If your interested
glycols are 2 alcohols (-OH) groups, ethanol is only one, most here prefer there freezing point depressants with only one alcohol group thinking it isn't as toxic as the dialchols
some antifreezes used to be ethylene glycol, toxic, smells sweet animals loved it
antifreeze is propylene glycol
PEG is polyethylene glycol
they are also ethers. starter fluid stuff, (-O- oxygen only in middle of chain)
the poly term indicates any number of ethyl groups can be inserted between the alcohol groups to change the molecular wt. thus the physical properties.
making drugs is easy, making biological drugs,(remember the gov. owns the definition of drug, not you or I) is a little harder, but the hardest part is getting the drug to the target site,
The medical industry loves the blood (injection) route as it can be standardized, shows faster results, and a trained staff is available (see goalie)
the makers dilemma is the start up costs, so they change the formulation which allows them to patent the process, incase they hit a pot of gold.
this last , is actually a big plus for the end consumer as the 20 or so varieties coming the market will be different in their biopharmaceutical profiles
the best vaccine will be the one that gets the drug to the target, (includes lack of side effects, toxicology profile etc.)
the acetic acid and NaCl are part of the buffer system that stabilizes the protein, as all proteins are ph sensitive.
stuff like cholesterol are there to increase the rheology of the mixture, -- make it flow throw needles, blood vessels without clumping.
the propylenes are there as a passive transport system across (usually lipid membranes)
on another topic but both have more in common than differences from a pharmaceutical formulations view.
DMSO or dimethyl sulfoxide is an aprotic solvent, meaning it can dissolve just about anything,--- that is a physical property
its pharmacological properties are--- one of the strongest anti-inflammatories (for mammals) on the planet.
USP grade DMSO is used in a lot of prescriptions, in combination with PEG and ethylene oxide (really strong ether) to transport a lot of drugs across the cell membrane, thus the medicine can be used topical which is the preferred method, (no liver by pass, no effect on vascular system, no effect on CNS central nervous system. )
as an example
using the above transport system for restless leg syndrome
it can be added to an anticholinergic for spasm, Voltaren (as someone here suggested) for inflammation , and a pain med.
ALL MEDICINES ARE TOXIC when used out of their therapeutic threshold.
all poisons are medicines when used inside of their therapeutic range.
