ACTIVATED CHARCOAL IS RELATIVELY NON-TOXIC. IT CAN ADSORB A WIDE RANGE OF PLANT AND INORGANIC POISONS AND MANY DRUGS INCLUDING SALICYLATES, PARACETAMOL, BARBITURATES, AND TRICYCLIC ANTIDEPRESSANTS ; THUS WHEN ADMINISTERED BY MOUTH IT REDUCES THEIR SYSTEMIC ABSORPTION FROM THE G.I. TRACT.