Bentonite

Products

Bentonite is available as a pure substance in pharmacies and drugstores. Specialty retailers can order it from specialized suppliers. It is named after the place where it was found near Fort Benton in the United States.

Structure and properties

Bentonite is a natural clay with a large proportion of montmorillonite, a hydrous aluminum silicate of natural origin, in which certain aluminum and silicon atoms may be replaced by other atoms such as magnesium and iron. It exists as a very fine, homogeneous, grayish-white powder, more or less yellowish to pinkish in color, which is practically insoluble in water. With a small amount of water, bentonite swells and forms a pliable mass. Veegum (Bentonitum veegum) is the name given to a highly purified bentonite used in pharmaceuticals.

Effects

Bentonite is adsorbent and swells with water and other polar liquids such as glycerol.

Fields of application

  • As a pharmaceutical excipient for the production of bentonite gels, as a stabilizer, filler, thickener. For example, bentonite is contained in the white shake mixture.
  • Externally in powders for skin diseases.
  • Formerly like medicinal charcoal as a home remedy for gastrointestinal disorders and diarrhea, as an antidote.
  • In cosmetics.
  • In non-specific sprays against hay fever (Prevalin™).
  • For “purification” (alternative medicine).