Trees Make Common Pain Killers: New Research Reveals β-Pinene Can Be Converted to Paracetamol and Ibuprofen

Paracetamol and ibuprofen, two of the most popular painkillers in the world, were created using a compound found in pine trees that is also a waste product from the paper industry, according to a team of researchers from the University of Bath's Department of Chemistry and Institute for Sustainability.

Turpentine oil

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By distilling and rectifying the oleoresin produced by numerous Pinus species, pharmaceutical turpentine oil is obtained. Oil that hasn't been corrected is like turpentine in business.

Colphony is caused by the resin that is still present in the still, as per ScienceDirect.

Rectification of commercial oil entails redistillation and treatment with aqueous alkali to eliminate phenol, cresol, resin acids, etc. residues.

Scientists now produce conventional painkillers from pine trees

Using biorenewable β-pinene, an element of turpentine, a waste byproduct from the paper industry (year production >350,000 tons), the research team from Bath has discovered a way to produce a variety of pharmaceutical precursors, as per Phys.org.

They were able to successfully transform -pinene into two commonly used medicines, paracetamol and ibuprofen, that are produced on a yearly basis on a scale of 100,000 tons.

Dr. Josh Tibbetts, a research associate in the university's Department of chemistry, stated that using oil to manufacture pharmaceuticals is unsustainable because it not only increases CO2 emissions but also results in significant price fluctuations because we are heavily reliant on the geopolitical stability of nations with substantial oil reserves.

In addition, it is only going to become more expensive.

The process uses continuous flow reactors, allowing manufacturing to continue without interruption and making scaling up simpler than using a big reactor to produce discrete batches of product.

Consumers would be willing to pay a little bit extra for drugs that are entirely plant-derived even if the method it its present state could be more expensive than using oil-based feedstocks.

Also Read: Pine Tree Scents can Cool the Climate

Side effects in using product made in turpentine oil

When people apply turpentine oil to their skin or inhale it properly, it is possibly safe, as it might irritate the skin. Turpentine oil can produce airway spasms when inhaled, especially in those with asthma and whooping cough, as per RxList.

When applied to a broad area of skin or consumed by mouth, turpentine oil is not safe. When consumed orally, turpentine oil can have major adverse effects include headache, insomnia, coughing up blood, vomiting, renal damage, brain damage, coma, and even death.

Dosage of products with Turpentine oil

The right amount of turpentine oil to take depends on a number of variables, including the user's age, health, and other conditions.

An acceptable dosing range for turpentine oil cannot yet be determined due to a lack of sufficient scientific data.

Keep in mind that dosages can be crucial and that natural products aren't always safe.

Prior to using, make sure to read and follow all applicable instructions on product labels and speak with your pharmacist, doctor, or other healthcare expert.

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