INTRODUCTION:

Acidifiers are the inorganic chemicals that either produce or become acid. These are the drugs which are able to increase the acidity, in GIT. Thus decreasing the stomach pH. Some of these drugs are used to increase metabolic acidosis whereas some of these are used to increase the gastric hydrochloric acid.

These are many types of acidifiers but the main four main types are:

1. Gastric acidifiers:

These are the drugs which are used to restore temporarily the acidity of the stomach in patients suffering from achlorhydria or hypochlorhydria.

2. Urinary acidifiers:

These are the drug which is used to render acidic urine to enable treatment of some types of urinary tract disorders.

3. Systemic acidifiers:

These are the drugs which are able to neutralize the alkaline body fluid, particularly blood, in patients who are suffering from systemic alkalosis.

4. Acids:

Acids are used as pharmaceutical aids in the preparation, laboratory quality control^[1].

Acidifiers in Poultry:

Organic acids have multi usages in poultry feeds as they help in preservation to control microbial growth, reduction of feed buffer capacity, inhibition of pathogenic bacteria and betterment of nutrient digestibility. This low pH also curbs pathogens. We provide supracid dry acidifier which ensures the growth of animal. The major purpose of using this acidifier is to improve growth performance and better the profitability in poultry production.

Effects on Nutrient Digestion:

· Improves the digestion, absorption and utilization of feed.

· Stimulates the activation of digestive enzymes.

Advantages:

· Less corrosive

· Completely bio – degradable

· Less stringent smell of acids

· No resistance

· User – friendly

· No withdrawal time.

Acidifiers in Animal Nutrition:

Organic acids have multi usage in animal feeds. Organic acids may act as energy sources and help to reduce the tissue wastage .lowering the dietary buffering capacity has been related to beneficial effects on digestion. The effects of organic acid sin the intestinal tract are two- fold. They reduce pH in the stomach and small intestine. Organic acids stimulated intermediary metabolism, resulting in improved energy or protein/ amino acid utilization.

Uses:

· Organic acids and salts promote performance and health in animals

· Possibilities of E. coil control by using acidifier in livestock production

· Possibilities of salmonella control with the aid of acidifiers

· Acidifiers used in poultry diet and poultry production

· The use of different dosages of acidifiers based on in organic acids in post – weaning piglets

· Acidifiers are used antibacterial agent such as formic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid etc.

· Dilute HCL is used as acidifying agent ^[2].

Antacids:

Definition: An antacid is a substance which neutralizes stomach acidity which in turn relieves heart burn in digestion or stomach upset.

The ideal requirement of antacids is as follow:

· It should be insoluble in water and have fine particle form

· It should not be absorbable or cause systemic alkalosis

· It should not be a laxative or cause constipation

· It should be stable and readily available

· The antacids should buffer in the pH range 4 to 6

· The reaction between antacids and gastric hydrochloric acid should not produce large volume of gas.

There are three types of antacids:

· Systemic antacids:

· Sodium bicarbonate

· Sodium citrate.

· Non – systemic antacids:

· Magnesium hydroxide

· Aluminium hydroxide

· Aluminium phosphate

· Complex antacids:

· Magaldrate

· Almagate

· Hydrotalcite.

Popular Antacids Include:

· Alka – seltzer – NaHCO₃ and /or KHCO₃

· Gaviscon – Al(OH)₃

· Maalox (liquid) – Al(OH)₃ and Mg (OH)₂

· Rolaids – CaCO₃ and Mg (OH)₂

· Mylanta

· Tums – CaCO₃.

Interaction:

Antacids have multiple drug interaction, usually due to inhibition of absorption of other medications. In rare cases, the absorbable antacids may alter the pH of the stomach contents or urine sufficiently to alter drug absorption or excretion ^[5].

Precautions:

· Antacids should be avoided if any signs of appendicitis or inflamed bowel are present. These include cramping, pain and soreness in the lower abdomen, bloating, and nausea and vomiting.

· Antacids may affect the results of some medical tests, such as those that measure how much acid the stomach produces. Health care providers and patients should keep this in mind when scheduling a medical test.

· Antacids that contain magnesium may cause diarrhea. Other types of antacids may cause constipation.

· Avoid taking antacids containing sodium bicarbonate when the stomach is uncomfortably full from eating or drinking.

· Excessive use of antacids may cause or increase the severity or kidney problems. Calcium based antacids may lead to renal stone formation.

· Antacids should not be given to children under six years of age.

Side Effects:

· Antacids may cause dose – dependent rebound hyperacidity and milk – alkali syndrome.

· Antacids that contain Aluminium hydroxide may cause constipation, aluminium – intoxication, osteomalacia and hypophosphatemia.

· Other un common side effects may occur .anyone who has unusual symptoms after taking antacids should get in touch with his or her care provider.

Examples:

Anti Receptor H2:

· Cimetidine

· Ranitidine

· Famotidine

· Nizatidine

· Rabetidine

PPI (Pump Proton Inhibitor):

· Omeprazol

· Pantoprazol

· Lanzoprazol

· Rabeprozol.

Uses:

· Aluminium hydroxide gel is a very effective slow acting antacid.

· This medication works only on existing acid in the stomach. It does not prevent acid production.

