How fast do painkillers dissolve?

I got into my science groove this weekend and did a little experiment.
Now you too can know, How fast do painkillers dissolve?

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14 thoughts on “How fast do painkillers dissolve?”

  3. While water is a mild acid (If I remember correctly it’s something like pH 5.8 from most taps), it’s nothing compared the stomach acid in your gut (pH of 1-2). That gel cap would last microseconds in a concentrated acid solution.

  4. Yeah, I’d say that this experiment needs to be repeated with an acid solution to truly return meaningful results. Get some PH strips, make an acid solution that approximates the contitions in the stomach. I suspect that the gel based products would benefit the most from such a modification.

  5. That’s why in the South, Goody’s headache powder is so popular.
    I also suspect that the gelcaps are made to NOT break down quickly with water since wet hands, etc. when taking the pill would cause a smear of color making a focus-testing group very upset.

  7. Very impressive experiment. It kind of makes you think that the “name” brands dissolve slower on purpose so you’ll take more of them to get faster results, therefore you’ll need to buy them more often. It’s all a scam, anyhow. I’m currently pregnant so there’s a whole list of stuff I can’t take. But of course, the doctors tell you “Tylenol is okay. Take as much of it as you like” But then I ask them if I can take Tylenol PM to help me sleep. They told me no, but I COULD take a regular Tylenol and a Sudafed, which are the same ingredients. To which I respond: If they’re the same ingredients, why can’t I take it??? It’s all part of their master plan 😉

  8. Interesting observation by the pregnant lady. It does seem like a conspiracy. Screw the government – go herbal!

  9. How funny!
    That is almost exactly my 5th grade science project!
    Except I only tested Advil and that little. yellow. different. pill and I used white vinegar to replicated stomach juices.

  10. Very interesting expermient, although I must add that the pills with the slick protective coatings might be specially designed to dissolve faster in stronger acidic solutions. Also, those brand name pills could also have a stronger and more effective drug content in contrast to the simpler coated pills, which may have a weaker effect in the long run.

  11. Have you considered the possibility that some anti-inflammatory drugs are designed not to dissolve quickly for a reason?
    To prevent damage to the esophagus or the stomach lining?
    Or, that they may be time released?

  12. My pain reliever of choice is Alka-Seltzer plus cold medicine. The tablet is dissolved in water and then consumed. The worst is waiting the 1 to 2 minutes for the thing to dissolve. I use it for headache, bodyache, colds, hayfever. It really is a swiss-army-knife-malady reliever.

    I’ve never been brave enough to try one without dissolving in first…

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