The Daily Molecule

Luminol

rapodaca@metamolecular.com (Rich Apodaca) — Wed, 28 May 2008 23:36:00 GMT

Luminol is a versatile chemical that exhibits chemiluminescence, with a striking blue glow, when mixed with an appropriate oxidizing agent. It is a white to slightly yellow crystalline solid that is soluble in water and most polar organic solvents.

Luminol is used by forensic investigators to detect trace amounts of blood left at crime scenes. It is also used by biologists in cellular assays for the detection of copper, iron, and cyanides.

Resources

How Luminol Works

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Luminol.

PETN

rapodaca@metamolecular.com (Rich Apodaca) — Fri, 23 May 2008 00:51:00 GMT

PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate, also known as pentrite, or rarely and primarily in German as nitropenta) is one of the most powerful high explosives known, with a relative effectiveness factor (R.E. factor) of 1.66. It is more sensitive to shock or friction than TNT or tetryl, and it is never used alone as a booster. It is primarily used in booster and bursting charges of small caliber ammunition, in upper charges of detonators in some and mines and shells, and as the explosive core of detonation cord. PETN is also used as a vasodilator, similar to nitroglycerin.

Resources

Research Shows Explosives Remain Part Of Human Hair

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article PETN.

Piracetam

rapodaca@metamolecular.com (Rich Apodaca) — Thu, 22 May 2008 00:08:00 GMT

Piracetam (brand name: Nootropil, Qropi, Myocalm, Dinagen) is a nootropic. It is a dietary supplement which is claimed to enhance cognition and memory, slow down brain aging, increase blood flow and oxygen to the brain, aid stroke recovery, and improve Alzheimer's, Down syndrome, dementia, and dyslexia, among others. Piracetam shares the same 2-oxo-pyrrolidone base structure with pyroglutamate. Piracetam is a cyclic derivative of GABA. It is one of the racetams. Piracetam is prescribed by doctors for some conditions, mainly myoclonus, but is used off-label for a much wider range of applications. However, some treat it as a food supplement rather than a drug.

References

Piracetam and other structurally related nootropics

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Piracetam.

Wurster's Blue

rapodaca@metamolecular.com (Rich Apodaca) — Tue, 20 May 2008 23:12:00 GMT

Wurster's Blue is the trivial name given to the chemical N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine, also known as TMPD. It is an easily oxidised phenylenediamine, which loses two electrons in one-electron oxidation steps; the radical cation is a characteristic blue-violet colour, which gives the compound part of its name. The remaining part of its name comes from its discoverer, the German chemist Casimir Wurster (August 7 1854 - 29 November 1913).

References

A video showing the oxidation of Wurster's blue and the colour changes seen

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Wurster's Blue.

Resveratrol

rapodaca@metamolecular.com (Rich Apodaca) — Mon, 19 May 2008 23:31:00 GMT

Resveratrol is a phytoalexin produced naturally by several plants when under attack by pathogens such as bacteria or fungi. Resveratrol has also been produced by chemical synthesis, and is sold as a nutritional supplement derived primarily from Japanese knotweed. Studies in vitro and in animals have suggest a number of potential therapeutic properties, including anti-cancer, antiviral, neuroprotective, anti-aging, and anti-inflammatory. Resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes and is a constituent of red wine but, based on extrapolation from animal trials, apparently not in sufficient amounts to explain the "French paradox" that the incidence of coronary heart disease is relatively low in southern France despite high dietary intake of saturated fats.

References

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Resveratrol.

Dextromethorphan

rapodaca@metamolecular.com (Rich Apodaca) — Sun, 18 May 2008 23:18:00 GMT

Dextromethorphan (DXM or DM) is an antitussive (cough suppressant) drug found in many over-the-counter cold and cough medicines. Dextromethorphan has also found other uses in medicine, ranging from pain relief to psychological applications. Pure dextromethorphan occurs as a powder made up of white crystals, but it is generally administered via syrups, tablets, or lozenges manufactured under several different brand names and generic labels.

When taken at doses higher than are medically recommended, dextromethorphan acts as a dissociative hallucinogenic drug. It is classified neurochemically as an NMDA receptor antagonist, producing effects similar to those of the controlled substances ketamine and phencyclidine (PCP) which affords it a significant potential for abuse.

References

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Dextromethorphan.

Sucralose

rapodaca@metamolecular.com (Rich Apodaca) — Thu, 15 May 2008 22:54:00 GMT

Sucralose is an artificial sweetener. In the European Union, it is also known under the E number (additive code) E955. Sucralose was originally sold under the trade name Splenda. It is now also supplied by a variety of manufacturers and brands. Sucralose is approximately 600 times as sweet as sucrose (table sugar), twice as sweet as saccharin, and four times as sweet as aspartame. Unlike aspartame, it is stable under heat and over a broad range of pH conditions and can be used in baking or in products that require a longer shelf life. Sucralose also does not promote tooth decay. Since its introduction in 1999, sucralose has overtaken Equal in the $1.5 billion artificial sweetener market, holding a 62% market share. According to market research firm IRI, as reported in the Wall Street Journal, Splenda sold $212 million in 2006 in the U.S. while Equal sold $48.7 million.

References

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Sucralose.

Endosulfan

rapodaca@metamolecular.com (Rich Apodaca) — Thu, 15 May 2008 00:02:00 GMT

Endosulfan is a neurotoxic organochlorine insecticide of the cyclodiene family of pesticides. It is an endocrine disruptor, and it is banned in the European Union, the Philippines, Cambodia, and several other countries. It is still used extensively in many countries including the US and India. It is made by Bayer CropScience, Makhteshim-Agan, and Hindustan Insecticides Limited among others, and sold under the tradenames Thionex, Thiodan, Phaser, and Benzoepin. Because of its high toxicity and high potential for bioaccumulation and environmental contamination, a global ban on the use and manufacture of endosulfan is being considered under the Stockholm Convention.

References

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Endosulfan.

Bremelanotide

rapodaca@metamolecular.com (Rich Apodaca) — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:20:00 GMT

Bremelanotide (formerly PT-141) is the generic term for a new medication for use in treating sexual dysfunction in men (erectile dysfunction or impotence) as well as sexual dysfunction in women (sexual arousal disorder). It is the only known synthetic aphrodisiac. Unlike Sildenafil and other related medications, it does not act upon the vascular system, but directly increases sexual desire. Bremelanotide is a spray introduced nasally.

References

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License and uses material from the Wikipedia article Bremelanotide.

Syn-propanethial-S-oxide

rapodaca@metamolecular.com (Rich Apodaca) — Tue, 13 May 2008 00:29:00 GMT

Syn-propanethial-S-oxide ([32157-29-2]) is a volatile gas that triggers tears when an onion is cut. As onions are sliced, cells are broken, allowing enzymes called alliinases to break down amino acid sulfoxides and generate sulfenic acids. Sulfenic acids are unstable and spontaneously rearrange into syn-propanethial-S-oxide. The gas dissipates through the air and eventually reaches the eye, where it reacts with the water to form a dilute solution of sulfuric acid. This acid irritates the nerve endings in the eye, making them sting. Tear glands produce tears to dilute and flush out the irritant.

References

Scott, Thomas. What is the chemical process that causes my eyes to tear when I peel an onion? Ask the Experts: Chemistry. Scientific American Retrieved on 2007-04-28.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Syn-propanethial-S-oxide.