Introduction: Activated charcoal has been widely used in the management of acute poisoning due to its ability to adsorb a wide variety of toxins. Currently, the use of single-dose activated charcoal has emerged as a simplified alternative, promising efficacy with a simpler and potentially less invasive regimen. Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the use of single-dose activated charcoal in the treatment of acute poisoning, by reviewing the literature, in order to determine its viability as a simplified alternative in the management of toxicological emergencies. Materials and methods: A structured search was performed in the PUBMED/MEDLINE database for works related to the use of single-dose activated charcoal in acute poisoning between the years 2005 and 2024 using the following terms and keywords in English that will be found in the title or abstract: “(single dose) and (activated charcoal) and (poisoned patient)”. In turn, articles from the author's personal database were included, being deliberately selected. Results: Twelve articles that met the selection criteria were selected and 2 additional articles were included after review of the authors' database. Conclusions: Single-dose activated charcoal administration shows comparable efficacy in various acute poisonings. The reviewed data indicate that this modality is safe and can significantly simplify the management of toxicological emergencies. However, further large-scale clinical studies are required to confirm these findings.
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