· It may be used alone or with other medications that lower acid production (e.g., H2 blockers such as Cimetidine and PPI such as Omeprazole).

· Some products have similar brand names but different active ingredients with different uses.

· It is also used to relieve symptoms of extra gas such as belching, bloating, and pressure.

· Simethicone helps break up gas bubbles in the gut.

· Liquid antacids usually work faster/ better than tablets or capsules^[3].

Cathartics:

Definition:

Cathartics may be defined as those drugs which being about defecation. They are beneficial in constipation and for expulsion of intestinal parasites. Purgatives are also cathartics which act similarly but are generally mild in their nature of action.

Cathartics or purgatives generally act by four different mechanisms. They are:

1. Stimulants:

These are the drugs or chemicals which act by local irritation on intestinal tract and bring stimulation of peristalitic activity. As they directly on intestine and stimulate peristalsis they are termed as stimulants.

Drugs like senna, rhubarb, cascara, castor oil, aloe, bisacodyl etc. belong to this class.

2. Bulk purgatives:

These are the agents which are able to increase bulk of intestinal contents. These are cellulose or non – digestable types of materials which swell considerably when wet and because of increased bulk stimulate peristalsis.

Examples of bulk purgatives are methylecellulose, sodium CMC, gum, ispagol etc.

3. Lubricants:

In constipation, contents of intestine become hard because of absorption of water by body, there results difficulty in clearing of bowels. Substances such as liquid paraffin, glycerin, mineral oils etc act as lubricants and cause smooth clearance of the fecal material.

4. Saline cathartics:

These act by increasing the osmotic load of intestine by absorbing large quantity of water and thereby stimuli peristalsis, poorly absorbable cations like calcium, magnesium and anions like phosphate, sulphate tartrate are contributing to this effect. The saline cathartics are water soluble mainly inorganic chemicals and they are taken with plenty of water. This is helpful in restricting excessive loss of body fluid and reduces nausea and vomiting.

Uses:

· Saline cathartics are water soluble and are taken with large quantities of water .this prevent excessive loss of water from body fluids and reduce nausea and vomiting if a too hypertonic solution should reach the stomach they act in the intestine and a full cathartics dose produces a water evacuation within 3 to 6 hrs.

· Cathartics are substances that cause or promote bowel movements.

· The use of cathartics alone in the management of poisoning is not an acceptable means of G decontamination.

· Cathartics decrease the absorption of drugs and toxins by speeding their passage through the GI tract.

· Relief of acute non- dietary constipation

· Removal of poisons from the gastrointestinal tract.

Examples:

· Magnesium sulfate(Epsom salt)

· Magnesium hydroxide(mom)

· Magnesium citrate

· Sodium phosphate(fleet enema , fleet phosphor – soda )

· Sodium sulfate (Glauber’s salt)

General Symptoms:

· Convulsions

· Crepitations in the chest for evidence of aspiration

· (soft fine crackling sound heard in the lungs through the sthethescope)

· Hypotension

· Bradycardia

· Bradypnoea

Types of Cathartics:

Based on the Mechanism of action:

· Stool softeners

· Bulk forming laxative

· Contact cathartics

· Saline cathartics

· Osmotic cathartics

· Miscellaneous.

Side effects:

· Abdominal discomfort, nausea, mild cramp, gripping or faintness , diarrhea

· Reversible malanosiscoil, the urine may be coloured yellowish brown or red

· Allergies to some vegetable components, esophageal blockage, or intestinal impaction.

Precaution:

· Chronic , long – term use of stimulant laxatives can lead to:

· Loss of colon function (cathartic colon)

· Consequently, constipation becomes increasingly worse and unresponsive to laxatives

· Patients with congestive heart failure, kidney disease, and high blood pressure should not use cathartics or laxatives that contain sodium ^[4].

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:

The objective of the article was to demonstrate the use of acidifiers, antacids and cathartics in our life. These are used for digesting the material present in our stomach, use to neutralize the acidity in stomach, reduce heart burn and useful in providing the necessary acidity for the proper digestion of food and also useful in reducing metabolic alkaloids. There will be side effects such as nausea, vomiting , diarrhea if we had taken more amount of drugs .some product have similar names but different active ingredients with different uses . There are various types of drugs, their uses which are use in our life. These drugs are required for the purpose of good health. Acidifiers have been proven to be efficient alternatives to antibiotics. These drugs are very important and play a major role in digestion, in growth promptness, in reducing acidity and reduce heart burn in our life.

REFERENCES:

1. Pharmaceutical Chemistry Inorganic: Vol 1 by G.R. Chatwal

2. Pharmaceutical Chemistry: Theory and Practical by VN Rajasekaran

3. Inorganic Chemistry: Robert M. Kren, Harold W. Dodgen, Carl J. Nyman. Herbert Bradford Thompson, Lawrence S. Bartell. John K. Wittle, Grant Urry.

4. “Qualitative Chemical Analysis – Organic and Inorganic” by F. Mollwo Perkin

5. "Inorganic Chemistry" by William Allen Miller

Received on 08.12.2016 Accepted on 18.01.2017

Asian J. Pharm. Tech. 2017; 7(2): 59-62.

DOI: 10.5958/2231-5713.2017.00009.5