✓ Medically reviewed by · Last reviewed: May 2026
Pharmacy Researcher · 8 years experience
Pharmacy researcher with 8 years reviewing clinical drug information, generic formulation equivalence, and international pharmaceutical standards. Focuses on patient-facing accuracy in medication education.
Key Takeaways
- Colospa is a generic of Colofac — both contain mebeverine hydrochloride 135 mg, a first-line antispasmodic for IBS abdominal cramps and functional bowel disorder.
- Mebeverine is a musculotropic antispasmodic, meaning it acts directly on gut smooth muscle rather than blocking acetylcholine receptors — so it causes no dry mouth, no drowsiness, no urinary retention, unlike hyoscine or dicyclomine.
- Standard dose: 135 mg three times daily, 20 minutes before meals. Onset 30–60 minutes; duration 4–6 hours.
- Well tolerated for long-term daily use. Particularly useful for IBS-D and IBS-M (cramping and pain); less effective for bloating or constipation-dominant symptoms.
- Colospa is available to order online without a prescription through international pharmacies, including MedsBase, which ships worldwide in discreet packaging.
If you have searched for colospa online or mebeverine online, you are likely someone already familiar with the drug — perhaps prescribed it locally, or using it for an ongoing IBS flare. This guide covers the mechanism, dosage, side-effect profile, and what makes mebeverine stand apart from older IBS antispasmodics — so you can make an informed decision before buying.
What Is Colospa?
Colospa is a branded generic manufactured by Abbott India. Each film-coated tablet contains mebeverine hydrochloride 135 mg — the same active ingredient and dose as Colofac (the Abbott / Viatris originator brand marketed in the UK, Europe, and Australia). Bioequivalence is confirmed at the regulatory level: the same plasma concentration curve, the same clinical effect.
Mebeverine has been in continuous clinical use since the 1960s, making its long-term safety profile exceptionally well understood. It is listed as a first-line pharmacological option for IBS in NICE (UK) and British Society of Gastroenterology guidelines — prescribed far more than older antispasmodics in primary care settings because of its side-effect advantage.
Colospa is supplied in packs of 30, 60, 90 or 180 tablets. The price-per-tablet from an international pharmacy such as MedsBase is substantially lower than retail pharmacy prices in the UK or Australia for Colofac.
What Is the Difference Between Mebeverine and Older Antispasmodics?
This is the most clinically important thing to understand about Colospa — and the reason GPs have progressively moved away from hyoscine (Buscopan) and dicyclomine (Merbentyl) as long-term IBS agents.
Antispasmodics fall into two mechanistic classes:
| Feature | Mebeverine (Colospa / Colofac) | Anticholinergics (hyoscine, dicyclomine) |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanism | Direct smooth-muscle action (musculotropic) | Block muscarinic receptors system-wide |
| Dry mouth | No | Very common |
| Drowsiness / sedation | No | Common (especially dicyclomine) |
| Urinary retention | No | Possible (men with BPH, avoid) |
| Blurred vision / palpitations | No | Possible |
| Impairs driving? | No | Caution advised |
| Long-term daily use | Safe; widely recommended | Tolerance issues; side effects accumulate |
| Suitable for older adults? | Yes | Caution (falls, cognitive effects) |
The practical upshot: if you tried an antispasmodic for IBS and found the side effects intolerable, mebeverine is the natural switch — you get the smooth-muscle relaxation benefit with essentially a placebo-level side-effect rate.
What Is Colospa Used For?
The approved indication is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and associated functional bowel disorders. Specifically:
- IBS-D (diarrhoea-predominant) — mebeverine reduces post-meal urgency, frequency, and cramping
- IBS-M (mixed) — useful on days when cramp and pain predominate
- Post-infectious IBS — persistent gut hypersensitivity and cramping after a gastroenteritis episode
- Functional abdominal pain — episodic colicky pain without an organic diagnosis
- Diverticular disease with spasm-related pain — off-label in some regions but widely used
How Does Colospa (Mebeverine) Work?
Mebeverine’s precise molecular mechanism remains an active area of research, but the two best-characterised actions are:
- Blockade of voltage-gated sodium channels on intestinal smooth muscle cells, reducing their excitability and susceptibility to spasm-triggering stimuli.
