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Ammonium chloride – or ammonium chloride, is an odorless substance consisting of salts of hydrochloric acid and ammonia. It is used in medicine primarily as an auxiliary component of expectorant drugs. What action does ammonium chloride show?
Ammonium chloride it is the oldest known ammonium salt. It was received for the first time in antiquity. During heating chloride ammonium it sublimates and the resulting vapors dissociate to ammonia and hydrogen chloride.
Ammonium chloride – application in medicine
As mentioned, ammonium chloride it is used primarily in complex preparations of o expectorant action. Therefore, it is included in the syrup, the main ingredient of which is potassium guaiacosulfonate (so-called sulfogwaacol) irritating the bronchial mucosa and thus stimulating it to increase the secretion of liquefied mucus. Ammonium chloride in this case, it will act synergistically, which means that it will support the action of the main ingredient and at the same time intensify it.
Ammonium chloride it is also used as an ingredient isotonic preventive fluid. It is a liquid intended for infusion containing, next to ammonium chloride, two other salts: sodium chloride and potassium chloride. This type of fluid turns out to be helpful in the case of water and electrolyte imbalances caused by vomiting, diarrhea, gastric fistulas or the removal of gastric contents. Ammonium chloride, along with the other ingredients of the preparation, will then reduce the effects of developing metabolic alkalosis and hypochloraemia. In case of metabolic alkalosis ammonium chloride, as a salt of a weak base and a strong acid (hydrochloric acid), it will lower the pH of the body’s cells and shift them towards the correct, physiological pH (normal blood pH is about 7,35-7,45). When it comes to treating hypochloraemia, they are again of the greatest importance chloride ionswhich will “cooperate” with the proton pump (responsible for the transport of hydrogen ions in the stomach). Chloride ions they will react with hydrogen protons to form hydrogen chloride, i.e. the already mentioned hydrochloric acid. This action supports the work of the stomach.
Ammonium chloride as an ingredient in prescription drugs
As mentioned, cammonium chloride it is used as an ingredient in ready-made drugs. However, due to its expectorant properties ammonium chloride it is also used in the production of pharmaceutical drugs. Anise dropsbecause we are talking about them are the so-called galenic preparation, i.e. one that is a drug prepared in a pharmacy according to a strictly developed method given in the pharmacopoeia or prescription. Anise drops are a water-ethanolic solution of anise oil and ammonium chloride (ammonium chloride). They are used as a component of other prescription drugs or as an independent supplementary preparation expectoration.
As can be seen ammonium chloride it is hardly ever used on its own. It is a chemical that is found in other preparations. In the body, it acts on cells to convert into urea and hydrochloric acid. Chloride ammonium has a dehydrating effect. The already mentioned secretolytic (liquefying mucus) and expectorant action is the basic application ammonium chloride in medicine.