Magaldrate (hydroxymagnesium aluminate)
insoluble in water, white, odorless crystalline
powder, soluble in dilute mineral acids. Magaldrate
favorably combines the strongly
basic properties of magnesium located in the
crystal core with the less basic properties of aluminum
ions surrounding the former in a layered
lattice. The magaldrate layered lattice
consists of recurrent stacks of octahedral basic
layers with an excess of positive charges
5+ on the outer gel surface
, . These charges electrostatically interact
with negative charges of the gastric mucus
layer to favorably increase the antacid’s retention
time in the stomach .
