Not Medical Advice: Purgatives are substances which cause intestinal evacuations. They are divided according to their nature into laxatives, simple, drastic, and saline purgatives, hydragogues, and cholagogues.
Drastic purgatives are those which cause violent action of the bowels, usually accompanied by evidences of greatly increased peristaltic action, such as borborygmi.
They cause irritation of the intestine, and when taken in large doses produce inflammation and symptoms of poisoning. These are:
Elaterium
Colocynth
Jalap
Scammony
Gamboge
Podophyllin
Croton-oil
Learn how over-the-counter laxatives relieve constipation and which are safe to use at MayoClinic.org.