Tylenol Cold for Children contains active ingredients as well as inactive ingredients.

The active ingredients include
                               Acetaminophen
                               Chlorpheniramine Maleate
                              &n bsp; Pseudoephedrine HCl
The inactive ingredients include
                              &n bsp; Aspartame
                              &n bsp; Basic Polymethacrylate
                              &n bsp; Cellulose
                              &n bsp; Cellulose Acetate
                              &n bsp; Citric Acid
                              &n bsp; D&C Red #7
                              &n bsp; FD&C Blue #1
                              Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
                              &n bsp; Magnesium Stearate
                              &n bsp; Mannitol
 
 

Active Ingredients

Acetaminophen

Acetaminophen is a commonly used therapeutic drug with analgesic and antipyretic properties.  It is a metabolite of phenacetin. It is used to treat mild to moderate pain and fever, including simple headaches, muscle aches, and mild forms of arthritis. It is useful for patients who cannot take aspirin, such as those taking anticoagulants or suffering from gastrointestinal ulcers or bleeding disorders.  Acetaminophen appears to interfere with the action of prostaglandins, substances in the body that cause inflammation and make nerves more sensitive to pain impulses. It also relieves fever, probably by acting on the heat-regulating center of the brain.

169 degree melting point

Very slightly soluble

                              &nb sp;     Chemical Structure

       Chlorpheniramine Maleate

Chlorpheniramine Maleate is used to relieve symptoms of allergies.  It works by  blocking the effects of histimine, a naturally occuring substance that causes swelling, itching, sneezing, watery eyes, hives and other symptoms of allergic reactions. Chloropheniramine Maleate is an alkylamine type.

130-135 degree melting point
                              &n bsp;       Chemical Structure

         Pseudoephedrine HCl

Pseudoephedrine HCl  relieves nasal or sinus congestion caused by colds, sinus infection, hay fever, or other respiratory allergies. It narrows and constricts blood vessels to reduce the blood flow to swollen nasal passages and other tissues, which reduces nasal secretions, shrinks swollen nasal mucous membranes, and improves airflow in nasal passages.

                                  Chemical Equation
C₁₀H₁₆ClNO
                                ;  Molecular Weight
201.6g
                                ;  Function
Nasal Decongestant
                                ;  Physical Properties
180-182 degree melting point
                           Chemical Structure

Aspartame

Aspartame is largely made of two building blocks of protein called amino acids. The two amino acids are aspartic acid and phenylalanine (as the methyl ester). Aspartic acid helps our bodies convert food to energy, and infants and children especially need the phenylalanine found in such foods as milk and meats for building muscles. The third ingredient, called a methyl ester, is also found naturally in fruits, tomato juice and other foods.

     Basic Polymethacrylate
       (Methacrylic Acid)

Methacrylic acid is widely used in clear polyacrylate plastics and in surface coatings such as acrylic latex paints.  It is also used in making methacrylate resins.

_{16 degree melting point}

_{163 degree boiling point}
                                      ;         Chemical Structure

_{Citric Acid}

_{Traces of citric acid can be found in numerous plants and animals because it is a nearly universal intermediate product of metabolism and large amounts of the acid can be found in juices of citrus fruits.  From here it is then precipitated by the addition of lime; the resulting calcium citrate is treated with sulfuric acid to regenerate the citric acid. It is added to some foods and beverages to produce a pleasant acid flavor; it is also used in medicines, in making blueprint paper, in textile printing, and as a polishing agent for metals.}

                             _{&nb sp;      Chemical Equation}
C₆H₈O_{7
                                   Molecular Weight
192.125g
                                   Function}
serves as a laboratory reagent
                                   _{Physical Properties
White crystals}
odorless
_{Moisture sensitive
                                      Chemical Structure}

 

D&C Red #6

The color additive D&C Red No. 6 is principallythe disodium salt of 3-hydroxy-4-[(4-methyl-2-sulfophenyl)azo]-2-naphthalenecarboxylic acid (CAS Reg. No. 5858-81-1). To manufacture the additive, amino-5-methylbenzenesulfonic acid is diazotized with hydrochloric acid and sodium nitrite. The diazo compound is coupled in alkaline medium with 3-hydroxy-2-naphthalenecarboxylic acid. The resulting dye precipitates as the disodium salt.

                               ;     Chemical Equation
C₁₈H₁₂N₂Na₂O₆S
                                ;              Molecular Weight
430.34214g
                                ;              Function
Red Dye for Cherry Flavored Tylenol
                                ;               Chemical Structure

FD&C Blue #1

FD&C Blue #1 is a synthetic color additive and is considered "certified."   FD&C Blue No. 1, or Brilliant Blue FCF, is a triphenylmethanecolor. This dye is water soluble and is poorly absorbed by the body, making it readily usable in most foods. Many studies have been conducted on FD&C Blue No. 1, and it has shown no evidence of carcinogenicity and no adverse effects other than 15 percent less body weight. Also, no adverse reproductive or developmental effects have been exhibited. The FDA has concluded the FD&C Blue No. 1 to be safe.

                              &n bsp;           Chemical Equation
C₃₇H₃₄N₂Na₂O₉S_{3
                                                  Molecular Weight
792.84314g
                                                  Function
Blue Dye for Grape Flavored Tylenol
Used in food, drugs and cosmetics
                                                  Physical Properties
283 degree melting point
                                            Chemical Structure}

Magnesium Stearate

                              &nb sp;    Chemical Equation
C₃₆H₇₀MgO_{4
                                               Molecular Weight
591.2516g
                                               Function}
Used as a food additive
                                       _{Physical Properties}
white powder
_{130-150 degree melting point
density is 250-320 g/l}
 

Mannitol

Mannitol is a nutritive sweetener (compared to non-nutritive sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharin which provide no nutrients or calories), stabilizer, humectant and bulking agent in foods and supplements. It can be derived from the Manna plant or from seaweed.Mannitol is an osmotic agent and has a high diuretic potential.  It is one of several carbohydrates classified as a sugar alcohol or polyols. Because of mannitolís osmotic properties, it promotes the movement of fluid from the intracellular into the extracellular space. In emergency care, mannitol is used in the treatment of head injury to decrease cerebral edema and intracranial pressure, and in the promotion of urinary excretion of toxic substances.

For more information on any of the previous organic molecules just click on the name of the product above in blue.

This website was created by Lindsey Murray for Dr. Rainer Glaser, Organic Chemistry Professor at the University of Missouri.  The data displayed for each of these organic molecules (unless otherwise cited by the blue links) can be found on www.chemfinder.com.
 
 
 
 

No data found for the following inactive ingredients:
                        Cellulose
                        Cellulose Acetate
                        Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose

July 12, 2001