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Prescription medicine

Sorbitol and mannitol

Drug class: Osmotic Diuretic

The FDA’s “Established Pharmacologic Class”: the group of medicines that work in a similar way.

Official FDA data, not advice

Everything here comes from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): the drug label, the NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, recall reports and the drug shortage list. Each fact shows its source and date.

This page is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change any medicine.

In an emergency, call 911. If someone may have taken too much of a medicine, call Poison Help: 1‑800‑222‑1222.

Quick answers

What is Sorbitol and mannitol used for?
The FDA-approved label (Sorbitol-Mannitol, ICU Medical Inc., October 30, 2025) says: “Sorbitol-Mannitol Irrigation is indicated for use as a urologic irrigating fluid during transurethral prostatic resection and other transurethral surgical procedures.” This page is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change any medicine.
Does Sorbitol and mannitol have a boxed warning?
No. None of the 1 FDA labels we found for this medicine has a boxed warning.
Is there a shortage of Sorbitol and mannitol?
No current shortage is listed by the FDA for the products of this medicine (FDA data from October 30, 2026).
Has Sorbitol and mannitol been recalled?
No recall linked to the products of this medicine appears in the FDA enforcement reports we use.
Who makes Sorbitol and mannitol?
1 company lists prescription products of Sorbitol and mannitol in the FDA NDC Directory, including ICU Medical Inc..

What Sorbitol and mannitol is used for

Quoted from the “Indications and Usage” section of the FDA-approved label.

Sorbitol-Mannitol Irrigation is indicated for use as a urologic irrigating fluid during transurethral prostatic resection and other transurethral surgical procedures.

— FDA label: Sorbitol-Mannitol, ICU Medical Inc., effective October 30, 2025. Read the full label on DailyMed →

This page is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change any medicine.

Boxed warning

A boxed warning (“black box”) is the FDA’s strongest warning on a drug label, for serious or life-threatening risks.

The label quoted above has no boxed warning.

Forms and how it is given

Dosage formsIrrigant
RouteUrethral
Prescription products1 in the FDA NDC Directory

Companies that list this medicine

Labelers in the FDA NDC Directory: the company named on the package (maker or distributor), with the number of prescription products.

FDA approval history

  • NDA: New Drug Application: how a new (usually brand-name) medicine is approved.
Brand and biologic applications
ApplicationSponsorApprovedLater changes approved
NDA018316
SORBITOL-MANNITOL IN PLASTIC CONTAINER
Otsuka Icu MedclFebruary 22, 1980 42, latest January 5, 1999
1999: Labeling · 1997: Manufacturing (CMC) · 1997: Manufacturing (CMC)

Shortage status

The FDA drug shortage list does not show these products.

FDA Drug Shortages database →

Recalls

No recall linked to these products (by their NDC code) appears in the FDA enforcement reports.

Official identifiers

RxCUI (RxNorm)311446
SPL set ID of the quoted label5b44e248-4b7b-4777-954a-921c7b309944
FDA labels (SPL)1
FDA applicationsNDA018316
Active ingredients (FDA)MANNITOL / SORBITOL

Sources

  1. FDA-approved label on DailyMed (National Library of Medicine) — Sorbitol-Mannitol, ICU Medical Inc., effective October 30, 2025; via openFDA, FDA data exported October 30, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
  2. NDC Directory (openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 30, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
  3. Drugs@FDA (openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 30, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
  4. Drug recall enforcement reports (openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 27, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026
  5. Drug shortages (openFDA) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA data exported October 30, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026

openFDA data is provided by the FDA as is; it may be incomplete. Always rely on the label that comes with your medicine. FDA Enforcement Report search →

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