Monthly Archives: March 2015

Effects of Aspirin

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Aspirin(acetylsalicylic acid) is a salicylate drug, often used as an analgesic to relieve minor aches and pains, as an antipyretic to reduce fever, and an anti-inflammatory medication.Aspirin also has an antiplatelet effect.

Aspirin is also used long-term, at low dosage, to help prevent heart attacks, strokes and blood clot formation in people at high risk of developing blood clots. Also, low doses of aspirin may be given immediately after a heart attack to reduce the risk of another cardiac arrest . Aspirin may be effective at preventing certain types of cancer, particularly colorectal cancer.

However, the main side effects of aspirin are gastrointestinal ulcers, stomach bleeding, and ringing in the ears, especially with higher doses. In children and adolescents, aspirin is not recommended for flu-like symptoms or viral illnesses because of the risk of Reye’s syndrome.

In conclusion, drugs in general should be used in the right dosage if not side effects may occur that may be lethal. By doing this project, we can know more about this common drug and consume with caution. Likewise, we can share this knowledge to the people around us and be more aware to the drug we take.

References:

Aspirin. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2015, from http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/rws00002157/aspirin

Aspirin

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The active ingredient of aspirin was first discovered from the bark of the willow tree in 1763 by Edward Stone of Wadham College, University of Oxford. He discovered Salicylic acid which is the active metabolite of aspirin. Aspirin was first synthesized by Felix Hoffmann, a chemist with the German company Bayer in 1897. Aspirin is one of the most widely used medications in the world, with an estimated 40,000 tonnes of it being consumed each year. Aspirin is on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, the most important medications needed in a basic health system.

Aspirin is part of a group of medications called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), but it differs from the others in terms of the mechanisms involved. Instead of affecting more of COX-1 as compared to COX-2, aspirin inhibits enzymecyclooxygenase (COX) in an irreversible manner.

The chemical structure of aspirin:

aspirin

 

Synthesis of Aspirin

Raw Materials:

  • Phenol
  • Sodium Hydroxide
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Acetic Anhydride
  • Hydrogen

The Reactions

References:

Aspirin. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2015, from http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/rws00002157/aspirin
Reactions. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2015, from http://www.aspirin-foundation.com/what/reactions.html

 

Question Session 18 March

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Q: The concerns of acid rain vary across the globe. Many countries in North America and Europe have websites dealing with acid rain. Either search to locate one (“Canada, acid rain”) or use these links to websites in Canada, the UK, or Europe. What are the issues in the country you selected? Does the acid deposition originates outside the borders of the country?

URLs:

www.ec.gc.ca

www.ukawmn.ucl.ac.uk

www.grida.no

Country: Canada

Issues: Air pollution, Climate change, Logging, Chemical pollution

Does the acid deposition originates outside the borders of the country?: Yes. Air pollution in Canada is contributed to by industrial and vehicular emissions, agriculture, construction, wood burning and energy production. These activities happens in US as well, thus some acid deposition may enter the country by accident as well.

Meeting Log 3

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Date: 4th March 2015

Attendance: Branson, Desmond, Jackson, Jocelyn and Long

Absentee: Maithilli Anpazhahan

Agenda: To make both videos under the section for ‘Chemical Concept’ and ‘Implications to Society’

Duration: 5 Hours

Plan of Action: Fast drawing concept for the first video. A short lecture on implications of Aspirin for the second video.

 

Feedback

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Overall, the lecture format is alright. The amended timing for the quiz is sufficient for us to complete most of the questions on the first time. The answers to the additional group work during lecture could be posted on the blog instead. As such, we can save time in class, and go through the key concepts in the lecture notes.