Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official and paediatric dosages, pregnancy and breastfeeding guidance, and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official and paediatric dosages, pregnancy and breastfeeding guidance, and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
Manevac is one of a group of medicines called laxatives. The medicine contains Ispaghula Seed, Ispaghula Husk (bulk-forming laxatives) and Tinnevelly Senna Pods (a stimulant laxative). Manevac is for short term use in the following: occasional constipation (infrequent passing of hard stools), to maintain normal bowel action in bed-ridden patients and to help reduce pain when emptying the bowels for patients suffering from haemorrhoids (piles).
Manevac does not help with weight loss.
2.What you need to know before you take Manevac
Do not take Manevac if you:
+ are allergic to Ispaghula Seed, Ispaghula Husk, Tinnevelly Senna Pods or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
+ havea sudden change in bowel habit that has persisted for more than 2 weeks
+ have undiagnosed rectal bleeding for which you don't know the cause, or blood in your stools
+ have already taken a laxative and are still constipated
+ have difficulty in swallowing or any throat problems
+ havea blocked or narrowing of the gastrointestinal tract or bowel (ileus, intestinal obstruction, faecal impaction or stenosis)
+ have paralysis or lack of muscle tone in the bowel wall (atony)
+ have appendicitis or suffer from any bowel disorders, for example inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, or enlarged bowel (megacolon)
+ have naturally occurring reduced gut motility (speed with which material moves through your gut has always been slow)
* are severely dehydrated
+ have unexplained or persistent tummy complaints e.g. pain, nausea or vomiting
+ have heart or kidney problems
* are under 12 years of age.
* are pregnant or breast feeding
Talk to your doctor before taking this product if any of the above
applies to you.
Warnings and precautions
Take each dose of Manevac with 1-2 glasses of water or similar drink, such as milk or fruit juice. Taking Manevac without enough liquid can cause blockage of the throat and oesophagus (gullet) with choking and intestinal blockage. Symptoms can be chest pain, vomiting, or difficulty in swallowing or breathing. If you have chest pain, vomit, or have difficulty in swallowing or breathing after taking Manevac, get medical attention straight away.
(See "How to take Manevac" in section 3.)
+ Donot exceed the stated dose.
+ Make sure you drink enough fluid while taking Manevac. This will also help your constipation.
+ Ifthe constipation does not resolve within 3 days, or if abdominal pain or rectal bleeding occurs, or if your stools are different in some way e.g. there is blood in your stools, stop taking Manevac and see your doctor.
+ To decrease the risk of gastrointestinal blockage (ileus) Manevac should only be used with medicinal products known to inhibit bowel movement (e.g. opioids,) under medical supervision.
+ Manevac contains potent allergens. As a consequence, after oral use or contact with the skin, Manevac may cause hypersensitivity (allergic) reactions (see section 4)
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Manevac if you:
+ are weak, frail or elderly (you will need to be monitored while taking Manevac)
+ havea blocked bowel (dried, hard stools with tummy pain, nausea and vomiting).
+ have been informed by your doctor that you have narrowing of the intestines or reduced bowel motility
Take special care
+ See your doctor if you need to use laxatives every day for your constipation. Do not use laxatives for a long time unless your doctor tells you. Using stimulant laxatives (such as Senna pods) more often than occasionally can slow down your bowel and make your constipation worse (called 'lazy bowel syndrome'- See Section 3 "If you take more Manevac than you should").
+ If you are incontinent, your pads should be changed more frequently.
+ You should first try taking more exercise, changing your diet or taking bulking agents to relieve your constipation before taking laxatives. Ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice.
Does this help with weight loss?
Stimulant laxatives (including Senna pods) do not help with weight loss. They do not reduce the absorption of calories or nutrients. They can cause watery stools (diarrhoea), abdominal cramps and dehydration. Dehydration can seem like weight loss.
Overuse of laxatives may damage your health by:
+ Causing disturbances of electrolyte and mineral balances. Sodium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus are electrolytes and minerals that are present in very specific amounts necessary for proper functioning of the nerves and muscles, including those of the colon and heart. Upsetting this delicate balance can cause incorrect functioning of these vital organs.
+ Severe dehydration may cause tremors, weakness, blurry vision, fainting, kidney damage, and, in extreme cases, death. Dehydration often requires medical treatment.
+ Overuse of laxatives can cause the colon to stop reacting to usual doses of laxatives so that larger and larger amounts of laxatives may be needed to produce bowel movements.
