- Activated charcoal is more effective than equilibrium dialysis in removing Chinese medicines Chan Su and Dan Shen from serum and activated charcoal also prevents further absorption of these agents from G.I. tract in mice: monitoring the effect in clinical laboratory by measuring digoxin activity in serum. Dasgupta, A., Wahed, A., Culton, L., Olsen, M., Wells, A., Actor, J.K. Clin. Chim. Acta (2002)