Oxyphenisatine (or oxyphenisatin) is a laxative.[3] It is closely related to bisacodyl, sodium picosulfate, and phenolphthalein. Long-term use is associated with liver damage,[4] and as a result, it was withdrawn in most countries in the early 1970s. The acetatederivative oxyphenisatine acetate was also once used as a laxative.
Natural chemical compounds similar to oxyphenisatine may be present in prunes,[5] but a recent review of the relevant scientific literature suggests that the laxative effect of prunes is due to other constituents including phenolic compounds (mainly neochlorogenic acids and chlorogenic acids) and sorbitol.[6] Oxyphenisatin has cathartic properties.
^ abcSciFinder Scholar, version 2004.2; Chemical Abstracts Service, Registry Number 125-13-3, accessed September 1, 2011
^Farack, U. M.; Nell, G. (1984). "Mechanism of Action of Diphenolic Laxatives: The Role of Adenylate Cyclase and Mucosal Permeability". Digestion. 30 (3): 191–194. doi:10.1159/000199105. PMID6548720.
^Baum, H. M.; Sanders, R. G.; Straub, G. J. (1951). "The Occurrence of a Diphenyl Isatin in California Prunes". Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association. 40 (7): 348–349. doi:10.1002/jps.3030400713. PMID14850362.
^Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis, M.; Bowen, P. E.; Hussain, E. A.; Damayanti-Wood, B. I.; Farnsworth, N. R. (2001). "Chemical Composition and Potential Health Effects of Prunes: A Functional Food?". Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 41 (4): 251–286. doi:10.1080/20014091091814. PMID11401245. S2CID31159565.