ammonium chloride

A slightly hygroscopic, white crystalline compound, NH₄Cl, used in dry cells, as a soldering flux, and as an expectorant. Also called sal ammoniac.

The chlorine salt of the ammonium ion. Ammonium chloride is a popular deliquescent agent (that is, it attracts and absorbs water from the atmosphere).

Chemical formula:

Drug Forms:
• Ammonium Chloride enteric-coated tablets (below)
• Ammonium Chloride injection

Español:
• Tabletas con recubrimiento entérico de cloruro de amonio
• Inyección de cloruro de amonio

Ammonium Chloride enteric-coated tablets

What are ammonium chloride enteric-coated tablets?

AMMONIUM CHLORIDE (Ammonium Chloride Enseals®) is an acid-forming salt that can help correct situations in which the blood contains too little chloride or is too alkaline (basic). This can occur following vomiting, suctioning (removal) of stomach contents, use of diuretics (water or fluid pills), or with certain stomach disorders. Ammonium chloride also causes mild diuresis (removal of excess salts and water through increased urination) and makes the urine more acidic. Ammonium chloride also has been used to reduce the swelling, bloating, or weight gain that occurs before menstrual periods; and as an aid to treating urinary tract infections. Generic ammonium chloride tablets are available.

What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
• fluid on the lungs
• high levels of chloride in the blood
• kidney disease
• liver disease
• metabolic acidosis
• an unusual or allergic reaction to ammonium chloride, other medicines , foods, dyes, or preservatives

How should I take this medicine?

Take ammonium chloride tablets by mouth. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Swallow the tablets whole with a drink of water; do not crush or chew. Do not take ammonium chloride with antacids or milk. Take your doses at regular intervals. Do not take your medicine more often than directed.

Contact your pediatrician or health care professional regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.

What if I miss a dose?

What drug(s) may interact with ammonium chloride?

• acetazolamide
• potassium salts
• sodium salts

Tell your prescriber or health care professional about all other medicines you are taking, including non-prescription medicines, nutritional supplements, or herbal products. Also tell your prescriber or health care professional if you are a frequent user of drinks with caffeine or alcohol, if you smoke, or if you use illegal drugs. These may affect the way your medicine works. Check with your health care professional before stopping or starting any of your medicines.

What should I watch for while taking ammonium chloride?

If you are taking nonprescription dosage forms, do not take for more than one week without consulting your prescriber or health care professional. Ammonium chloride can cause serious side effects and is not recommended for long-term use.

What side effects may I notice from taking ammonium chloride?

Side effects that you should report to your prescriber or health care professional as soon as possible:
• confusion
• drowsiness
• frequent passing of urine
• headache
• increased thirst
• muscle stiffness or twitching
• muscle weakness
• rapid, irregular, or shallow breathing
• slow heartbeat
• sweating
• unusual tiredness

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your prescriber or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):
• loss of appetite
• nausea, vomiting
• stomach upset

Where can I keep my medicine?

Keep out of the reach of children in a container that small children cannot open.

Store at room temperature between 15 and 30 degrees C (59 and 86 degrees F). Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date.

Last updated: 7/1/2002

Important Disclaimer: The drug information provided here is for educational purposes only. It is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the diagnosis, treatment and advice of a medical professional. This drug information does not cover all possible uses, precautions, side effects and interactions. It should not be construed to indicate that this or any drug is safe for you. Consult your medical professional for guidance before using any prescription or over the counter drugs.

Ammonium chloride
IUPAC name	Ammonium chloride
Identifiers
CAS number	12125-02-9
Properties
Molecular formula	NH4Cl
Molar mass	53.49 g/mol
Appearance	White solid
Density	1.527 g/cm3
Melting point	338 °C (sublimes)
Boiling point	520 °C
Solubility in water	29.7 g/100 g water at 0 °C
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references

Ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl) (also Sal Ammoniac, salmiac, nushadir salt, zalmiak, sal armagnac, sal armoniac, salmiakki, salmiak and salt armoniack) is, in its pure form, a clear white water-soluble crystalline salt with a biting, slightly sour taste. The aqueous ammonium chloride solution is mildly acidic.

History

The modern name "ammonium" comes from sal ammoniac. The substance was known as nushadir salt (Arabic and Persian: نشادر) in Arabic-speaking countries and Persia, naosha (Chinese: 硇砂; pinyin: náoshā) in China, nao sadar in India.

It was considered one of the four alchemical "spirits". While the way that it dissociates into two corrosive materials (ammonia and hydrochloric acid) which attack metals convinced some eager alchemists that it might hold the key to converting one metal to another, Arabs used it as a source of ammonia:

2NH₄Cl + 2CaO → CaCl₂ + Ca(OH)₂ + 2NH₃

Sources

In nature, the substance occurs in volcanic regions, forming on volcanic rocks near fume-releasing vents. The crystals deposit directly from the gaseous state, and tend to be short-lived, as they dissolve easily in water.

Ammonium chloride is prepared commercially by reacting ammonia, NH₃, with hydrogen chloride, HCl:

NH₃ + HCl → NH₄Cl

Applications

Ammonium chloride is sold in blocks at hardware stores for use in cleaning the tip of a soldering iron and can also be included in solder as flux.

Other uses include a feed supplement for cattle, in hair shampoo, in textile printing, in the glue that bonds plywood, as an ingredient in nutritive media for yeast, in cleaning products, and as cough medicine. Its expectorant action is caused by irritative action on the bronchial mucosa. This causes the production of excess respiratory tract fluid which presumably is easier to cough up. It is the active ingredient in many antiperspirants, usually aerosols. It is also used in an oral acid loading test to diagnose distal renal tubular acidosis.

Ammonium chloride is used in snow treatment, namely on ski slopes at temperatures above 0 °C, to harden the snow and slow its melting.^[1]

In several countries sal ammoniac is used to spice up liquorice-type dark candies (Finland's salmiakki and the Netherlands' zoute drop and the Danish Dracula Piller are popular examples), and as a flavoring for vodkas.

See also

• Salty liquorice
• Salmiakki Koskenkorva

References

1. ^ http://www.mpa.cc/ski_rule.html

Urologicals (G04)
Acidifiers	Ammonium chloride, Calcium chloride
Urinary antispasmodics (primarily antimuscarinics)	Darifenacin, Emepronium, Flavoxate, Meladrazine, Oxybutynin, Propiverine, Solifenacin, Terodiline, Tolterodine, Trospium
For erectile dysfunction	Alprostadil, Apomorphine, Moxisylyte, Papaverine, Phentolamine, Yohimbine, PDE5 inhibitors (Avanafil, Sildenafil, Tadalafil, Udenafil, Vardenafil)
Other urologicals	Acetohydroxamic acid, Collagen, Dimethyl sulfoxide, Magnesium hydroxide, Pentosan polysulfate, Phenazopyridine, Phenyl salicylate, Succinimide
For benign prostatic hypertrophy	5α-reductase inhibitors: Dutasteride, Finasteride Alpha blockers: Alfuzosin, Doxazosin, Tamsulosin, Terazosin Herbals: Pygeum africanum, Serenoa repens

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