Houston, During a mission in space, the astronauts should maintain good health so as not to fall ill. According to research, medicine brought from Earth would not be effective after exposure to various kinds of radiation in space.The reduced effectiveness or efficacy of drugs in space triggered by environmental influences. Factors affecting participating include radiation, aircraft engine vibration, minimal gravity, temperature and low humidity and exposure to carbon dioxide.
This influence is revealed in research Johnson Space Center, which is a research institute under NASA. Drugs used in the study consisted of 35 species, packaged in 4 boxes and included in several missions into space for a duration varying between 13 days to 28 months.
Arriving on Earth, the drugs were examined kandunan active substances in the laboratory. The longer was in outer space, the more particles of active substance which was changed into other compounds that did not work anymore treat disease.
As a comparison, poeneliti also placed four boxes contain the same types of drugs at the headquarters of Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Entirely stored in controlled conditions, so that the stability of drugs in it are not disturbed environmental factors.
Normally, drugs will change the chemical structure gradually during storage and will lose its efficacy after the passing of time expired. When carried into space, the structural changes occurring more rapidly than on Earth.
"The decline in the quality of medicine while in space occur more quickly than the expiration date listed. This proves the unique environmental factors in space affect the stability of the drug," said the researchers.