In January–May 2026, the total retail market for the main groups of drugs used as antidiarrheal and enterosorbent agents (EphMRA groups A07A, A07B, A07F) exceeded RUB 17.2 billion (at retail prices, including VAT). Total Russian spending in the category increased by 7% compared to the same period in 2025. In the first five months of 2026, buyers purchased 37.2 million packages of such drugs, while physical consumption decreased by 5.8% over the year. Negative dynamics in physical demand were recorded in all of the listed groups. In the long term, intestinal adsorbents have shown declining physical demand for three consecutive years, although consumer spending in our country has steadily increased across all categories without exception. This trend is driven by the displacement of cheap products from the pharmacy assortment, including a pronounced decline in demand for activated charcoal and povidone-based drugs.

The sales dynamics of the categories under consideration are highly seasonal, with peak periods for each of the three groups not coinciding. Consumption of intestinal antimicrobials traditionally increases in July and August. Demand for enterosorbents increases both during the summer season and before the New Year holidays in December. Meanwhile, the highest demand for intestinal microflora regulators is typically observed in March and December, due to their concomitant use during antibiotic therapy during periods of increased incidence of acute respiratory infections and ARVI. In these months last year, sales volumes of probiotics and prebiotics registered as drugs amounted to approximately 2.5 million packages worth RUB 1.6 billion. In March of this year, with comparable revenue, physical demand in this segment decreased to 2.3 million packages. The peak in enterosorbent sales last year occurred in August, when 5.2 million packages worth RUB 1.4 billion were sold. Retail sales of intestinal antimicrobials during their peak demand period (August 2025) were more modest: pharmacies sold 1.7 million packages, generating approximately RUB 1 billion in revenue.

According to the "Retail Audit of Drug Sales in Russia (total sell out)" from the analytical company RNC Pharma, activated charcoal-based drugs still form the basis of physical sales volume in the intestinal adsorbent group, accounting for 51% of packages sold, although their share is decreasing annually, and they account for no more than 12.5% of revenue. The absolute leader in ruble sales volume in the group remains Enterosgel, manufactured by Pharmasil, which accounted for over 32% of total consumer spending in this category in January–May of this year.

In the group of drugs regulating intestinal microflora balance, a shift in positions was recorded during the reporting period — the brand Enterol (INN Saccharomyces boulardii) from the French company Biocodex moved into the lead, accounting for 28.5% of all spending in the group. The former leader Linex (Sandoz) lagged behind its competitor by a minimal margin, with a brand share of 28.1%.

Similar changes occurred in the segment of intestinal antimicrobial drugs. While in 2022–2023, the brand Enterofuril (INN nifuroxazide) from Bosnalek held the lead, in 2024, leadership returned to Alpha Normix (INN rifaximin) from the Italian company Alfasigma. In January–May 2026, Alpha Normix accounted for 38.4% of total spending in the category, while Enterofuril provided 30.6% of ruble sales. This dynamic is directly related to the overcoming of the consequences of temporary supply disruptions of the Italian drug in 2022–2024.

Fig. Seasonal Characteristics of Demand for Antidiarrheal and Antimicrobial Intestinal Drugs (EphMRA groups A07A, A07B, A07F) on the Russian Retail Pharmaceutical Market from January 2025 to May 2026

A07A — Intestinal antimicrobials; A07B — Intestinal adsorbents, antidiarrheals; A07F — Antidiarrheal drugs of biological origin, regulating intestinal microflora balance