[2][3][4] Salts of this anion, especially docusate sodium, are widely used in medicine as an emollient laxative and as stool softeners, by mouth or rectally.

[12][14] Sodium docusate was patented in 1937 by Coleman R. Caryl and Alphons O. Jaeger for American Cyanamid,[3] which commercialized it for many years as a detergent under the brand name Aerosol OT.

Its use for the treatment of constipation was first proposed in 1955 by James L. Wilson and David G. Dickinson,[4] and quickly popularized under the name Doxinate.

[15] The main medical use of docusate sodium is to treat constipation, acting as a laxative and stool softener.

Side effects are uncommon and typically mild,[1] and may include stomach pain, abdominal cramps or diarrhea,[1] Efficacy decreases with long-term use, and may cause poor bowel function.

In the U.S., docusate sodium for pharmaceutical use is available under multiple brand names: Aqualax, Calube, Colace, Colace Micro-Enema, Correctol Softgel Extra Gentle, DC-240, Dialose, Diocto, Dioctocal, Dioctosoftez, Dioctyn, Dionex, Doc-Q-Lace, Docu Soft, Docucal, Doculax, Docusoft S, DOK, DOS, Doss-Relief, DSS, Dulcolax - Stool Softener (not to be confused with another drug marketed under the Dulcolax brand, bisacodyl, which is a stimulant laxative), Ex-Lax Stool Softener, Fleet Sof-Lax, Genasoft, Kasof, Laxa-basic, Modane Soft, Octycine-100, Pedia-Lax, Preferred Plus Pharmacy Stool Softener, Regulax SS, Sulfalax Calcium, Sur-Q-Lax, Surfak Stool Softener, and Therevac-SB.

In the UK, dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate is sold under the brand names Docusol (Typharm Ltd) and DulcoEase (Boehringer Ingelheim).

In India, preparations include Laxatin by Alembic, Doslax by Raptakos Laboratories, Cellubril by AstraZeneca, and Laxicon by Stadmed.

[4][26] It is unusual in that it can form microemulsions without the use of co-surfactants, and it has a rich variety of aqueous-phase behavior including multiple liquid crystalline phases.

[30] As a surfactant, docusate sodium is or has been commercialized under many brand names, including DSS, Aerosol OT, Alphasol OT, Colace, Complemix, Coprol, Dioctylal, Dioctyl-Medo Forte, Diotilan, Diovac, Disonate, Doxinate, Doxol, Dulsivac, Molatoc, Molofac, Nevax, Norval, Regutol, Softili, Solusol, Sulfimel DOS, Vatsol OT, Velmol, and Waxsol[31] The structural formula of the docusate anion is R−O−C(=O)−CH(SO−3)−CH2−C(=O)−O−R, where R is the 2-ethylhexyl group H3C−(CH2)3−C(−CH2−CH3)H−CH2−.

The bisulfite anion adds to the double bond: Ingestion may cause the side effects described above, such as diarrhea, intestinal bloating, and occasionally cramping pains.

In a 2010 study, dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate exhibited higher toxicity against bacteria (Vibrio fischeri, Anabaena sp.)