Chemicals contribute to a lot of fields in industry, including pharmaceutical industry. Pharmaceutical industry is an industry of medicine and health care product. Either organic and inorganic compound have some benefits to human health. As this industry revolves around health, surely strict and thorough procedure is needed in order to create the safest with the least side effect of pharmaceutical products.
To know more about which substance or chemical in pharmaceutical products, here is the list of chemicals used in pharmaceutical industry.
- Paracetamol (Acetaminophen)
One of the most common chemicals used in pharmaceutical industry is paracetamol. Paracetamol also known as acetaminophen, is a painkiller as well as cure to fever. It has been used widely in commercial and generic medicine. The reason why paracetamol is very common is because it is one of the safest with the least side effects.
Thus, paracetamol is safe in recommended dose and it is rare for the side effect to occur compared to other painkiller. Some pharmaceutical products that contain this chemical are headache painkiller, toothache painkiller, fever cure for kids and moderate painkiller. Also, the price of paracetamol is relatively cheap, making it easier for people to find it.
Also read: Common Chemicals Used in Medicine
- Diclofenac
Diclofenac or sodium diclofenac is one of the most common over the counter products. The chemical itself is a non steroid inflammatory drug. It has two functions as anti inflammatory drug as well as medium pain killer. As for the distribution in pharmaceutical industry, diclofenac can be either topical or oral drug.
The most common use of it is as painkiller for joint pain and toothache. The anti inflammation effect is also good for healing wound and infection. Diclofenac comes in various dose with various effect. However, high dose of it may cause some side effect from sleepiness to nausea.
- Dexamethasone
An anti inflammatory drug that often prescribed with other drugs is dexamethasone. Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid medicine that has anti inflammation effect. The use of it in the right dose has many benefits such as helping to relieve infection, asthma, rheumatic, nerve inflammation and many more.
However, it also has many side effects from increasing glucose in blood stream to decline in immune system. Thus, the dose of dexamethasone is only allowed with guidance of expert. This substance often serves as accompaniment of other, more critical medicine to treat serious illness. Doctor advised the use of it only until the illness cured and not for prolonged, non-diagnosed use.
- Antalgin
Another common painkiller widely produced by pharmaceutical industry is antalgin. Antalgin is a painkiller often people use to treat headache, toothache, rheumatic and nerve pain. It is often also found in analgesic products. As the side effects tend to appear after prolonged use, antalgin is more common in a generic medicine sold as over the counter medicine for short period of use only.
The side effects that can occur from excessive use of antalgin is decline in immune system, increased heart rate, and decrease of white blood cell. Thus, it is best to use products with antalgin substance for emergency only and not as regular medicine.
- Sibutramine
A currently popular product from pharmaceutial industry is diet pill. One of chemicals that acts as main ingredient in diet pill is sibutramine. Sibutramine is appetite suppressant that makes the one who consume it has less appetite, and it turns help them to lose weight.
This chemical once marketed heavily across country. However, later research found out that sibutramine increases cardiovascular activity, making someone has higher chance of getting heart attack or stroke. Because of that reason, several countries such as Australia, China, Canada and European Union prohibited its use.
Related to What is the Study of Harmful Effects of Chemicals on Humans and Other Organisms?
- Sildefanil
Sildefanil is a chemical in man strengthener pill. Aside from producing cure and relief to some disease, some pharmaceutical industry also produces strengthener for man stamina. This chemical works by making someone get erected easily, especially those who have problem with their hormone. It works by widening the vein of vital organ.
However, excessive use of it can cause sudden drop of blood rate and can cause unconsciousness to death. Chemicals for such case are only available for use under doctor or expert guidance. Otherwise, the side effect of reckless use may lead to fatal result.
- Dextrose
Dextrose is glucose elevating agent that works as a medicine to treat patient with low blood pressure. It increases the glucose in someone blood stream and elevate the blood pressure. As far as the production from pharmaceutical industry, dextrose is generally safe under certain dose for both adult and children.
However, excessive consumption can trigger its side effect such as swelling, fever, rapid breathing, blood clot and many more. Thus, someone should only consume dextrose-based drug under certain dose advised by doctor for safer use and result.
Also read: Propylparaben in Pharmaceutical Uses
- Fenilbutason
Another chemical that was popular in pharmaceutical industry is fenilbutason. Fenilbutason is analgesic that has similar effect like paracetamol. It works by reducing pain in the body. In the past, fenilbutason also works for horses that just finished race. Nowadays, fenilbutason is no longer an available product in some countries because of its side effect.
Some side effects include the reduction of white blood cells production. In which in turns it lowers the immune system of someone. As a result, someone will get sick easily and therefore should not use it anymore. United States, for example, has withdrawn any pharmaceutical products that has fenilbutason in it.
Other Chemicals Used in Pharmaceutical Industry
Other list of chemicals used in pharmaceutical industry includes:
- Dicalcium Phosphate
- Glucosamine HCl
- Tyrosine
- Valine
Chemical in pharmaceutical industry is critical, but there are always bad side effects when the recipient uses it recklessly. Always read the label and the right dosage to minimize side effects. That is all about chemicals used in pharmaceutical industry.
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