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Lactulose

Prescription ANDA TE AA Official labelling
Informational index, not medical advice. Content is reproduced from public FDA and NLM data. Always confirm against the manufacturer's current prescribing information. Report adverse events to FDA MedWatch.

Overview

Brand name
Lactulose
Generic name
Lactulose
Dosage form
Powder, for Solution
Route
Oral
Marketing category
ANDA · ANDA
Labeler
PAI Holdings, LLC dba PAI Pharma
Product type
Human Prescription Drug
DEA schedule
Not scheduled
Active ingredients
2
NDC product codes
6
Packages
6
Data completeness
82% of corroborating sources present

Active ingredients

Source: NDC Directory
Active ingredients and strengths as listed in the NDC Directory.
Ingredient Strength RxCUI Monograph
Lactulose 10 g/10g 391937 View
Lactulose 20 g/20g 391937 View

Forms, strengths and routes

Source: NDC Directory
Dosage form
Powder, for Solution
Route of administration
Oral
Presentations
12

Pharmacologic classes are listed in the class section below.

Pharmacologic class

Source: NDC Directory
Established pharmacologic classes (EPC), mechanisms of action (MoA), chemical structures (CS) and physiologic effects (PE).
Class Type Browse
Acidifying Activity [MoA] MoA All 14 members
Osmotic Activity [MoA] MoA All 105 members
Osmotic Laxative [EPC] EPC All 103 members
Stimulation Large Intestine Fluid/Electrolyte Secretion [PE] PE All 53 members

Regulatory status

Source: Drugs@FDANDC Directory
Application number
217914
Application type
ANDA · Abbreviated New Drug Application
Approval date
March 14, 2025
Sponsor
PAI HOLDINGS
Products on application
2
Submissions recorded
1
Products approved under application 217914.
Product Trade name Form Strength Ingredient Status TE Flags
217914-001 LACTULOSE FOR SOLUTION LACTULOSE Prescription AA
217914-002 LACTULOSE FOR SOLUTION LACTULOSE Prescription AA

Therapeutic equivalence

Source: Orange Book
TE code
AA
Reference Listed Drug
No
Reference Standard
No

What this rating means: Therapeutically equivalent — no known or suspected bioequivalence problems (conventional dosage forms)

Codes beginning with “A” indicate products the FDA considers therapeutically equivalent. Codes beginning with “B” indicate bioequivalence has not been established. See methodology.

Approval history

Source: Drugs@FDA
Most recent submissions on application 217914.
Type No. Action Status Date Review
Original application 1 Approved March 14, 2025 Standard

Prescribing information

Source: openFDA Drug Labeling

Reproduced verbatim from the Structured Product Labeling submitted to the FDA (effective 20260707). This is the manufacturer's labelling text, not a summary and not advice.

HUMAN PRESCRIPTION DRUG · 20260707 HUMAN PRESCRIPTION DRUG · 20250913 HUMAN PRESCRIPTION DRUG · 20250901

Indications and Usage

openFDA Drug Labeling

INDICATIONS AND USAGE LACTULOSE For Oral Solution is indicated for the treatment of constipation. In patients with a history of chronic constipation, lactulose therapy increases the number of bowel movements per day and the number of days on which bowel movements occur.

Dosage and Administration

openFDA Drug Labeling

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION The usual adult dosage is 10 g to 20 g of lactulose daily. The dose may be increased to 40 g daily if necessary. Twenty-four to 48 hours may be required to produce a normal bowel movement.

Contraindications

openFDA Drug Labeling

CONTRAINDICATIONS Since LACTULOSE For Oral Solution contains galactose (less than 0.3 g/10 g as a total sum with lactose), it is contraindicated in patients who require a low galactose diet.

WARNINGS A theoretical hazard may exist for patients being treated with lactulose who may be required to undergo electrocautery procedures during proctoscopy or colonoscopy. Accumulation of H 2 gas in significant concentration in the presence of an electrical spark may result in an explosive reaction. Although this complication has not been reported with lactulose, patients on lactulose therapy undergoing such procedures should have a thorough bowel cleansing with a non-fermentable solution. Insufflation of CO 2 as an additional safeguard may be pursued but is considered to be a redundant measure.

Adverse Reactions

openFDA Drug Labeling

ADVERSE REACTIONS Precise frequency data are not available. Initial dosing may produce flatulence and intestinal cramps, which are usually transient. Excessive dosage can lead to diarrhea with potential complications such as loss of fluids, hypokalemia, and hypernatremia. Nausea and vomiting have been reported.

Drug Interactions

openFDA Drug Labeling

Drug Interactions Results of preliminary studies in humans and rats suggest that nonabsorbable antacids given concurrently with lactulose may inhibit the desired lactulose-induced drop in colonic pH. Therefore, a possible lack of desired effect of treatment should be taken into consideration before such drugs are given concomitantly with lactulose.

