SUDAFED | HYDROGEN

TARYN CLAASSENS STEM PROJECT

TASK 1 (3 POINTS):  GIVE THE CORRECT
STRUCTURAL FORMULA FOR YOUR
COMPOUND.

• Brand name: Sudafed

• Generic name: Pseudoephedrine
• Chemical name: Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride
• Assigned Element: Hydrogen
• Structural Formula: C10H16CINO
 TASK 2 (2 POINTS): NOW IT’S TIME TO DETERMINE
THE MOLAR MASS OF YOUR SUBSTANCE. 
REMEMBER THAT UNITS ARE CRITICAL TO YOUR
SUCCESS!

• C: 12 (10)=120 120 Without rounding:

• H: 1(16) = 16 16
• C1: 35.45 35.45
• N: 14 14
• O: 16 + 16
________________
All calculations are this rounded result = 201.45 g/mol
TASK 3 (15 POINTS): AFTER DRAWING YOUR
STRUCTURE, YOU NEED TO BUILD YOUR
STRUCTURE
TASK 4 (6 POINTS):IF A PRESCRIPTION READS
1.5% W/V, HOW MANY GRAMS OF YOUR
MEDICATION WOULD BE DELIVERED BY A 250 CC
DOSAGE?
 TASK 5 (9 POINTS):  ON YOUR INFORMATION
SHEET ABOUT YOUR MEDICINE, YOU HAVE A
PARTICULAR ELEMENT CITED.
• If a patient ingests 400 mg of medicine, how many atoms of your specific element are
they taking in?
TASK 6 (9 POINTS):  IN ORDER TO OBTAIN 15 GRAMS
OF YOUR PARTICULAR ELEMENT, WHAT NUMBER OF
MOLECULES OF YOUR MEDICINE MUST BE
INGESTED BY THE PATIENT?
TASK 7 (6 POINTS):  ASSUMING YOUR MEDICINE CAN BE
DELIVERED ORALLY, HOW MANY CUBIC CENTIMETERS OF
A 2:500 W/V SOLUTION ARE NEEDED TO PREPARE 13
LITERS OF A 1:2000 W/V SOLUTION?
TASK 8 (9 POINTS):  FIND CLARK’S RULE AND USE IT TO
SOLVE THIS SITUATION.  A 6 YEAR OLD CHILD WEIGHS 42
POUNDS.  THE ADULT DOSE OF YOUR MEDICINE IS 375 MG. 
WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE DOSAGE FOR THE CHILD?
TASK 9 (12 POINTS):  IF A PATIENT TAKES TWO 200 MG
CAPLETS, TID, HOW MANY DAYS WILL TAKE FOR THE
PATIENT TO INGEST 4.75 MOLES OF YOUR MEDICATION?
TASK 10 (6 POINTS):  IF THE HALF-LIFE OF YOUR
PARTICULAR MEDICATION IS 8 DAYS AND YOU BEGIN
WITH A 100 G SAMPLE, WHAT MASS REMAINS AFTER 40
DAYS?
TASK 11 (10 POINTS): FIND AN ONLINE ADVERTISEMENT FOR YOUR ASSIGNED
MEDICINE. PROVIDE AN IMAGE OF THE ADVERTISEMENT.
ANSWER THE QUESTIONS LINKED IN THIS DOCUMENT FOR THE
ADVERTISEMENT.

• https://www.facebook.com/SUDAFED/
• https://tinyurl.com/4rjwjmfs
 Whose message is this? Who created or paid for it? Why?
• This message was created by the makers of Sudafed: Johnson and
Johnson Consumer Inc. They created it in a series of moving quick video
ads and still photos. It is a campaign to market their product as the best
solution to cold and congestion symptoms.

