Scientists have discovered a groundbreaking new way to make painkillers like Tylenol and ibuprofen out of a surprising source

0
2كيلو بايت

Next time you pop a Tylenol, it might be made from pine trees.

Currently, common pharmaceuticals like acetaminophen/paracetamol (the active ingredient in Tylenol and Panadol) and ibuprofen are made from chemicals derived from harmful crude oil. But researchers at the University of Bath have developed a way to make these drugs out of waste products from the paper manufacturing industry instead.

The researchers investigated a chemical called beta-pinene, which is derived from pine trees. They then used continuous flow reactors to produce paracetamol, ibuprofen, and precursors to other pharmaceuticals.

Dirty fuels like oil are most commonly known for powering our electricity and transportation, but they’re also used in the production of a number of products like plastics and medications.

In fact, petrochemicals — or chemicals derived from natural oil or petroleum — are used in the manufacture of analgesics, antihistamines, antibiotics, antibacterials, rectal suppositories, cough syrups, lubricants, creams, ointments, salves, and more, as Orion magazine reports.

Our continued use of crude oil contributes to planet-heating air pollution, threatening human and animal health. Plus, our dependence on oil is expensive. The United States spends $1 billion on foreign oil every day, per the National Wildlife Federation.

“Using oil to make pharmaceuticals is unsustainable — not only is it contributing to rising [carbon dioxide] emissions, but the price fluctuates dramatically as we are greatly dependent on the geopolitical stability of countries with large oil-reserves, and it is only going to get more expensive,” the study’s lead author, Josh Tibbetts, said in a release.

This isn’t the first time researchers have brought attention to the use of the dirty fuels involved in drug manufacturing. A 2022 study sought to assess how much the modern pharmaceutical industry depends on crude oil and appropriate ways to shift away from it.

“We think that now is the moment to start the defossilization of the organic-chemical raw material base of the pharmaceutical industry,” the 2022 paper stated. “We believe that the research-based pharmaceutical industry, with its economic strength and innovativeness, can give an important initial impetus to defossilize the chemical industry’s raw material base.”

البحث
الأقسام
إقرأ المزيد
الرئيسية
Luxury and Comfort Awaits You at Godrej Miraya, Sector 43, Gurugram
Welcome to Godrej Miraya, an exceptional residential development nestled in the...
بواسطة jyotisinghal 2024-11-26 09:53:36 0 1كيلو بايت
News
Sunk During India-Pakistan 1971 War, Indian Navy Finds Wreckage Of PNS Ghazi Off Vizag Coast – Navy Official
Forty-three years ago, PNS Ghazi entered the Bay of Bengal to find and hit the Indian...
بواسطة Ikeji 2024-02-23 05:09:50 0 2كيلو بايت
أخرى
1 oz Gold Bar Price UK – Affordable Investment for 2025
Investing in gold has long been considered a safe and secure way to protect your wealth and hedge...
بواسطة cherrybarton 2025-04-28 08:20:30 0 685
أخرى
Unveiling Growth Opportunities in the Anti-Aging Drugs Market: Trends and Projections
In the quest for eternal youth, the anti-ageing industry has witnessed a remarkable surge, with...
بواسطة SUBMISSION 2024-09-02 12:05:37 0 2كيلو بايت
Health
True North CBD Gummies Male Enhancement Formula
True North CBD Gummies Male Enhancement Reviews high level equation is fastidiously created...
بواسطة Urhealthkart 2024-04-06 11:38:57 0 2كيلو بايت