- Inhibition of calcium influx during smooth-muscle contraction, relaxing existing spasm and dampening post-meal hypercontractility.
Crucially, mebeverine normalises motility rather than suppressing it. It preferentially quiets hyper-contracting segments while leaving normal peristalsis intact — explaining why it does not cause the constipation or ileus risk that can occur with full anticholinergic agents.
Pharmacokinetics: mebeverine is rapidly absorbed and undergoes extensive first-pass metabolism in the intestinal wall and liver. Most systemic activity comes from its metabolite veratric acid. Plasma half-life of the parent compound is short (about 30 minutes), but the smooth-muscle effect lasts 4–6 hours per dose. No dose adjustment is needed for renal impairment. There is no meaningful accumulation with daily dosing.
Dosage and How to Take Colospa
For adults and children aged 10 and over:
| Parameter | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Standard dose | 135 mg (one tablet) three times daily |
| Timing | 20 minutes before each main meal |
| Onset | 30–60 minutes after the dose |
| Duration of action | 4–6 hours per dose |
| How to take | Swallow whole with water; do not chew (bitter taste) |
| Missed dose | Take as soon as remembered unless close to the next dose; do not double up |
| Maximum daily dose | 3 × 135 mg = 405 mg |
| Duration of treatment | Safe for long-term continuous use; may also be taken on an as-needed basis |
The 20-minutes-before-meals timing is deliberate: peak smooth-muscle effect coincides with the post-meal period when IBS cramping typically triggers. Modified-release mebeverine 200 mg capsules (twice daily) exist in some markets as an alternative to the three-times-daily tablet — both approaches deliver equivalent total daily exposure.
Symptom improvement is usually noticeable within the first 24–48 hours. Full benefit on symptom frequency often takes 1–2 weeks of regular dosing. If there is no improvement after 4 weeks at full dose, reconsider whether the diagnosis is correct or add a second IBS strategy (dietary FODMAP modification, peppermint oil, central neuromodulator).
Side Effects
Mebeverine’s side-effect profile is one of its strongest clinical arguments. Most trials report rates comparable to placebo:
Common side effects (mebeverine): None at a frequency exceeding placebo in controlled trials.
Uncommon or rare:
- Hypersensitivity reactions — urticaria, skin rash, angioedema (stop and consult a doctor if these occur)
- Mild constipation or nausea in isolated cases
- Headache, dizziness — infrequent
- Fixed drug eruption or vasculitis — very rare case reports
Mebeverine does not cause drowsiness and is safe to take before driving or operating machinery. This is a meaningful distinction for working-age IBS sufferers who cannot use sedating antispasmodics.
Drug Interactions
Mebeverine is metabolised primarily by gut-wall esterases rather than hepatic CYP enzymes, making it essentially free of clinically meaningful drug–drug interactions:
- No effect on warfarin INR or oral contraceptive levels
- No interaction with alcohol (though alcohol may worsen IBS symptoms directly)
- No meaningful interaction with loperamide, peppermint oil, PEG laxatives, or common co-medications
- Caution combining with other anticholinergic antispasmodics — this combination is rarely necessary and offers no added benefit over mebeverine alone
No dose adjustment is needed for kidney impairment. Limited data in severe liver impairment — use with caution.
Who Should Not Take Colospa?
- Known hypersensitivity to mebeverine hydrochloride
- Paralytic ileus
- Children under 10 years (insufficient data)
- First trimester of pregnancy — generally avoided unless benefit clearly outweighs risk; no teratogenic signal in limited data
- Breastfeeding — limited data; non-pharmacological management is usually preferred during nursing
Colospa vs Colofac vs Alternatives: Which to Choose?
| Product | Active | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colospa | Mebeverine 135 mg | IBS cramps, long-term use | Best value; identical clinical effect to Colofac |
| Colofac | Mebeverine 135 mg | IBS cramps, long-term use | UK/EU originator brand; higher retail price |
| Buscopan (hyoscine) | Hyoscine butylbromide 10 mg | Short-term acute cramps | Anticholinergic; not ideal long-term |
| Rifagut (rifaximin) | Rifaximin 400 mg | IBS-D, SIBO, travellers’ diarrhoea | Gut-specific antibiotic; 2-week course resets microbiome dysbiosis |
| Rcifax (rifaximin) | Rifaximin 550 mg | IBS-D, hepatic encephalopathy | Higher-dose rifaximin; often combined with mebeverine for IBS-D |
| Mesacol (mesalamine) | Mesalamine 400 mg | Ulcerative colitis, IBD | Not for IBS; for diagnosed IBD with mucosal inflammation |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Colospa the same as Colofac?
