Antacids

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INTRODUCTION
The project is aimed at analyzing some of commercially available
antacids to determine their ability to neutralize HCL & hence
determine the best brands which has the highest ability to
neutralize acids.

The project can provide important information about the various

antacids available commercially.We all know that the food we eat
undergoes various biochemical reactions resulting in digestion. In
this process various enzyme working at different condition are
required.

The enzymes of stomach require an acidic pH to function, hence

dil.HCl is produced in the stomach. However, sometimes the
stomach starts producing excess of HCL. This condition is called
gastric hyperacidity & is usually caused by overeating highly spiced
food. In an uncontrolled condition this HCL can also destroy the
mucous lining of the stomach & result in peptic ulcer.

Hydrochloric acid
Gaseous hydrogen chloride is colorless and has a pungent, irritating
odor. The water solution is yellow in color because of impurities,
usually dissolved iron. Hydrogen chloride gas is soluble in some
organic solvents. Hydrochloric acid reacts with many metals to form
salts known as chlorides. Hydrochloric acid is secreted in gastric
juices by glands in the walls of the stomach, where the acid aids in
the digestion of foods.

Antacids

Antacids are the commercially available product which neutralizes

the excess HCl secreted in the stomach.

The action of antacids is based on the fact that base can neutralize
an acid forming salt and water.

The antacid should not contain excess of alkali that may lead to an
alkaline medium in the stomach and make the enzyme inactive.
Thus some additional compounds are added to the antacid to keep
the pH optimum.

The action of an antacid is for a short time, irrespective of the

dose; hence it is required to take an antacid at frequent intervals.

Antacids are of two types-

1. Absorbable

1. Non Absorbable

1 Absorbable antacids: NaHCO3 mixture is commonly used for giving

relief from indigestion. It has a moderate neutralizing power. It is
inexpensive and easily available. However, it releases carbon
dioxide gas in the stomach and causes swelling of deep ulcers and
hence it is not generally used.

2 Non Absorbable antacids: these are available in three broad

groups:

1 Aluminum salts: all these drugs have a common buffering

action and reduce acidity in the stomach. eg.
,Al(OH)3,AlPO4,Al2(CO3)3 and dihydroxy aluminiumamino
acetate.

2 Magnesium salts: their action is slow. These cause a

purgative action. eg. , MgCO3, MgO.etc.

3 Calcium salts: these are powerful antacids. They have no

buffering action and can therefore neutralize the acid
completely in the stomach.

Terms and Facts

Acidosis
Condition characterized by normally high levels of acidity, or
low levels of alkalinity (bicarbonate content), in body tissues
and fluids, especially in blood; caused by excess retention of
carbon dioxide because of faulty oxygen-carbon dioxide
exchange in lungs, constriction of air passages, or inability of
diseased kidneys to excrete acids: condition may accompany
diabetes mellitus, severe diarrhea, emphysema, severe
pneumonia, or starvation: condition may also be brought on
by drugs or anesthesia: symptoms include headache,
weakness, rapid breathing, and fruity odor on breath:
treatment depends on diagnosing underlying cause and then
correcting acid-base imbalance; often compared with
opposite condition, alkalosis.

Alkanosis
Abnormally low level of acidity, or high level of alkanity
(bicarbonate content) in body tissues and fluids, especially in
blood; metabolic alkanosis (alkalemia) caused by overuse of
antacids (drugs used to treat ulcers), by use of potent
diuretics (substances that promote production of urine), or by
depletion of body fluid volume (through severe vomiting, for
example); respiratory alkanosis caused by hyperventilation as
result of anxiety, asthma, congestive heart failure, pulmonary
embolism (obstruction), or pneumonia; treatment depends on
diagnosing underlying cause and then correcting acid-base
imbalance; often compared with opposite condition, acidosis.
 Ulcers
A potentially serious condition, an ulcer is a break in the skin
or mucous membrane with a loss of surface tissue and the
disintegration and sloughing off of the epithelial tissue,
leaving an open sore. Ulcers can occur in any tissue or organ
as the result of injury, disease, or chronic irritation or
inflammation. The most common type in humans is the peptic
ulcer, found in the gastrointestinal tract.