TASK 11: Who is the “target audience”? What is their age, ethnicity, class,
profession, interests, etc.? What words, images or sounds suggest this?
ADVERTISEM • This ad was marketing on the website, Facebook and other social media
ENT Q/A channels. The target audience for Sudafed is adults between the ages of
18-65. However, this messaging targets North and South American
audiences who are busying working and raising families and do not have
time to be sick. Estimated range is 25-40. The images suggest this in the
faces and the website uses images that convey this age. There is no
sound associated with moving clips of the same ad, just movement that
the audience can sympathize with.
 TASK 11: ADVERTISEMENT Q/A
What is the “text” of the message? (What we actually see and/or hear: written or spoken words, photos, drawings, logos, design,
music, sounds, etc.)
• The image is red physiologically indicates action. Its also a color that indicates pain or alarm (Cox 2017). Red is the primary
focus of the ad along with the funny graphic or the person that is suffering in a way we can sympathize with. The wording
focuses immediately on the product as a solution. In other ads of this series the wording focuses on what Congestion does
and how uncomfortable it is.
What is the “subtext” of the message? (What do you think is the hidden or unstated meaning?)
• There is no true hidden message other than the ad points out that the solution is their product.
What positive messages are presented? What negative messages are presented?
• The ONLY positive message is there is something to help you - Sudafed. The ad is focused primarily on the negative. It
uses a funny image that everyone can relate to. It’s a horrible feeling to have a cold and or congestion. It feels awful. The ad
reminds us of it.
What “tools of persuasion” are used? .
• This ad series uses Pathos specifically “Humor” and “Cartoon” to gain sympathy and play to our emotions of how we feel
when sick. We can all identify with the cartoon ad. The large heads, the props used to convey how the cartoon character feels
and the color all create emotion. The other tool used is in the logo branding. A large focus of the ad is the box of Sudafed
(very recognizable, in pharmacies near you) – the ad basically tells you without wording to get Sudafed. The brand
recognition is there. Although you can’t see it entirely, the box holds all kinds of informative information on it.
Cox, Lindsay Kolowich. “Color Psychology in Marketing [Infographic].” HubSpot
Blog, 9 Aug. 2017, https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/psychology-of-color.
 TASK 11: ADVERTISEMENT Q/A
What kind of lifestyle is presented? Is it glamorized? How?

• This is busy lifestyle. Its people with jobs and families who are being help back by illness. Nothing is glamorized. The purpose is to gather
sympathy and to have relief.
What values are expressed? No values specifically except life must go one.

• Someone who needs relief and cannot stop because they are sick. This is a typical American (America’s) value.
What groups of people does this message empower? What groups does it disempower?

• The central message is to empower people to feel better. I did not see anyone who was not empowered to use the product. There are many cartoon
people depicted in this ad campaign across many ethnicities. The only group not represented in a younger age group (children, teens and early 20’s)
this is probably because Sudafed is not truly intended as a Pediatric medication and there have been issues with teens and young adults misusing
Sudafed. The target audience is an older age group that is typically too professional or too busy and too old to misuse this medicine.
What part of the story is not being told?

• The main things I know about Sudafed and why it is no longer offered over the counter (must be 18 and over to buy) is due to Sudafed being
misused for illegal drug production (meth). The other part of the story we can assume, is many people who are sick more than a few days, need to
see their doctor in case they have a sinus infection, or they have other symptoms along with congestion that will not be solved with regular Sudafed.
The website tries to educate the user and they offer two products (Head Congestion and Sinus Congestion medications). All have variations of the
same medication.

• Side effects are also not mentioned on the ad. You would need to look online to learn all about these things or on the box
TASK 12 (5 POINTS): RESEARCH AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS WON
THE NOBEL PRIZE FOR A PHARMACEUTICAL RELATED PRODUCT.

GERTRUDE B. ELION BIOGRAPHY

Gertrude Elion was born in NYC in 1918. She was affected by the death of her
grandfather who died of cancer when she was a teenager (NobelPrize). She attended
Hunter College in New York and graduated with a degree in Biochemistry
(Encyclopædia Britannica). She was “unable find research positions in her field”
and never could obtain Ph.D due to finances so she took a number of jobs through
the 1930’s (NobelPrize). She did complete a Masters Degree in 1941 and in 1944,
she worked as research chemist for Johnson and Johnson (American Chemical
Society). In 1944 she got a break and started work for Burroughs Wellcome
Laboratories: later known as GlaxoSmithKline (Encyclopædia Britannica). During
this time, she was enrolled in a Ph.D program at Brooklyn Polytechnical Institute.
Faced with the choice of working full time on her Ph.D or working with nucleic
acids with her colleague George Hitchings, she chose to pursue her career
(American Chemical Society). Although she started out as Hitchings first assistant,
she eventually became his colleague and lab partner. Their working relationship
spanned 40 years (Encyclopædia Britannica). Elion became Head of the Department
of Experimental Therapy in 1967 (American Chemical Society). She retired in
1981 (American Chemical Society) and received the Nobel Prize with George
Hitchings in 1988. Elion died in 1999 (Encyclopædia Britannica).
 TASK 12 (5 POINTS): RESEARCH AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS WON THE NOBEL PRIZE FOR A PHARMACEUTICAL
RELATED PRODUCT.

