Aspirin, part 3 of 3, Physics 2 Heureka

Aspirin, part 3 of 3

The molecule of nitroglycerin looks like there are three nitro groups, -NO₂, and in each group there is an oxygen that single-binds, and another oxygen that double-binds to nitrogen, N. Charge around the nitrogen is positive, and in the case of oxygen as a single-binder, the charge is instead negative. Each nitro group single-binds to an oxygen via nitrogen, and this means that the completely correct name for the ester nitroglycerin is actually glyceryl nitrate. This can be understood if you compare the build-up with nitric acid, where the structure is (H-O-NO₂). In addition, you only have small amounts of nitrogen in the pharmaceutical industry, as this easily becomes explosive with little heating or careless handling. But now let's ask ourselves the question, why are inorganic acids (hydrochloric, sulfuric, etc.) much stronger than carboxylic acids, which were so weak? Organic/carboxylic acids easily lose the proton and turn into negative ions, but this does not apply to every molecule. Carboxylic acids definitely do not completely dissociate in water.

An example of something that dissolves completely in H₂O is: HCl (aq, hydrochloric acid) ---> H⁺ (aq) + Cl^-(aq), hydrochloric acid is an ingredient in king water that can dissolve gold, and after its protolysis there are no HCl particles anymore to be found. Now we will also mention an example of a dicarboxylic acid, oxalic acid, which there is a lot of in e.g. the flower haric acid. Aspirin had a carboxyl group, hence we pick up a dicarboxylic acid to see if there are any hidden connections between different substances, such as the highly educated trying to do. Sometimes there are connections and you find something new, but usually it is very difficult to find new connections. The protolysis of oxalic acid looks like this (this one is in 2 steps),
#1. C₂H₂O₄(s) + H₂O ---> C₂HO₄^-(aq) + H3O⁺(aq)
#2. C2HO4^-(l) + H₂O ---> C₂O₄^-2(aq) + H3O⁺(aq)
What happened was that protons were emitted to the water and gave the water lower and lower pH, right up until there were no more protons to emit, so there could not be even more oxonium ions formed.

Oxalate salts, such as calcium oxalate, CaC₂O₄, contain the oxalate ion from hare acid or rhubarb, are insoluble in water and can cause kidney stones in some sensitive individuals (if the intake is very regular). To now link info about kidney stones to the drug aspirin, we will now talk about aspirin’s own connection to kidney stones. It's not that aspirin can dissolve salts of any kind unfortunately. The solubility in water for CaC₂O₄ is as low as 0.67 mg/L or 0.00067 g/L at 20 C. One uses an artificial acid in the laboratory if one wants to dissolve calcium oxalate, and the acid EDTA is chelating (a name for a structure, where the ligands (atom, molecule or ion that share electrons) are often in carbon compounds). And now something about hydroxy acids, what is it? Is aspirin such an acid? The acetylsalicylic acid has a carboxyl group, -COOH, and in such a group it is always included a -OH group. Nevertheless, this does not count as monohydroxy acids, which have only one hydroxy group in addition to the part found in -COOH.

Lactic acid, malic acid and others have a solitary -OH group each. In addition to this, the malic acid also has 2 pcs -COOH groups that make it naturally sour, and the lactic acid has only one carboxyl group. None of these latter two acids generate hydroxide ions, OH^- , in solution so that the solution becomes basic. But now back to the salicylic acid that was the obvious precursor to aspirin. This is a BHA acid, and the abbreviation stands for Beta Hydroxy Acid, and it is widely used in skin care. This dissolves fat effectively and is absorbed deep into the skin with anti-inflammatory properties. It is exfoliating (when dead skin cells are removed). Acetylsalicylic acid does not belong to this group of acids. This is about salicylic acid and in rare cases about citric acid. Acetylsalicylic acid differs in terms of anti-inflammatory properties. There is a substance called 15-epi-lipoxin A4, and this enhances aspirin's anti-inflammatory properties. This is a metabolite, a breakdown product that has arisen.

The formation of metabolites is in other cases part of the metabolism, and you get sick if the body does not have all the necessary metabolites (building blocks) available. But the specific breakdown product after aspirin is a lipoxin, i.e. lipoxygenase, a molecule with a short constancy that is a derivative (chemical compound that comes out of a basic compound) of different lipids (different kinds of fats). But in this case, this local hormone is a delinking of arachidonic acid. Now something about acetic acid anhydrides that are important at the acetylation moment, ie when you want to put on an acetyl group on e.g. the molecule. The opposite of this is called deacetylation, when an acetyl group is removed during a chemical reaction. Salicylic acid is acetylated to produce aspirin: C₆H₄(OH)COOH (salicylic acid) + (CH₃CO)₂O (acetic anhydride) ---> CH₃COOC₆H₄COOH (acetylsalicylic acid) + CH₃COOH (acetic acid). Aspirin in turn often acetylates serine (an amino acid) 529 in the enzyme COX-1, and serine 516 in COX-2 inside the body.

Completely new COX enzymes (which participate in the generation of e.g. fatty acids and other important substances) must be created after aspirin intake has ceased, because these are now immutably ineffective, after a treatment with the acetyl group (a carbonyl group, C = O, and a methyl group, -CH₃) that came from aspirin. This is incidentally non-selective as to which of the two cyclooxygenases produces prostaglandins, aspirin attaches anyway. Something about the manufacture of aspirin! The Pharmaceutical Technician will need to make adjustments on a tablet machine, and during the filling phase, the tablet weight is determined. Then two punches are used from two directions (from above and below) that compress the powder or granules. After that, the protrusion of a clear tablet occurs. Any dividing notch or engraving came about thanks to patterns on the punches. Of course, people work here among some powder and dust, and just before, solvents were also used! Are there any dangers to this?