Why does medicine dissolve in your stomach?

Medicines are designed to dissolve in your stomach so that they can be absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to where they are needed in the body. Many medicines are taken orally and therefore must be able to withstand the acidic environment of your stomach in order to be effective.

The stomach produces hydrochloric acid, which helps to digest food and kill harmful bacteria. The pH of the stomach can range from 1.5 to 3.5, which is highly acidic. Many medicines, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, are acidic and would be broken down by the stomach acid if they were not formulated to be enteric-coated.

Enteric-coated medicines have a special coating that protects them from the acidic environment of the stomach. The coating dissolves at a higher pH, such as the pH of the small intestine, which is typically around 5.5 to 7.0. This allows the medicine to be released and absorbed in the small intestine, where it can be more effective.

Some medicines are also formulated to be sublingual, which means they are placed under the tongue and absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the mucous membranes. This method of administration bypasses the stomach acid altogether and allows the medicine to be absorbed more quickly.

In summary, medicine dissolves in the stomach to be absorbed into the bloodstream and travel to where it is needed in the body. Some medicines are enteric-coated to protect them from the acidic environment of the stomach, while others are sublingual and absorbed through the mucous membranes under the tongue.