GERTRUDE B. ELION
WORK AND WHY WON NOBEL PRIZE
The introduction of Sulfa drugs made Hitchings want to explore “other substances that
interfere with the metabolism of microbes could also be developed as drugs” (American
Chemical Society). The research they conducted was a “departure from trial-and-error
approach” undertaken at the time (Encyclopædia Britannica). The approach to “observe the
differences in nucleic acid (DNA and RNA) metabolism among protozoa, normal human
cells, and abnormal cells” (American Chemical Society) allowed them to develop drugs that were
“effective against leukemia, autoimmune disorders, urinary track infections, gout, malaria
and viral herpes” (Encyclopædia Britannica).
 TASK 12 (5 POINTS): RESEARCH AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS WON THE NOBEL PRIZE FOR A PHARMACEUTICAL RELATED
PRODUCT.

GERTRUDE B. ELION
WORK AND WHY WON NOBEL PRIZE
Elion’s major accomplishments in focused on her research in “organic compounds called purines”, particularly the “purine
bases in adenine and guanine,” are “building blocks in DNA” which led to understanding in how nucleic acid metabolize and
how purines are essential for bacteria cells to make DNA (American Chemical Society) . These findings led to substantial
advances in drug development for treating cancer.

• Elion published over 255 papers on her findings (American Chemical Society).
• Both Elion and Hitchings successfully “synthesized 2 compounds diaminopurine and thioguanine” (American Chemical
Society).

• She discovered a close relative of 6-MP (a compound she previously discovered), called thioguanine. This discovery led to
a maintenance treatment still in use today for Leukemia in children and adults (American Chemical Society).

• Her focus as Head of Department was on “antiviral activities of purines”, this led to drugs for treatment of the Herpes Virus
and the same approach was used to treat Shingles, Chickenpox and Epstein-Barr. Her research on drug selectivity led to her
colleagues to create AZT for treatment of AIDS (American Chemical Society, Nobel Prize).

• “The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1988 was awarded jointly to Sir James W. Black, Gertrude B. Elion and
George H. Hitchings "for their discoveries of important principles for drug treatment” (Nobelprize).
 TASK 12 (5 POINTS): RESEARCH AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS WON THE NOBEL PRIZE FOR A PHARMACEUTICAL
RELATED PRODUCT.

GERTRUDE B. ELION - BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gertrude Elion. American Chemical Society. (n.d.). Retrieved November 7, 2021, from
https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/women-scientists/gertrude-elion.html.

“Gertrude B. Elion.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.,

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gertrude-B-Elion.

“The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1988.” NobelPrize.org,

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1988/elion/facts/.

“The Nobel Prize: Women Who Changed Science: Gertrude Elion.” The Official Website of the
Nobel Prize - NobelPrize.org, https://www.nobelprize.org/womenwhochangedscience/stories/gertrude-
elion.
 TASK 13 (5 POINTS): PHARMACOLOGIST CAREER JOURNAL:
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Pharmacologists are involved in research and testing
of drugs and compounds used to develop drugs or
understand drug interactions (Santiago 2020).
• Pharmacologists generally have a masters degree
or Ph.D. in Pharmacology. Some Pharmacologists
have an M.D. or Pharm.D
• A B.Sc. in pharmacology or a related science field
such as Biochemistry or Biology with a physiology
focus are considered the entry into the field but an
advanced degree is preferred.
• Most 4-year colleges with a pharmacology school
are preferred for graduate students. An example is:
New York University
• Average tuition costs vary depending on the
institution. However, since a pharmacology
school is generally required, it can range from
$65,000-$200,000 depending on the institution
and length of time spent in graduate programs
(“Doctorly” 2016).
• Undergraduate students come from a variety of
science backgrounds so the cost for school can
range from $7,800-$38,000 for ex: Biochemistry
students (Data USA 2020), and $11,000-$31,000
for Toxicology/Pharmacology degrees (College
Tuition Compare).
• Coursework to prepare for this career typically
involves Biology, Physiology, Chemistry,
Biochemistry and Toxicology
 TASK 13 (5 POINTS): PHARMACOLOGIST CAREER JOURNAL:
RESPONSIBILITIES AND DAILY ACTIVITIES