+ Laxative dependency occurs from overuse.
Other medicines and Manevac
Do not take with medicines which may reduce bowel motility (eg codeine and morphine).
Do not take Manevac within % to 1 hour before or after taking any medicines including those listed below.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription.
In particular tell your doctor or pharmacist about:
* mineral or vitamin B12 supplements
+ medicines for heart failure (cardiac glycosides)
+ medicines to thin the blood such as warfarin
+ carbamazepine for epilepsy (fits)
+ lithium for bipolar disorder.
+ insulin - If you are diabetic and use insulin, you may need to reduce your dose of insulin if you take Manevac with meals. Please discuss with your doctor if you have any concerns regarding this.
+ medicines for thyroid problems - your doctor may need to change the dose of the thyroid hormones you are taking.
+ medicines for heart failure or heart rhythm (e.g. cardiac glycosides, antiarrhythmic medicines e.g. quinidine, medicines inducing QT prolongation)
* water tablets (diuretics)
* certain steroids used for inflammation (adrenocorticosteriods)
« liquorice root.
Long term use of laxatives may increase the side effects of some
medicines.
If any of the above applies to you, your doctor or pharmacist will
be able to advise you further.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding Do not take Manevac if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
yagi" Manevac, (2.60 g+0.11 g+0.34-0.66 g)/5g, 400 g
Time: 13:26
Date: 08 Apr 2025
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Superseded Supplier Code WrAiiet: St} GTIN BX
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Driving and using machines Manevac has no known effect on your ability to drive and use machines.
Important information for patients with an intolerance to some sugars
Manevac contains sucrose. If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicine.
If this product has been prescribed by your doctor, the label on the pack will tell you how much you should take and when. Always take Manevac exactly as your doctor has told you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about taking Manevac.
Before taking this product, sit in an upright position. The granules should be taken using the measuring spoon included in the
pack. Manevac should be placed dry on the tongue and, without chewing or crushing, swallowed with plenty of water, warm drink, milk, fruit juice, or similar liquid (approximately 1-2 glasses with each level measuring spoon).
Drink about 5-10 glasses of fluid every day while you are taking this product.
Dose Adults the elderly and children over 12 years
The usual dose for adults, the elderly and children over 12 years is one (5g) or two (10g) level measuring spoons to be taken once daily at night.
Do not take this medicine immediately before bedtime.
Take the dose at least % to 1 hour before or after taking other medicines.
Take the smallest dose to produce comfortable soft stools. The maximum daily dose of Manevac is two level measuring spoons (10g of granules).
You should not take Manevac for more than one week. Usually it is sufficient to take this medicinal product up to two to three times during that week. If the symptoms worsen or persist while using Manevac, if you need to take laxatives every day or if abdominal pain persists, talk to your doctor or a pharmacist. (See "Take special care with Manevac" in section 2.)
Do not take more than the leaflet tells you. Overuse can be dangerous.
Use in children and adolescents Manevac is not recommended for children under 12 years of age.
If you take more Manevac than you should
If you take too much Manevac contact your nearest casualty department or tell your doctor or pharmacist immediately. Take this leaflet and any remaining granules with you.
It may be harmful to
+ Take too much Manevac or
+ Take Manevac for too long
This is because taking too much for too long may lead to:
- A 'lazy bowel', where the muscle in the bowel becomes too relaxed. This means that bowel emptying happens less often. This can lead to long-term constipation.
- Imbalance of fluid and salts in the body. This can affect the tightness of muscles such as those in the bowel. It can also affect the salts in the blood.
- Low levels of potassium in the blood (called 'hypokalaemia'). This can make you tired, dizzy, make your muscles weak and cause an uneven heart-beat.
Dehydration, making you thirsty, feel faint and giving you
headaches. It can also mean you cannot pass enough urine.
If you forget to take Manevac
If you forget to take Manevac, just take your normal dose as soon as you remember. Do not take a double dose to make up for
a forgotten dose.
If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
4.Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although
not everybody gets them.
If you get any of the following side effects you should stop taking
Manevac and seek medical advice immediately as these may be
signs of an allergic reaction to the medicine:
+ Anaphylactic reactions — severe and potentially life-threatening reaction with symptoms that may include feeling lightheaded
or faint, breathing difficulties or wheezing, a fast heartbeat, skin rash, confusion, anxiety or loss of consciousness
+ difficulty breathing including shortness of breath
+ rhinitis (nasal obstruction or congestion)
* conjunctivitis
+ chest tightness, wheezing
+ asthma or worsening of asthma symptoms
+ askin rash resembling hives (itchy, raised, swollen areas on the skin) or nettle rash, itchiness or redness in one part of the body or more widespread
Other side effects that may occur include:
+ Flatulence (wind) which may occur for a short time after starting Manevac.
