Audience: This paper is written with the intent of addressing an audience consisting of advanced high school students and lower division college students, who are interested in learning what happens to their bodies internally when ibuprofen is consumed. Students should have taken a general chemistry, and biology course as a prerequisite. It is expected that the student have some previous knowledge on nomenclature, spectroscopy, and basic internal organs. Introduction: Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), that is used to relieve pain from several conditions such as "headache, dental pain, menstrual cramps, muscle aches, or arthritis."(WebMD) Furthermore, it helps alleviate fever and minor aches due to the common cold …show more content…
The process of releasing a drug, in this case ibuprofen, from its dosage formulation, and transport it into the bloodstream is referred to as "absorption". This process occurs even if injected directly into the bloodstream. Absorptions is affect by three factors: "its water solubility, its fat solubility, and the transport mechanisms of the body" (Taylor). Since all body fluids are water based it is vital that all drugs be in solution before the can be absorbed. The dissolving of a drug is highly dependent on the acidity of the solution, in this case our stomach acid. The general rule of thumb is that the pH (1-5) be low in order for the capsule to dissolve quickly. The speed at which the dose dissolved also depend on its form, and can be either tablet, capsule, powder, or etc. If we use a tablet for example, the manufacturer may add starch in order to make the pill swell when water is added which could speed up the process. On the other hand, some processes may require a slower process, or prolong the effect of the drug. This can be done by strongly compressing the tablet, or using "extended release capsules, which systematically dissolve over a period of time".