Gout is a common disorder of uric acid metabolism that can lead to deposition of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals in soft tissue, recurrent episodes of debilitating joint inflammation, and, if untreated, joint destruction and renal damage.
Composition[edit] Alka-Seltzer contains three active ingredients; aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) (ASA), sodium bicarbonate, and anhydrous citric acid. The aspirin is a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory, and the sodium hydrogen carbonate and citric acid form an antacid by their effervescent reaction with water.
The fizzing you see when you drop an Alka-Seltzer tablet in water is the same sort of fizzing that you see from baking powder. This reaction is caused by an acid reacting with a base.