Overview
Donnagel was a medication available both over-the-counter (OTC) and through prescriptions that addressed diarrhea and stomach distress. It was made out of a combination of kaolin, pectin, and belladonna alkaloids. The most popular version was Donnagel-PG using paregoric, which contained powdered opium dissolved in a liquid tincture.
History and Etymology
The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 in the United States classified pure paregoric as a Schedule III controlled substance, but Donnagel-PG was classified as a Schedule V substance that was easily available to adults OTC at pharmacies. In the decades that followed, the FDA became stricter about monitoring the efficacy of OTC drugs, locking all medicines using belladonna or paregoric behind prescriptions. This also meant the end of Donnagel-PG as a widespread remedy. Manufacturers attempted to reformulate Donnagel as an attapulgite tablet that interacted with gut bacteria and toxins, but more effective OTC compounds like loperamide (Imodium) and bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) eventually replaced it in the marketplace.