+ Nausea and vomiting.
+ Tummy pain, tummy cramps and runny stools, in particular in patients with irritable bowel. However, these symptoms may also occur if too much Manevac has been taken. If this is the case, a reduced dose may be necessary.
« Swollen tummy, blockage in the throat or gut, difficulty swallowing and blocked bowel (dried, hard stools collected in the rectum and anus) may occur, particularly if insufficient fluid is drunk.
* Chronic use may lead to albuminuria and hematuria which is albumin or red blood cells in the urine.
* Yellow or red-brown discoloration of urine may occur which is harmless.
* Chronic use may cause pigmentation of the gastrointestinal tract which usually recedes when the product is no longer taken.
+ The frequency of these side effects is not known.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This
includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via Yellow Card Scheme (Website: www.yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk) or search for MHRA Yellow Card in Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5.How to store Manevac
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use Manevac after the expiry date, which is stated on the pack. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Do not store above 25°C.
Do not use this medicine if you notice description of the visible signs of deterioration.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help to protect the environment.
6. Contents of the pack and other information
The active substances are Ispaghula Seed, Ispaghula Husk and Tinnevelly Senna Pods.
Each 5g dose contains:
2.6g of Ispaghula Seed (Plantago ovata Forssk.);
0.11g of Ispaghula Husk (Plantago ovata Forssk.);
0.34-0.66g of Tinnevelly Senna fruit (Cassia angustifolia Vahl) corresponding to 15mg hydroxyanthracene glycosides calculated as sennoside B.
The other ingredients are caraway oil, Spanish sage oil, peppermint oil, acacia, talc, iron oxides (E172), hard paraffin, liquid paraffin and sucrose.
What Manevac looks like and contents of the pack
Manevac is presented as brown sugar-coated granules and is available in packs containing 400g of granules
Marketing Authorisation Holder Cooper Consumer Health B.V. Verrijn Stuartweg 60,
1112AX Diemen — Netherlands
Manufacturer
Madaus GmbH
Lutticher StraRe 5
53842 Troisdorf
Germany
Manevac is a registered Trade Mark
This leaflet was last revised in July 2025
72003870
yagi" Manevac, (2.60 g+0.11 g+0.34-0.66 g)/5g, 400 g
Time: 13:26
Date: 08 Apr 2025
. Site Barcode/ Component Type Leaflet/IFU - Folded DataMatrix
90 Affiliate Item Code LE: N.A.
Superseded Affiliate Item Code f\'#:§ Vendor Job No. a:
Artwork Proof Now|
N.A. PL 46302/0217 HM EGs United Kingdom
N.A. Barcode Info #\'#:¥
72003870 NA.
Superseded Supplier Code WrAiiet: St} GTIN BX
ee Cd Madaus GmbH (Troisdorf - DE)
TrackWise/GLAMS Job No.
MA No. Supplier SAP No.
New Supplier Code
Page Count Mea
No. of colours fi
Colours |
Non-Print Colours
Equate CMYK with
Body Text Size Hey US 9 pt
US Myriad Pro
MCU 184 x 378 mm
WZ_503
Sign-offs
Vi APR 2025
Manevac granules comes as medicine. Always follow the dose your doctor or pharmacist has given you, and read the leaflet that comes with the medicine.
The active substance in Manevac granules is ispaghula husk.
Medicines with the same active substance include: Fybogel Hi-Fibre Lemon Granules, Fybogel Lemon Granules, Fybogel Orange Granules, Fybogel Plain Granules. They are interchangeable only if your prescriber or pharmacist says so.
This leaflet reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for Manevac granules, as published on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). The version printed inside your medicine’s packaging is the one that applies to you.
Whether a medicine is available over the counter or on prescription only depends on its licence. Check the leaflet, or ask your pharmacist — they can tell you straight away.
The text above reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for this medicine, restructured for easier reading.
For short-term use
a) in cases of occasional constipation,
b) to achieve bowel regulation in bed-ridden patients,
c) in cases of haemorrhoids to achieve pain free evacuation.
For oral administration.
