 other ingredients | Elliotts | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Calcium chloride, magnesium chloride and 3 other ingredients | Tpn | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Dextrose, magnesium acetate, potassium acetate and sodium chloride | none listed | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Dextrose, magnesium chloride and 4 other ingredients | none listed | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Dextrose, magnesium chloride and 3 other ingredients | none listed | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Dextrose, magnesium chloride and 4 other ingredients | none listed | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Dextrose, magnesium chloride and 4 other ingredients | none listed | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Magnesium chloride, potassium chloride and 5 other ingredients | Isolyte | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Alanine, arginine and 18 other ingredients | Clinimix | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Anhydrous dextrose, lactic acid and 4 other ingredients | Prismasol | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Citric acid and dextrose and sodium citrate | Acd | 3 labelers | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Anhydrous dextrose, calcium chloride and 5 other ingredients | Prismasol | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Anhydrous dextrose, calcium chloride and 4 other ingredients | Prismasol | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Calcium chloride, magnesium chloride and 4 other ingredients | Phoxillum | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Lactic acid, magnesium chloride, sodium bicarbonate and sodium chloride | Prismasol | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Magnesium chloride, potassium chloride and 3 other ingredients | Phoxillum | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Magnesium sulfate, monobasic and 3 other ingredients | Tis-U-Sol | none listed | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
| Polyethylene glycol 3350, potassium chlorate and 3 other ingredients | none listed | 1 labeler | n/a | No | No current entry | 0 |
Source: FDA Established Pharmacologic Class (NDC Directory, openFDA); CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026; FDA shortages and recalls (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What do pharmacies pay?
Each medicine's most widely listed form, per unit, in the NADAC survey: what pharmacies paid, not what a patient pays; strengths differ, so compare like with like.
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) survey, October 7, 2026: what retail pharmacies paid per unit; not a counter price