Written by Onésimo Ázara Pereira
We are not aware that there are methods of evaluation between the problems of the citizens and the consumption of analgesics. However, we can imagine how much headache is generated diurnally to the stressed residents, in particular, of the big cities. Moreover, we understand that the number of reasons that lead our suffering people to this neuralgic syndrome that affects so much our modern society is endless: the salary ending before the end of the month with a lot of bills to pay, back rent, illnesses, assaults, death, children's school, amorous delusions, defeat of the football team and many other reasons.
There are, according to the experts, several types of headache and it is not the scope of this work to analyze them case by case. Consultoria Farmoquimica is trying to analyze how the Brazilian fights his headaches, considering that the main available analgesics are of free sale in Brazil.
Although we are in the era of modern biotechnology, interestingly, the main icons of headache treatment have their stories started in the late 19th or early 20th century. These icons are:
- acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin)
- dipyrone
- paracetamol
Of course, there are many other analgesics on the market, but these three pharmacists stand out for the volumes used.
How much did the Brazilian consumed these products in 2018? Is this consumption linked to daily problems? Let's see:
IMPORTS IN 2018
Pharmacist Weight (kg) Value (US$ FOB) Average price US$ FOB / KG
aspirina 428.363 1.971.027,00 4,60
dipirona 2.639.350 38.815.361,00 14,71
paracetamol 1.975.128 10.614.437,00 5,37
Total: 5.042.841 51.400.825,00 10,19
As there is no production in Brazil of any of these icons of analgesic action, we understand that of them the Brazilian consumed in 2018 just over five thousand (5,000) tons. There is a headache !!! Of course, the crisis was angry ... It is a good thing that all three of these pharmacists are available in pharmacies and drugstores as over-the-counter products.
Aspirin, which is acetylsalicylic acid, occupies the 3rd position of the painkillers consumed in the world. Although synthesized in 1853 by the acetylation process of salicylic acid, it was only in 1897 that Bayer placed this pharmacist in the form of a medicament, produced by the brand name ASPIRINA. In Brazil this medicine was introduced from 1901. In 1906 aspirin was patented all over the world. How many headaches has she healed in all these years? Letters to our newsroom.
Dipyrone whose molecule is already a sodium salt (there is no need to designate it as sodium dipyrone, which would be a redundancy) is also called metamizole. Dipyrone belongs to the family of pyrazolones which are the oldest pharmaceutical substances obtained by chemical synthesis (late 19th century). Due to its important pharmacological action as an analgesic and its greater tolerance, in 1921 it was used commercially. In 1922, Novalgina da Hoescht (this is the brand of the beast) began to frequent the shelves of pharmacies and drugstores in Brazil. In all these years how many have fallen asleep with the help of this pharmacological icon?
Paracetamol, also called acetaminophen. This, however, has a very different history from his colleagues aspirin and dipyrone. He was born, by chance, after a long gestation, because the scientists back in 1893 proposed as analgesics the use of acetanilide and phenacetin, but found that the analgesic action, indeed, was his metabolite: paracetamol.
Then in the mid-20th century, more precisely in 1956, paracetamol as a drug was sold in England. However, its broader use came after 1970. To this power in the fight against pain, was given the name (brand) of Tylenol. In this whole period, how many pain relief can we count?
These are the three "old men" who helped us to overcome, headlong, headaches in 2018. What will be their imports in 2019 we will only know by the end of this year. Is there any relationship between the economic crisis and the consumption of analgesics?
Checking ....
(*) Pharmacist and Head of the Pharmaceutical Consulting