Stock up! Be careful with COVID-19 medications...

Audit expert: Wu Xinsheng

Deputy Chief Physician, Department of Gastroenterology

Recently, rumors about the "Omicron XBB strain" have been rife.

Don't be dominated by rumors! Remind everyone to be careful to discern information! Source: Shanghai Online Rumor Refutation

XBB is a subvariant of Omicron , first discovered in India in August 2022 and named by scientists for the first time in September. It is considered to be a "recombination" of two different Omicron subvariants, BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75, that appeared earlier in 2021. XBB has further evolved into XBB.1 and XBB.1.5, the latter of which is currently a variant that is rapidly rising in some European and American countries and has become dominant in some countries.

Among the rumors about the XBB strain, the statement that "the XBB strain mainly attacks the intestines and can cause vomiting and diarrhea" caused many people to worry and panic. As a result, montmorillonite powder was almost sold out. Not only was it sold out in pharmacies, but online delivery on online shopping platforms was also out of stock.

Source: A video platform

So, what exactly is montmorillonite powder and what are its functions?

Montmorillonite and montmorillonite powder

As the name suggests, montmorillonite powder is a medicine made with montmorillonite as raw material.

Montmorillonite is a natural mineral that was first discovered in Montmorillon, Vienne, France in 1847. It was named after the place where it was discovered.

Source: Baidu Encyclopedia

The chemical composition of montmorillonite is hydrated sodium calcium aluminum magnesium silicate hydroxide (Na,Ca)0.33(Al,Mg)2(Si4O10)(OH)2·nH2O. The water content is variable because the single crystals of montmorillonite are not tightly bound together and water can easily penetrate, causing the clay to expand significantly. Cations can be replaced by other ions such as potassium and iron, and the replacement of colored ions makes the mineral appear different colors. The proportions of various ions in montmorillonite produced in different places are not the same. It also often coexists with minerals such as chlorite, muscovite, illite, coke stone and kaolinite.

Montmorillonite is also widely used in industry, but its most famous use is as medicinal montmorillonite powder.

Montmorillonite powder is an antidiarrheal drug made of montmorillonite, the main component of which is dioctahedral montmorillonite powder . At the microscopic level, montmorillonite powder has a layered structure and plasticity, and its charge is unevenly distributed. These characteristics allow it to efficiently bind to harmful substances such as pathogens or digestive tract mucosa, and by binding to glycoproteins in digestive tract mucus and covering the digestive tract, it increases the digestive tract's defense against irritation or adverse substances. Therefore, montmorillonite powder has the effect of protecting the digestive tract mucosa and stopping diarrhea.

Montmorillonite powder source: Wikipedia

In addition, montmorillonite powder has the characteristics of almost not entering the blood circulation system, not affecting X-ray examinations, and not changing normal intestinal peristalsis and stool color. It is called a "green medicine". * However, long-term and excessive use of montmorillonite powder will cause adverse reactions such as constipation and dry stools. Therefore, it needs to be used according to the instructions or doctor's orders, and cannot be used based on feeling.

Does montmorillonite powder have any effect on XBB? Should I stock up on medicine?

In fact, we can already draw a conclusion from the above. The main function of montmorillonite powder is to treat diarrhea symptoms, and it is not a drug for treating viruses. If you want to stop diarrhea, most antidiarrheal drugs can achieve similar functions as montmorillonite powder, so there is no need to focus on buying montmorillonite powder.

Source: A shopping website

So, is it necessary to stock up on medicine to prevent the XBB strain?

In fact, according to subsequent news, we know that the rumor that "XBB1.5 mainly treats cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and diarrhea" has not been confirmed and is false news. Therefore, the screenshots that asked everyone to "stock up on montmorillonite powder, Zhengchangsheng, and norfloxacin" were not medical advice verified by professional doctors.

Source of Norfloxacin: a shopping website

According to Li Dongzeng, chief physician of the Department of Respiratory and Infectious Diseases at Beijing You'an Hospital, "Montmorillonite powder is a drug for treating diarrhea. Some people infected with the new coronavirus do have symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea, which usually resolve on their own within 1 to 3 days. It has not been found that XBB1.5 is more likely to invade the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems and the digestive system. Drugs for treating respiratory and digestive tract infections can be appropriately prepared, but there is no need to stockpile them in large quantities."

Liao Shanying, deputy chief physician of the Department of Gastroenterology at Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, also said that there are many reasons for diarrhea after COVID-19 infection. The new coronavirus itself can infect the gastrointestinal mucosa, leading to viral enteritis and diarrhea. In addition, intestinal flora imbalance and the patient's own underlying diseases may cause or aggravate diarrhea. The course of viral infectious diarrhea is self-limiting and generally does not exceed 1 week.

Now people are rushing to buy montmorillonite powder and other medicines because of a screenshot of a WeChat Moments post. This is mainly due to the anxiety about the uncertainty of the new coronavirus mutation. In addition, the experience of difficulty in buying medicines in the past period of time has made many people think of being prepared. These thoughts are normal emotions of people under stress and are understandable.

But we must realize that medication must first be safe, symptomatic, and accurate. Hoarding and taking medication according to so-called guidelines circulated on the Internet is likely to cause physical discomfort and have the opposite effect. We should pay more attention to scientific prevention and control information, pay more attention to the guidance and suggestions of medical experts, prepare medication appropriately, use medication scientifically, avoid excessive hoarding of medication, and never take medication indiscriminately.

This article is compiled from Wikipedia, China News Service, CCTV.com, Beijing Daily, China National Radio, etc.