Prilosec vs Nexium (technical descriptions for those interested)

[Guest guest]

>Is Prilosec (Omeprazole) the same drug as Nexium (Esomeprazole)?

Prilosec is omeprazole magnesium, just a minor

chemical change when the patent ran out on

Prilosec to make Nexium with a brand new patent

so they could go on raking in monopoly money.

The active ingredient in Prilosec Delayed-Release

Capsules is a substituted benzimidazole,

5-methoxy-2-[[(4-methoxy-3,5-dimethyl-2-pyridinyl)methyl]sulfinyl]-1H-benzimidaz\

ole,

a compound that inhibits gastric acid secretion.

Its empirical formula is C17H19N3O3S, with a

molecular weight of 345.42.

Omeprazole is a white to off-white crystalline

powder which melts with decomposition at about

155°C. It is a weak base, freely soluble in

ethanol and methanol, and slightlysoluble in

acetone and isopropanol and very slightly soluble

in water. The stability ofomeprazole is a

function of pH; it is rapidly degraded in acid

media, but has acceptable stability under

alkaline conditions.

The active ingredient in NEXIUM (esomeprazole magnesium)

Delayed-Release Capsules is bis(5-methoxy-2-[(S)-[(4-methoxy-3,

5-dimethyl-2-pyridinyl)methyl]sulfinyl]-1H-benzimidazole-1-yl)

magnesium trihydrate, a compound that inhibits gastric acid secretion.

Esomeprazole is the S-isomer of omeprazole, which is a mixture

of the S- and R-isomers. Its empirical formula is (C17H18N3O3S)2Mg x

3 H2O with molecular weight of 767.2 as a trihydrate and 713.1 on an

anhydrous basis.