Description

openFDA Drug Labeling

DESCRIPTION Lactulose for Oral Solution is a synthetic disaccharide in the form of crystals for reconstitution prior to use for oral administration. Each 10 g of lactulose contains less than 0.3 g galactose and lactose as a total sum. The pH range is 3.0 to 7.0. Lactulose is a colonic acidifier which promotes laxation. The chemical name for lactulose is 4-O-β-D-Galactopyranosyl-D-fructofuranose. It has the following structural formula: The molecular formula is C 12 H 22 O 11 . The molecular weight is 342.30. It is freely soluble in water. Lactulose Chemical Structure

OVERDOSAGE - Signs and Symptoms There have been no reports of accidental overdosage. In the event of overdosage, it is expected that diarrhea and abdominal cramps would be the major symptoms. Medication should be terminated. Oral LD 50 The acute oral LD 50 of the drug is 48.8 mL/kg in mice and greater than 30 mL/kg in rats. Dialysis Dialysis data are not available for lactulose. Its molecular similarity to sucrose, however, would suggest that it should be dialyzable.

How Supplied / Storage and Handling

openFDA Drug Labeling

HOW SUPPLIED LACTULOSE For Oral Solution is available in single dose packets of 10 g (NDC 85592-819-01) and single dose packets of 20 g (NDC 85592-829-01). The packets are supplied as follows: NDC 85592-819-30 (Carton of thirty 10 g packets) NDC 85592-829-30 (Carton of thirty 20 g packets) STORE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, 15°-30°C (59°-86°F). To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Cumberland Assured Products Inc. at 1-615-564-2189 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. Manufactured for: CUMBERLAND ASSURED PRODUCTS INC. Nashville, TN 37203 Issued: July 2025

Adverse event reports

Source: openFDA FAERS
38,217
FAERS reports mentioning this drug
as of 2026-09-25T03:42:24+00:00
A report count is not a risk measure. FAERS accepts voluntary and mandatory reports without establishing causation, and reporting is influenced by how widely a drug is used, how long it has been marketed, and media attention. FDA states that reports “do not prove that the drug caused the event”. Compare rates, not totals.

Attributed to this product's most-reported active ingredient: LACTULOSE. Combination products with more than six active ingredients are not attributed, because a report count summed across a long ingredient list measures the list, not the medicine.

Packaging and NDCs

Source: NDC Directory
Every National Drug Code package associated with this medication. The NDC is the identifier used for dispensing, billing and pharmacovigilance in the United States.
Package NDC Product NDC Labeler Description Marketing start
85592-819-30 85592-819 Cumberland Assured Products Inc. 30 POUCH in 1 CARTON (85592-819-30) / 10 g in 1 POUCH (85592-819-01) September 1, 2025
85592-829-30 85592-829 Cumberland Assured Products Inc. 30 POUCH in 1 CARTON (85592-829-30) / 20 g in 1 POUCH (85592-829-01) September 1, 2025
0121-0965-30 0121-0965 PAI Holdings, LLC dba PAI Pharma 30 POUCH in 1 CARTON (0121-0965-30) / 10 g in 1 POUCH (0121-0965-01) March 17, 2025
0121-1930-30 0121-1930 PAI Holdings, LLC dba PAI Pharma 30 POUCH in 1 CARTON (0121-1930-30) / 20 g in 1 POUCH (0121-1930-01) March 17, 2025
73352-900-15 73352-900 Trifluent Pharma, Inc. 15 POUCH in 1 CARTON (73352-900-15) / 10 g in 1 POUCH (73352-900-01) September 13, 2025
73352-905-15 73352-905 Trifluent Pharma, Inc. 15 POUCH in 1 CARTON (73352-905-15) / 20 g in 1 POUCH (73352-905-01) September 13, 2025
85592-819 85592-819 Cumberland Assured Products Inc. — September 1, 2025
85592-829 85592-829 Cumberland Assured Products Inc. — September 1, 2025
0121-0965 0121-0965 PAI Holdings, LLC dba PAI Pharma — March 17, 2025
0121-1930 0121-1930 PAI Holdings, LLC dba PAI Pharma — March 17, 2025
73352-900 73352-900 Trifluent Pharma, Inc. — September 13, 2025
73352-905 73352-905 Trifluent Pharma, Inc. — September 13, 2025

Sources for this page

Every dataset that contributed a fact to this page.
Dataset Agency Used for
NDC Directory FDA Identity, ingredients, strengths, forms, routes, labelers, packages
Drugs@FDA FDA Application, sponsor, submissions, review documents, marketing status
Orange Book FDA Therapeutic equivalence codes, reference drug flags, patents, exclusivity
Drug Labeling FDA / NLM Prescribing information reproduced above
FAERS FDA Adverse event report counts

Generated September 25, 2026 · 12 sections on this page.