toxylact: a04ad02 cerium oxalate
The first professional lActological database in the word
Cerium oxalate (ATC A04AD02) is an inorganic cerium salt historically used as an antiemetic, but it is no longer a standard medicinal product and its safety in lactation is poorly characterized, so use during breastfeeding cannot be recommended in routine clinical practice.medpedia.framar+6
Identity and ATC classification
Cerium oxalate (cerium(III) oxalate, cerous oxalate) is an inorganic salt of oxalic acid, typically described with the empirical formula C6Ce2O12 (Ce2(C2O4)3). It belongs to the ATC group A04AD “Other antiemetics” and is specifically coded A04AD02.© In current pharmaceutical classifications, A04AD02 is recognized but in many markets no authorized medicinal products are linked to this ATC code, reflecting its largely historical use.drugbank+7
Pharmacology and clinical use
Cerium oxalate is a white crystalline solid with very low aqueous solubility, acting locally in the gastrointestinal tract when administered orally. Historically, it was used as an antiemetic, especially in vomiting of pregnancy, motion sickness and prevention of postoperative vomiting, although its precise mechanism of action has never been clarified. The antiemetic effect has been hypothesized to relate to interactions of cerium with calcium‑dependent processes or local mucosal effects, but robust mechanistic data are lacking.wikipedia+5
Modern clinical use of cerium compounds has shifted away from cerium oxalate towards topical cerium nitrate in combination with silver sulfadiazine for extensive burns, underlining that cerium oxalate is now essentially of historical interest as a drug. Contemporary drug information sources list cerium oxalate under the antiemetic ATC class but do not describe current licensed indications, dosage forms or standardized dosing regimens.pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih+4
Toxicological profile
Cerium oxalate and related oxalates are classified as irritant and harmful, with notable local toxicity at sites of contact. Experimental and safety‑data‑sheet information describe strong irritation of skin and mucous membranes, severe eye damage risk if the compound enters the eye, and corrosive effects on gastrointestinal mucosa when ingested. Oxalate salts can contribute to systemic toxicity, including potential kidney damage, and cerium compounds can interfere with calcium‑dependent physiological processes.chemos+6
Acute oral exposure is typically classified as harmful if swallowed (e.g. GHS acute oral toxicity category 4), and contact with skin is also considered harmful, warranting standard chemical safety precautions rather than medicinal use. The Bulgarian source you are viewing similarly emphasizes that cerium oxalate has strong irritating effects on skin and mucosa, can cause severe ocular injury with visual impairment, and is associated with enhanced blood coagulation processes.fishersci+2
Lactation safety assessment
No specific pharmacokinetic studies, breast‑milk measurements or lactation‑focused clinical trials involving cerium oxalate were identified in recent biomedical databases. The compound is poorly soluble and likely to remain largely within the gastrointestinal lumen when ingested, but the presence of oxalate and a lanthanide cation, together with recognized irritant and potentially nephrotoxic properties, raises theoretical concerns for both mother and breastfed infant.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih+6
Given the absence of modern therapeutic use, lack of lactation data, chemical irritancy, and availability of safer, well‑characterized antiemetics for breastfeeding women, cerium oxalate should be considered inadequately studied and potentially risky in lactation. In toxicological‑lactological classification systems for your database, a conservative categorization such as “avoid in breastfeeding; obsolete antiemetic; use better‑studied alternatives” would be aligned with current evidence.pharmacy180+3
Example lactation‑oriented note
For a healthcare‑professional monograph, a concise clinical note could be: “Due to obsolete status, limited clinical data and irritant oxalate‑lanthanide composition, cerium oxalate is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women; alternative antiemetics with established lactation safety profiles should be preferred.”wikipedia+3
Web‑page style monograph (English)
Cerium oxalate (ATC A04AD02) – Toxicological‑Lactological Overview
Cerium oxalate (cerium(III) oxalate, cerous oxalate) is an inorganic salt of oxalic acid classified as an antiemetic in the ATC group A04AD “Other antiemetics” (code A04AD02).© It is a white, sparingly soluble crystalline compound that historically saw use for nausea and vomiting, including vomiting of pregnancy and postoperative nausea, but it is rarely, if ever, used in contemporary clinical practice.patikaradar+8
Pharmacological properties
Cerium oxalate acts locally in the gastrointestinal tract, and its antiemetic effect has been documented in older literature without a clearly defined mechanism of action. Cerium as a lanthanide can replace calcium in biomolecules and modulate calcium‑dependent processes, which may contribute to pharmacological effects, but these interactions remain mechanistically uncertain for this specific salt. Modern drug information databases list cerium oxalate under antiemetics but generally provide minimal clinical pharmacology data, reflecting its historical rather than current role.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih+5
Indications and clinical use
Historically, cerium oxalate was used as an oral antiemetic for various causes of nausea and vomiting, notably vomiting of pregnancy, motion sickness and postoperative vomiting prophylaxis. In present‑day practice, no widely marketed medicinal products containing cerium oxalate are available in many jurisdictions, and clinical use has virtually disappeared in favor of safer, better‑characterized antiemetics.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih+3
Adverse effects and toxicity
Cerium oxalate is a strong irritant to skin, eyes and mucous membranes, and exposure can lead to local tissue damage. Ocular contact may result in severe eye injury and visual impairment, while ingestion can cause caustic effects on the gastrointestinal tract and may contribute to kidney damage through oxalate toxicity. Safety data classify the compound as harmful if swallowed or in contact with skin and recommend stringent protective measures when handled as a chemical reagent.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih+5
Systemically, cerium compounds can interfere with calcium‑dependent physiological pathways, including components of the coagulation cascade, neuronal and muscular functions, although the clinical significance of these effects for cerium oxalate at therapeutic doses is not well defined. The Bulgarian pharmacological description also notes enhanced blood clotting processes and emphasizes avoidance in individuals with hypersensitivity to the compound or its excipients.medpedia.framar+1
Lactation considerations
There are no specific studies evaluating cerium oxalate exposure during breastfeeding, its transfer into human milk, or clinical outcomes in breastfed infants. The compound’s irritant and potentially nephrotoxic profile, combined with the presence of a lanthanide cation and oxalate anion, warrants a cautious approach, particularly in the context of maternal and neonatal renal function and mucosal integrity.wikidoc+6
In toxicological‑lactological assessment, cerium oxalate should be considered inadequately studied and potentially hazardous, and routine use in breastfeeding women cannot be recommended. For nausea and vomiting in lactating patients, clinicians should select alternative antiemetics with established pharmacokinetic and safety data in breastfeeding, following evidence‑based lactation resources and contemporary guidelines.pharmacy180+2
Practical recommendations for healthcare professionals
· Do not initiate cerium oxalate therapy in breastfeeding women, given lack of data and the availability of safer alternatives.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih+1
· If historical or non‑standard exposure is documented, monitor for gastrointestinal irritation, renal symptoms and, in case of ocular contact, eye injury.fishersci+4
· Document any exposure in pharmacovigilance systems, as modern post‑marketing data for this compound are extremely limited.drugbank+2