Yes — both contain mebeverine hydrochloride 135 mg at the same dose. Colospa (Abbott India generic) and Colofac (Abbott / Viatris originator) are bioequivalent: the regulatory approval process requires the same peak plasma concentration and area under the curve. Clinical effect is identical at the same dose. Colospa is generally available at a significantly lower price through international pharmacies.
How long does Colospa take to work?
Smooth-muscle relaxation begins within 30–60 minutes of a dose. Most people notice a reduction in cramping intensity within the first 24–48 hours of regular use. Full improvement in symptom frequency typically takes 1–2 weeks. If there is no meaningful benefit after 4 weeks at full dose (135 mg three times daily before meals), the IBS diagnosis or treatment strategy should be reconsidered.
Does Colospa cause dry mouth or drowsiness?
No. Mebeverine’s musculotropic mechanism bypasses the autonomic nervous system entirely — it does not bind muscarinic receptors, so dry mouth, blurred vision, palpitations, and drowsiness do not occur at standard doses. This is the key difference from hyoscine (Buscopan) or dicyclomine (Merbentyl). Mebeverine does not impair driving.
Can I take Colospa every day long-term?
Yes. Long-term daily use of mebeverine is safe and commonly continued for months or years in patients with chronic IBS. NICE guidelines support its ongoing use as a first-line antispasmodic. Many patients take it daily during symptomatic periods and pause treatment when their IBS settles, then restart as needed.
What is the difference between mebeverine and hyoscine (Buscopan)?
Hyoscine butylbromide (Buscopan) is an anticholinergic antispasmodic — it blocks muscarinic receptors body-wide to relax smooth muscle. This works but also causes dry mouth, potential urinary retention, and drowsiness, particularly with regular use. Mebeverine acts directly on smooth muscle cells without muscarinic receptor involvement, producing the same antispasmodic benefit with essentially no systemic anticholinergic effects. For long-term IBS management, mebeverine is preferred.
Does Colospa help with bloating?
Mebeverine’s primary strength is abdominal cramping and pain — it has limited direct effect on bloating or gas. For bloating-dominant IBS, dietary FODMAP restriction, peppermint oil capsules (enteric-coated), and simethicone tend to be more effective strategies. Mebeverine and peppermint oil can be combined: they work via different mechanisms and stack safely.
Can I take Colospa with peppermint oil capsules?
Yes — this is a well-recognised combination for IBS pain. Peppermint oil works through a different smooth-muscle mechanism (calcium channel blockade with a menthol-derived action). Both can be taken 20 minutes before meals. Use enteric-coated peppermint oil to avoid upper GI irritation and heartburn.
Where can I buy Colospa online?
Colospa (mebeverine 135 mg) is available to order from MedsBase in packs of 30 to 180 tablets. MedsBase ships worldwide in discreet, plain packaging — the parcel exterior shows no medication name. Payments are processed through regulated card processors (statement descriptors include a regulated card-payment processor). Crypto and SEPA bank transfer are also accepted.
Where to Buy Colospa Online
For patients managing IBS long-term, buying mebeverine in larger pack sizes (90–180 tablets) from an international pharmacy offers meaningful savings compared to repeat retail prescriptions or over-the-counter purchases of Colofac. At MedsBase, Colospa is sourced from WHO-GMP certified manufacturers and ships with a Reshipment Assurance Policy — if your parcel does not arrive within 20 business days, we reship at no additional cost.
Browse the full IBS treatment range or go directly to the Colospa product page to choose your pack size.
Written by
Sophie ChenPharmaceutical Content Researcher · 8 years experience
Sophie Chen is a pharmaceutical content researcher with 8 years covering generic medication access and clinical pharmacology. She specialises in international regulatory frameworks, bioequivalence standards, and patient-facing education on therapeutic drug classes. She is not a clinician.