Method of administration:
The patient should be sitting in an upright position prior to administration of the granules. Manevac should be placed dry on the tongue and, without chewing or crushing, swallowed with a glass of water, warm drink, milk, fruit juice or similar aqueous liquid; then maintain adequate fluid intake.
An interval of half an hour to one hour should be kept after taking another medicinal product.
Posology:
Adults, the elderly and children over 12 years:
Sachets
One sachet (5g) or two sachets (10g) to be taken once daily at night.
Granules
One (5g) or two (10g) level measuring spoons to be taken once daily at night.
The maximum daily dose of hydroxyanthracene glycosides is 30 mg. This is equivalent to two level measuring spoons or two sachets (10g of granules) of Manevac . The correct individual dose is the smallest required to produce a comfortable soft-formed motion.
Manevac may produce abdominal pain and spasm and passage of liquid stools, in particular in patients with irritable colon. However, these symptoms may also occur generally as a consequence of individual overdosage. In such cases dose reduction is necessary (see section 4.8).
This product should not be taken immediately prior to bed-time.
Children
Use in children below the age of 12 years is contraindicated (see section 4.3)
Duration of use:
Not to be used for more than 1 week (see section 4.4). Usually it is sufficient to take this medicinal product up to two to three times during that week.
If the symptoms persist during the use of Manevac , a doctor or a pharmacist should be consulted.
• Hypersensitivity to the active substances or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1.
• Children under 12 years of age.
• Pregnancy and lactation (see section 4.6 and 5.3).
• Patients with a sudden change in bowel habit that persists for more than 2 weeks
• Undiagnosed rectal bleeding and failure to defecate following the use of a laxative.
• possible or existing bowel obstruction (ileus)
• intestinal atony
• abnormal narrowing (stenosis) of the gastrointestinal tract
• diseases of the oesophagus and cardia
• paralysis of the intestine or megacolon
• acute inflammatory bowel disease (e.g. Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, appendicitis)
• severe dehydration (with loss of fluid and electrolytes)
• abdominal pain of unknown origin
• dysphagia
Enteral absorption of concomitantly administered medicines such as minerals, vitamins (B12), cardiac glycosides, coumarin derivatives, carbamazepine and lithium may be delayed. For this reason Manevac should not be taken ½ to 1 hour before or after intake of other medicinal products.
Diabetic patients should take Manevac only under medical supervision because adjustment of anti-diabetic therapy may be necessary. If Manevac is taken together with meals by insulin dependent diabetic patients it may be necessary to reduce the insulin dose.
Use of Manevac concomitantly with thyroid hormones requires medical supervision because the dose of the thyroid hormones may have to be adjusted.
Hypokalaemia (resulting from long-term laxative abuse) potentiates the action of cardiac glycosides and interacts with antiarrhythmic medicinal products, with medicinal products, which induce reversion to sinus rhythm (e.g. quinidine) and with medicinal products inducing QT-prolongation.
Concomitant use with other medicinal products inducing hypokalaemia (e.g. diuretics, adrenocorticosteroids and liquorice root) may enhance electrolyte imbalance.
Fertility
Studies on fertility have not been performed.
Pregnancy
The use during pregnancy is contraindicated because of experimental data concerning a genotoxic risk of several anthranoids in Senna, e.g. emodin and aloe-emodin.
Lactation
The use during lactation is contraindicated because after administration of anthranoids, active metabolites, such as rhein, were excreted in breast milk in small amounts.
No studies on the effect on the ability to drive and use machines have been performed.
Overdose may cause abdominal discomfort, flatulence and possibly intestinal obstruction due to the content of ispaghula. Adequate fluid intake should be maintained and management should be symptomatic.
The major symptoms of overdose/abuse are griping pain and severe diarrhoea with consequent losses of fluid and electrolytes, which should be replaced. Diarrhoea may especially cause potassium depletion, which may lead to cardiac disorders and muscular asthenia, particularly where cardiac glycosides, diuretics, adrenocorticosteroids or liquorice root are being taken at the same time.
Treatment should be supportive with generous amounts of fluid. Electrolytes, especially potassium, should be monitored. This is especially important in the elderly.
Chronic ingested overdoses of anthranoid containing medicinal products may lead to toxic hepatitis.
Ask anything about Manevac granules. The assistant answers only from this leaflet — if the leaflet does not cover it, it will say so. It does not give medical advice.
Answers come from the patient leaflet published on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). They are not medical advice. Ask a pharmacist or your GP if you are unsure. For urgent help call NHS 111, or 999 in an emergency.
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