Docusate sodium (DSS)

Docusate sodium is a synthetic anionic surfactant and small molecule used primarily as a stool softener to treat occasional constipation and facilitate bowel movements when straining is contraindicated. It acts by lowering the surface tension at the oil–water interface in stool, permitting water and fats to enter the stool and hence softening it. It may also be used as a cerumenolytic agent to hydrate and break down earwax. Docusate sodium is not a molecular target but an active pharmaceutical ingredient with physicochemical action. It is available under various brand names, including Colace and Dulcolax Stool Softener, and is also used non-medically as a surfactant in industrial and cosmetic applications. There are notable safety concerns with prolonged use or misuse, and its efficacy for constipation has been challenged in clinical studies.

Other names

Dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinateDocusateAerosol OTSodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinateColace (brand)Dulcolax Stool Softener (brand)Phillips Stool Softener (brand)

Surfactant: reduces surface tension, allowing water and fats to mix into stool, softening it for easier passage; Emollient: acts locally to facilitate hydration of stool mass; Cerumenolytic: hydrates and breaks down earwax for removal