Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Prescription drug degradation over time

RedDwarf - 30-5-2019 at 13:50

Prescription drugs have a use by date, presumably because there is a risk of auto reaction (despite the packaging) either reducing the available quantity of active ingredient and/or producing an (oxidation) product that is potentially harmful. I don't blame the pharma companies for these dates, as I understand the regulatory pressure that they are under but was pondering as I went through my medicine cupboard...
I take Ranitidine (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranitidine) , but not as much as I'm prescribed so I have some with a use by date of May 19 in the cupboard. I'm aware that it won't change overnight on the 31st, but was wondering what changes would be occurring to small percentages of the molecules over time?
As an additional question, is there anything interesting I could make from it? :D

draculic acid69 - 31-5-2019 at 04:19

Doesn't look like you can make anything fun from it.

fusso - 31-5-2019 at 04:51

These drugs are way too complex to have synthetic applications, can't be broken down into useful smaller parts, and also not indicators for any qual/quan analysis.