• Take careful notes on all research • Create treatment plans based on medications
• Gather and analyze medical data • Advise on safe handling and labeling of
medications
• Perform quantitative analysis on chemical compounds
• Conduct clinical trials of medications
• Develop or improve pharmaceutical products
• Study medications or compounds at
• Determine drug interactions molecular level
• Improve or create production processes through • Determine side effects, adverse reactions of
improved formulations medications
• Conduct research with laboratories at universities, • Work with governmental agencies on drug
hospitals, research institutions regulations

“How to Become a Pharmacologist: Academic Invest.” How to Become a Pharmacologist | “What Does a Pharmacologist Do?” Master's in Public Health Degree Programs,
Academic Invest, https://www.academicinvest.com/science-careers/biochemistry-careers/how-to-become-a- https://www.masterspublichealth.net/faq/what-does-a-pharmacologist-do/.
pharmacologist.
 TASK 13 (5 POINTS): PHARMACOLOGIST CAREER JOURNAL:
CAREER OUTLOOK AND EARNING POTENTIAL

• According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics a Pharmacologist is classified under

medical scientists.
• The median income for a medical scientist in the U.S. is $91,510.
• The outlook for jobs over the next 10 years is at a 17% growth which is very good.
• It pay scale also depends on what field the pharmacologist works within. For example:
the 2020 median for work in pharmaceutical or medicine manufacturing is $107,270. In
contrast, the median is much lower for a college or university $65, 840.
• Given the 10-year estimated growth, the 20-year outlook is very strong. Especially given
the recent pandemic.
TASK 13 (5 POINTS): PHARMACOLOGIST CAREER JOURNAL:
SELF REFLECTION
• I found pharmacology to be very interesting, and I think the earning potential and the career path for the
future are solid.
• However, I do not think I would pursue this career choice because of the time required for school to
realize my earning potential fully. At this point, I feel Chemistry is not my strong point, and I believe that
a pharmacologist should have a lot of passion and love for this field of study.
• Additionally, although pharmacology is a noble field, and indeed working for the larger pharmaceutical
manufacturing companies is where the best-earning potential is, my opinion is the current pharmaceutical
industry is very political, and reform is needed in terms of ethics and cost to consumer.
 TASK 13 (5 POINTS): PHARMACOLOGIST CAREER
JOURNAL:
DOCUMENTATION OF SOURCES
“Biochemistry.” Data USA,
https://datausa.io/profile/cip/biochemistry#:~:text=Tuition%20costs%20for
%20Biochemistry%20majors,above%20institutions%20(393%20total).
“Cost vs Reward of Pharmacist School.” Doctorly.org, 10 Mar. 2016,
http://doctorly.org/cost-vs-reward-of-a-pharmacist-education/.
“How to Become a Pharmacologist: Academic Invest.” How to Become a
Pharmacologist | Academic Invest, https://www.academicinvest.com/science-
careers/biochemistry-careers/how-to-become-a-pharmacologist.
“Medical Scientists : Occupational Outlook Handbook.” U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 8 Sept. 2021,
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/medical-scientists.htm.
Santiago, Andrea Clement. “Want to Be a Pharmacologist? Here's an
Overview of This Career Choice.” The Balance Careers, The Balance Careers, 30
Mar. 2020, https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-become-a-pharmacologist-
1736208.
“Schools Tuition for Pharmacology and Toxicology Program.” College
Tuition Compare,
https://www.collegetuitioncompare.com/majors/26.1007/pharmacology-and-
toxicology/.
“What Does a Pharmacologist Do?” Master's in Public Health Degree
Programs, https://www.masterspublichealth.net/faq/what-does-a-pharmacologist-
do/.