365: Chemistry for Life
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  • June 19
  • Category: Health
DAY 170

Tagamet®: A medicine that changed people’s lives

FDA approved Tagamet® — a widely prescribed treatment for ulcers and heartburn — bringing relief to millions.

Contributed by: John Jacobs

As late as the 1970s a peptic ulcer could be a life-threatening condition. Sufferers often endured periods of intense pain over many years, especially at mealtimes and at night, with social and economic repercussions for themselves and their families. Left untreated, an ulcer could result in severe bleeding and death.

A major cause of ulcers is the release of excess stomach acid, which leads to breaches in the lining of the intestinal tract. Continuing acid secretion prevents healing. The main treatment used to be the administration of alkalis, which provided only temporary relief. Patients were told to rest and follow a bland diet. Surgery to remove part of the stomach was a last resort.
The discovery of the compound cimetidine by researchers at the UK laboratories of Smith Kline & French in the

Credit: Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS)

1970s, transformed the lives of millions of people. Sold under the trademark Tagamet®, it was the first effective anti-ulcer drug and had a revolutionary impact on treatment. Tagamet® profoundly decreases acid secretion, thus promoting healing and avoiding the need for surgery.

The American Chemical Society and the Royal Society of Chemistry designated the discovery of histamine H2-receptor antagonists, which led to the development of Tagamet®, as an International Historic Chemical Landmark in ceremonies in Harlow, United Kingdom, on November 24, 1997, and in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, on February 27, 1998.

Visit National Historic Chemical Landmarks to read more about Tagamet®.

Excerpted with permission, National Historic Chemical Landmarks Program
www.acs.org/landmarks