Peptic ulcers occur most frequently at the beginning of the

duodenum, in the lower stomach, and in the lower end of he
esophagus (see digestive system). Normally these organs are
protected by mucous membranes that provide a barrier
against gastric acids and digestive enzymes and by alkaline
secretions from the small intestine and pancreas that
neutralize gastric juices. A peptic ulcer results when either
too much acid or pepsin (a digestive enzyme of gastric juice)
are secreted or when the mucosal barrier is weakened and
becomes unable to protect against the acid-pepsin complex.
Most duodenal ulcers are thought to be caused by excessive
secretion of acid and pepsin. Gastric ulcers, on the other
hand, occur in patients who have a normal or even slightly
lower secretion of gastric acid but whose stomach mucosa
have a reduced resistance to digestion.
Heredity plays a strong role in the development of ulcers.
Offspring of people who secrete excessive amounts of gastric
acid or who have diminished mucosal protection are also
likely to show the same symptoms. Chronic stress and anxiety
can stimulate the body to produce excessive amounts of
stomach acid, which, in susceptible individuals, can lead to
duodenal and esophageal ulcers. Some gastric and duodenal
ulcers may also be caused by the bacterium helicobacter
pylori, which produces a toxin that harms the stomach lining
and then elevates acid levels in the stomach.

Lining of helicobacter pylori with stomach

Medical treatment for ulcers is generally a combination of

stress reduction and the use of antacid or antimicrobial drugs,
along with prohibition of cigarette smoking and avoidance of
the use of alcohol, aspirin, and other substances that can
break down the mucosal barrier.

digestive
system
 The Human Stomach

The human stomach is roughly J-shaped and is locates in the

upper left side of the abdomen. The stomach of an adult is
about 10 inches (25 centimeters) long and can easily expand
to hold as much as 1 quart (0.9 liter) of food. The wall of the
stomach is composed of four different layers. The innermost
layer, called the mucosa, is honey combed with millions of
glands that secrete mucus, acid, and enzymes. The mucus
forms a mucous lining that protects the stomach from the
corrosive action of the gastric juices, which break down food.
The second layer of the stomach, called the submucosa, is
composed of connective and elastic tissue containing nerves
and blood and lymph vessels. The third layer contains
longitudinal, circular, and oblique sets of smooth muscles
that enable the stomach to churn, mix, and move food. The
fourth layer, known as the serosa, connects the muscles to
the peritoneum, the outer covering of the stomach.

The stomach is subdivided into four regions: the cardia (so

named because it is nearest the heart), an opening leading
down from the esophagus; the fundus, an expanded area
curving up above the cardiac opening; the body, or
intermediate, region, which is the central and largest portion
of the stomach; and the pylorus, a narrowing where the
stomach joins the small intestine.
Circular muscles, or sphinters, close off the openings at the
esophagus and small intestine, except when food is passing
through. In this manner food is enclosed by the stomach until
it is ready for final digestion. (see also digestive system. )

The wavelike pumping action that moves food from the

esophagus through the rest of the digestive system is called
peristalsis. Periodic contractions of the stomach muscles
occur about three times a minute and churn and knead the
food into a semiliquid mixture of food and gastric juice called
chime.

The secretions and movements are controlled by the vagus

nerve and the sympathetic nervous system ). After the
stomach empties, the contractions persist and increase with
time and may cause hunger pangs.

Disorders of stomach
The stomach is subject to a number of disorders, including
hyperacidity (excessive acid secretion), gastritis
(inflammation of the stomach lining), peptic ulcer (a lesson of
the mucous membrane), and cancer. Medications can be used
to regulate the production of acid, but surgery may be
needed to correct other conditions. Persons who have had
their stomachs removed are still able to live by ingesting
small quantities of special foods times a day.

Acids and Bases

An acid is defined as a substance containing hydrogen that
dissociates (break up) in water to produce hydrogen ions. An
acid may also be defined as a compound in which the
hydrogen can be replaced by a metal. The other part of the
compound is called the acid radical. For example, in sulphuric
acid (H2SO4) one atom of sulphur and four of oxygen form the
acid radical that is joined to two atoms of hydrogen.

A typical metal-acid reaction occurs when zinc is placed in a

solution of sulphuric acid. Hydrogen is released as a gas, and
zinc unites with the acid radical to form zinc sulphate:

H2SO4 + Zn -> ZnSO4 + H2

The strongest acids are the mineral, or inorganic, acids.
These include sulphuric acid, nitric acid, and hydrochloric
acid. More important to life are hundreds of weaker organic
acids. These include acetic acid (in vinegar), citric acid (in
lemons), lactic acid (in sour milk), and the amino acids (in
proteins).

