Over the Counter Medications and How They Work

Table of Contents

How Medicines Are Processed In the Body..........................3

Eliminating Medicines From the Body.....................................4

Capsules vs. Tablets.........................................................................5

What is a Capsule?...........................................................................6

Capsules................................................................................................7

What is a Tablet?...............................................................................8

Tablets...................................................................................................9

The Experiment part 1 ...................................................................10

The Experiment part 2 ...................................................................11

The Experiment part 3....................................................................12

The Experiment part 4..........................................................................13

In Conclusion.......................................................................................14

How Medicines Are Processed in the Body

1.) Administration- We take in the medicine by the form and route as whichever medicine you are taking.

2.) Delivery- Once the medicines are inside the body, they move into the blood stream, then into organs, and tissues.

3.) Performance- Medicines will produce or induce effects.

4.) Elimination- The body will wash out medicines and waste products associated with them.

Extra Facts:

Once medications reach the stomach, some will start to dissolve.

Some medicines will be absorbed into the stomach lining, some may move on to the small intestine.

Some drugs have special coats that protect the medicine inside from being destroyed by stomach acid.

It is important not to open capsules or coated tablets and swallow the medicine inside.

After the small intestine, the medication will move on into the blood stream.

Eliminating Medicines From the Body

-There are two main organs associated with the elimination of medicines. Those are the liver and the kidney.

-The liver breaks down toxic substances by a series of complex metabolic reactions.

-The toxins/waste products are stored in the liver until it is ready to send it to the kidneys.

-In the kidneys, the prepared substances are further processed and then eliminated from the body through the urine.

Capsules vs. Tablets

There are many differences between taking a capsule pill or a tablet pill. Which one to use is based on what illness or pain you are trying to subside or get rid of.

Capsules

Advantages of Capsules:

Disadvantages of Capsules

-Unique mixes of ingredients are possible.

-Bulky materials can result in large capsule size.

-Sealed hard gelatin capsules can be good oxygen barriers.

-Ingredients can interact with capsule shell.

-Limited fill weight based on capsule volumes.

-Protection for sensitive ingredients.

-Variation in fill volume is known to occur.

-Capsules can be can be opened to obtain powdered ingredients.

-Can be costly.

-Reduced gastrointestinal irritating.

-Softgel contents restricted to a tight pH range.

-Odorless, tasteless, easy to swallow.

-Oil and fat-soluble nutrient delivery.

Tablets

Advantages of Tablets

Disadvantages of Tablets

-widely accepted

-custom size, shape, and appearance

-potentially poor disintegration in the GI tract, unless properly controlled for disintegration

-scored tablets make it possible for splitting

-granulation technique can add heat/moisture to components

-typically have lower costs

-potential sensitivities to coatings

-preferred delivery for products with large amounts per serving due to compressibility

-chewable tablets can be consumed by multiple demographics

-controlled release agents used in tablets can aid specific nutrient uptake

-low cost coatings for enteric delivery

-dissolution control for quick, delayed, or extended release

The Experiment

In the first experiment, I used two different pills. I used Excedrin Extra Strength and Meijer Headache Relief. Both were tablets. First I used 125 mL of water. The water temperature was 37.1 degrees Celsius.

After 5 minutes.

After only 30 seconds, you can already see the Excedrin start to dissolve.

After 10 minutes.

Then, after 2 minutes, both are dissolving.

Lastly, after 20 minutes. Overall, the Excedrin tablet dissolved faster than the Meijer tablet.