Bismuth salts

Bismuth salts are used alone or together with other components in preparations against gastritis and diarrhea.
Bismuth salicylate contains about 60% bismuth and 40% salicylate.

At latest update no published data on excretion into breast milk were found.

Bismuth is not absorbed into the systemic circulation of the mother.

There may be a risk of absorption of salicylate in the case of bismuth salicylate, although in small quantity (<1% of the maternal dose), but no cases of Reye's syndrome have been reported after taking bismuth salicylate or other non-acetylated salicylate compounds.

Due to the otherwise minimum risk of Reye's syndrome and the indiscriminate use of bismuth subsalicylate for treatment of gastroenteritis cannot be justifiable since most of gastroenteritis do not require medication instead a simply adequate hydration, a safer alternative should be desirable while breastfeeding, like the other salts of bismuth (citrate, etc).

Alternatives

• Omeprazole (Very Low Risk)
• Loperamide Hydrochloride (Very Low Risk)