A base is a substance the hydroxide ion, OH-, or the hydroxyl

group, OH, which dissociates in water as the hydroxide ion,
OH-. Basic solutions have a characteristic brackish taste. The
hydroxides of metals are metal compounds that have the
hydroxyl group, and they are bases. Hydroxides of the metals
lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium have the
special name of alkalies. The oxides of beryllium, magnesium,
calcium, strontium, and barium are called alkaline earths. A
basic solution is also called an alkaline solution.These
descriptions help explain why acids and bases react so readily
with each other. An acid has hydrogen to exchange for a
metal, and a base has a metal to exchange for hydrogen.
When the two metal react, the exchange takes place. These
reactions or exchanges are sometimes violent. Acids and
bases react to form compounds that are called salts. The
reaction of sodium hydroxide and sulphuric acid produces a
salt, sodium sulphate (Na2SO4), and water:

2NaOH + H2SO4 -> Na2SO4 + 3H2O

Acids and bases react freely in aqueous (water) solutions. It is

said that when an acid dissociates, it forms an acid radical
and a hydrogen ion. Actually, the hydrogen ion (H+) does not
exist in large concentrations in the aqueous solution. Instead,
the hydrogen ion attaches itself to a water molecule to form
the hydronium ion, H3O+. It is customary, however, to
simplify reaction equations by using the symbol for the
hydrogen ion, H+. When a base dissociates, it produces a
hydroxide ion (OH-) with a negative charge and a metal ion
with a positive charge. The hydrogen ion and the hydroxide
ion combine to form a molecule of water. The negative acid
radical and the positive metal ion can then form a salt.

Acids and bases can cause many organic substances to change

color. For example, if lemon juice is added to tea, the tea
becomes lighter in color. This occurs because the acid in the
lemon juice changes the color of a substance in the tea from
dark brown to light brown. The reaction can be reversed by
adding an alkaline substance, such as baking soda (NaHCO3),
to the tea. This addition restores the original color. A
substance that changes color when an acid or base is added to
it is called an indicator.

Volumetric analysis
Quantitative chemical analysis in which the amount of a
substance is determined by measuring the volume that it
occupies is called volumetric analysis. This method most
commonly uses a second substance of known concentration,
called the titrating reagent that is allowed to combine with
the substance whose concentration is unknown. This process
is usually carried out by gradually adding a standard solution-
that is, a solution of known concentration-of titrating reagent
from a burette, which is essentially a long, graduated
measuring tube with a stopcock and a delivery tube at its
lower end. The addition of the titrating reagent is stopped
when the equivalence point is reached. The equivalence point
is the point at which all the component in the sample has
reacted with the titrating reagent added to the sample. The
experimental point at which the reaction is complete is
marked by some signal, which is called the end point. This
signal can be the color change of a chemical indicator or a
change in some electrical property that is measured during
the titration.

EXPERIMENT
 Aim: a comparative study of effectiveness of different
commercially available antacids.

Apparatus: burette, pipette, conical flask, glass rod, mortar

& pestle.

Chemicals: HCl solution (0.1N), NaOH solution (0.1N),

phenopthalein, methyl orange, commercial antacids.

Procedure:
1. Take 50ml of 0.1N of NaOH solution in the burette.
2. Take 50ml of 0.1N of HCl solution in conical flask.
3. Add 2-3 drops of phenolphthalein / methyl orange to
the conical flask, which serves as indicator.
4. Add 1gm of finely powdered antacid to the conical
flask.
5. Shake well and now titrate the solution and observe the
end point-a pink / yellow solution.
6. Repeat this with other antacids and note the readings.

Results
Antacid Cost per gm Strength ml/gm Cost per ml HCl
neutralized
Eno 0.8 4.2 0.8
Digene 1.2 2.2 1.2
Gelusil 1.2 2.4 1.2

Observations
Antacid Volume of Volume of HCl Strength of
HCl used (x) NaOH (50-x) neutralized by antacid ml/gm
antacid (50-x)
Eno(4gm) 50ml 33.2 16.8 4.2

Digene(4gm) 50ml 41.2 8.8 2.2

Gelusil(4gm) 50ml 40.4 9.6 2.4

Precautions-
1. The weighing should be accurate.

1. Powdering should be fine to promote maximum

dissolution.

