ACIDIFYING AGENTS/ACIDIFIERS
Introduction: What is the
role of hydrochloric acid in human body?
Hydrochloric acid is naturally produced by the cells of the
stomach. It serves two main functions in the stomach which are: to provide an
optimum pH for the enzyme protease to work and also to kill pathogenic
organisms in the stomach. When the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the
stomach is reduced, the person suffers from a disease known as hypoacidity or
achlorhydria
Definition:
Acidifiers are inorganic chemicals that either produce or become acid. These
chemicals increase the level of gastric acid in the stomach when ingested, thus
decreasing the stomach pH.
These are many types of acidifiers but the main four types
are:
• Gastric
acidifiers, used in controlling pH in stomach.
• Urinary
acidifiers, used in controlling pH in urine.
• Systemic
acidifiers, used in controlling pH in all the parts of body.
• Acid, mostly
used in laboratory experiments.
Gastric acidifiers,
used in controlling pH in stomach:
In patients suffering from achlorhydria, there is deficient
secretion of Hydrochloric acid in stomach. In such cases gastric acidifiers are
useful in providing the necessary acidity for the proper digestion of food.
Cause of
hypoacidity/achlorhydria:
Hypoacidity pertains to a condition of the decrease of acid
in the stomach induced by lowered hydrochloric acid secretion. This condition
may happen secondary to other disorders such as stomach cancer, pernicious
anemia and infection with Helicobacter pylori or the treatment with
acid-suppressing medicaments or surgeries. Inorganic agents used in treatment
achlorhydria is dilute hydrochloric acid
Urinary acidifiers
used in controlling pH in urine:
These are the agents which are used to render acidic urine
to enable treatment of some types of urinary tract disorders. Inorganic agents
used as urinary acidifiers are ammonium chloride, Sodium citrate
Systemic acidifiers are those agents which, when given
usually by injection, act by reducing the alkali reserve in the body and also
useful in reducing metabolic alkaloids. The inorganic agents used as systemic
acidifiers are…………….
Acid, mostly used in
laboratory experiments:
These are the agents used as pharmaceutical aids in the
formulation, laboratory quality control…etc, Examples, concentrated and dilute
mineral acids like Hydrochloric acid, Sulphuric acid, Nitric acid
HYDROCHLORIC ACID
Hydrogen chloride is a gas; its solutions in water are
commonly referred to as hydrochloric acid.
Synonyms:
Anhydrous hydrochloric acid; chlorohydric acid; hydrochloric acid gas;hydrogen
chloride; muriatic acid
Chemical formula:
HCl
Molecular weight:
36.47 g/mol.
Standards:
Hydrochloric Acid contains not less than 35.0 per cent w/w and not more than
38.0 percent w/w of hydrochloric acid
Method of preparation: 1)
Hydrogen Chloride may be prepared in the laboratory by heating Concentrated
Sulphuric acid, with Sodium Chloride.
Calculated quantities of concentrated sulphuric acid and
sodium chloride are heated in a cast iron pan of salt cake furnace. The
hydrochloric acid gas is formed which is passed in a tower, which is sprayed
with water. The dilute hydrochloric acid is collected at the bottom of the
pans. It is again circulated to the tower to absorb more hydrochloride so that
it gets concentrated. The acid so produced is then purified. Sodium busulphite
formed in the process is mixed with some more quantity of sodium chloride and
heated strongly in amuffle furnance to get more hydrogen chloride gas,
Chemical Reactions:
NaCl +
H2SO4 ==> NaHSO4
+ HCl
NaHSO4 + NaCl
==> Na2SO4 +
HCl
Overall reaction is
2NaCl +
H2SO4 ==> Na2SO4
+ 2HCl
2) Industrially:
It is prepared industrially by the combustion of Hydrogen, H2, in Chlorine,
Cl2.
Large amount of hydrogen and chlorine gases are obtained as
by products by electrolysis of sodium chloride solution during the manufacture
of caustic soda (Sodium hydroxide). These gases are dried and then combined to
produce hydrogen chloride gas. The gas is cooled and water is spread over the
gas. The solution of hydrochloric acid flows to the storage tank.
Chemical Reactions:
H2 +
Cl2 ==> 2HCl
Storage: Store in
stoppered containers of glass or any other inert material at a temperature not
exceeding 30°C
Medicinal uses:
In dilute form used in the treatment of achlorhydria, given intravenously in
the management of metabolic alkalosis.
Other uses: Used
as a pharmaceutical aid and laboratory reagent.
Dilute Hydrochloric acid
It contains 10 percent w/w of hydrochloric acid as Indian
pharmacopeia
Standard: Dilute
Hydrochloric Acid contains not less than 9.5 per cent and not more than 10.5
per cent w/w of hydrochloric acid
Ingredients:
Hydrochloric acid…………………… 274 g
Purified water……………………..726 g
Preparation:
Specified quantity of hydrochloric acid is gradually added with stirring into
specified quantity of water taking in a specified volume of beaker. Mixed well
and Store in stoppered containers of glass or any other inert material at a
temperature not exceeding 30°
Description: A
clear, colorless liquid
Storage: Store in
stoppered containers of glass or any other inert material at a temperature not
exceeding 30°C
Medicinal uses:
In dilute form used in the treatment of achlorhydria, given intravenously in
the management of metabolic alkalosis.
Other uses: Used
as a pharmaceutical aid and laboratory reagent.
Ammonium
Chloride:
Chemical
formula: NH4Cl
Molecular weight:
53.5 g/mol
Standard:
Ammonium Chloride contains not less than 99.0 per cent and not more than 100.5
per cent of NH4Cl, calculated on the dried Basis
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