Electrolyte purgative

1. A purgative composition, comprising

(i) 1-10 gram per unit dose of at least one water-soluble sodium salt;

(ii) 2-20 gram per unit dose of at least one water-soluble minimally degradable sugar;

(iii) 0.5 to 5 gram per unit dose of at least one water-soluble potassium salt;

(iv) 1-10 gram per unit dose of at least one water-soluble magnesium salt; and

(v) a detergent stool softening agent, selected from the group consisting of sodium picosulfate and bisacodyl;

wherein the composition is a hypertonic composition in the form of a unit dose having a volume of from about 0.2 to 0.5 L; and wherein the minimally degradable sugar is selected from the group consisting of xylose and xylotriose.

2. The purgative composition of claim 1 , wherein the water-soluble sodium salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, sodium gluconate, sodium citrate, sodium aspartate and mixtures thereof.

3. The purgative composition of claim 1 , wherein the water-soluble potassium salt is selected from the group consisting of potassium chloride and potassium tartrate.

4. The purgative composition of claim 1 , wherein the water-soluble magnesium salt is selected from the group consisting of magnesium sulfate, magnesium citrate and magnesium phosphate.

5. The purgative composition of claim 1 further comprising at least one composition or additive selected from the group consisting of a flavouring ingredient, a detergent stool-softening agent, citrate, lactate, acetate, a trace element and a nutritional element.

6. The purgative composition of claim 1 in the form of, or formulated as, a soup or soup-like composition, tablet, gel cap, capsule or sachet.

7. A method of inducing purgation of the colon of a patient in need thereof, comprising administering to the patient a purgative composition of claim 1 in an amount effective to induce purgation of the patient's colon.

8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the minimally degradable sugar comprises a xylose.

9. The purgative composition of claim 1 , wherein:

(i) the at least one water-soluble sodium salt comprises sodium chloride;

(ii) the at least one water-soluble minimally degradable sugar comprises a xylose;

(iii) the at least one water-soluble potassium salt comprises a potassium chloride; or

(iv) the at least one water-soluble magnesium salt comprises magnesium sulfate.

10. The purgative composition of claim 1 , further comprising one or more compositions or additives selected from the group consisting of a citrate, a lactate, an acetate, a calcium, a zinc, a Vitamin B complex, a thiamine, a Vitamin A, a Vitamin C, a Vitamin E, a folic acid and a biotin.

11. The purgative composition of claim 1 , wherein the detergent stool softening agent is sodium picosulfate.

12. The purgative composition of claim 1 , wherein the detergent stool softening agent is bisacodyl.

13. The purgative composition of claim 1 in the form of:

(a) a tablet, or

(b) a tablet comprising:

a core comprising the sodium, potassium and magnesium salts; and

a coating comprising the minimally degradable sugar(s);

wherein the coating surrounds the core.

14. The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the at least one water-soluble sodium salt comprises a sodium chloride, a sodium gluconate, a sodium citrate or a sodium aspartate;

the at least one water-soluble potassium salt comprises a potassium chloride; or

the at least one water-soluble magnesium salt comprises a magnesium sulfate, a magnesium citrate or a magnesium phosphate.

15. The purgative composition of claim 1 in the form of, or formulated as, a medicament.