1. The amount of HCl should sufficiently in excess so as to

neutralize every bit of the antacid.

Inference
Digene is prescribed frequently as it contains Mg(OH)2 which
acts as buffer and purgative. On the other hand antacids
having calcium carbonate may have high acid neutralizing
capacity but produce CO2 in the stomach resulting in swelling
of deep ulcers.

A part from being best the most effective ENO is the best.
Uses of antacids:
1. It gives immediate relief from gastric hyperacidity.

1. Controlled use of antacids can prevent ulcers in

stomach.

Harmful effects of antacids:

1. Excess use of antacids can cause alkalosis.

1. Use of antacids containing CaCO3 can cause swelling of

deep ulcers.
Antacids are medicines that neutralize stomach acid. They are used to
relieveacid indigestion, upset stomach, sour stomach, and heartburn.

Antacids are taken by mouth and work by neutralizing excess stomach acid.
They contain ingredients such as aluminum hydroxide, calcium carbonate,
magnesium hydroxide, and sodium bicarbonate, alone or in various
combinations. Antacid products may also contain other ingredients such as
simethicone, which relieves gas.

Antacids differ in how quickly they work and how long they provide relief.
Those that dissolve rapidly in the stomach, such as magnesium hydroxide and
sodium bicarbonate, bring the fastest relief. Antacids that contain calcium
carbonate or aluminum dissolve more slowly and can take up to 30 minutes to
beginworking. The longer an antacid stays in the stomach, the longer it works.
Those that contain calcium carbonate or aluminum work longer than those
that contain sodium bicarbonate or magnesium. Also, taking any kind of
antacid aftera meal, instead of on an empty stomach, provides longer-lasting
relief because the medicine stays in the stomach.

Among the brands of antacid products on the market are Alka-Seltzer,

Maalox,Mylanta, Tums, and Rolaids. Generic forms are also available. These
productscan be bought without a prescription and come in tablet (regular and
chewable), lozenge, and liquid forms.

Antacids are meant to be used only occasionally. They should not be taken
continuously for more than two weeks unless under a physician's directions.
Taking antacids over long periods could mask the symptoms of a serious
stomach orintestinal problem, such as peptic ulcer disease. Older people
should be especially careful, as they may have ulcers without showing the
typical symptoms.

If any signs of appendicitis or inflamed bowel are present, antacids should not
be taken. Symptoms of appendicitis include cramping, pain, and soreness
inthe lower abdomen, bloating, and nausea and vomiting.

Anyone whose symptoms do not improve after taking antacids or who has
black,tarry stools should call a physician. These symptoms could be signs of a
serious condition that needs medical attention.
Antacids may interact with many other medicines. When this happens, the
effects of one or both drugs may change, or the risk of side effects may be
greater. Anyone taking a prescription drug should check with his or her
physician before taking antacids. Antacids may affect the results of some
medical tests.When scheduling a medical test, ask whether it is all right to
take antacidsbefore the test.

Side effects are very rare when antacids are taken as directed. They are
morelikely when the medicine is taken in large doses or over a long time.
Minorside effects include a chalky taste, mild constipation or diarrhea, thirst,
stomach cramps, and whitish or speckled stools. These symptoms do not need
medical attention unless they do not go away or they interfere with normal
activities.

Other uncommon side effects may occur. Anyone who has unusual symptoms
aftertaking antacids should get in touch with his or her physician.

Read more: http://www.faqs.org/health/topics/50/Antacids.html

#ixzz0dczBng89An antacid is any substance, generally a base or basic salt, which
counteracts stomach acidity. In other words, antacids are stomach acid neutralizers.
Antacids perform a neutralization reaction, i.e. they buffer gastric acid, raising the pH to
reduce acidity in the stomach. When gastric hydrochloric acid reaches the nerves in the
gastrointestinal mucosa, they signal pain to the central nervous system. This happens when
these nerves are exposed, as in peptic ulcers. The gastric acid may also reach ulcers in the
esophagus or the duodenum. Other mechanisms may contribute, such as the effect of
aluminum ions inhibiting smooth muscle cell contraction and delaying gastric emptying.
Antacids are taken by mouth to relieve heartburn, the major symptom of gastroesophageal
reflux disease, or acid indigestion. Treatment with antacids alone is symptomatic and only
justified for minor symptoms. Peptic ulcers may require H2-receptor antagonists or proton
pump inhibitors.