Mostrando postagens com marcador Drugs. Mostrar todas as postagens
Mostrando postagens com marcador Drugs. Mostrar todas as postagens

sexta-feira, 2 de outubro de 2015

Clues to keeping brain cells alive in those with Alzheimer's

 

 

A drug may be able to make it easier to learn a language, sharpen your memory and help those with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. (Stock image)

Credit: © kenwnj / Fotolia

Can you imagine a drug that would make it easier to learn a language, sharpen your memory and help those with dementia and Alzheimer's disease by rewiring the brain and keeping neurons alive?

New Rutgers research published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that a drug -- RGFP966 -- administered to rats made them more attuned to what they were hearing, able to retain and remember more information, and develop new connections that allowed these memories to be transmitted between brain cells.

"Memory-making in neurological conditions like Alzheimer's disease is often poor or absent altogether once a person is in the advanced stages of the disease," said Kasia M. Bieszczad, lead author and assistant professor in Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience in the Department of Psychology. "This drug could rescue the ability to make new memories that are rich in detail and content, even in the worst case scenarios."

What happens with dementias such as Alzheimer's is that brain cells shrink and die because the synapses that transfer information from one neuron to another are no longer strong and stable. There is no therapeutic treatment available that reverses this situation.

The drug being tested in this animal study is among a class known as HDAC inhibitors -- now being used in cancer therapies to stop the activation of genes that turn normal cells into cancerous ones. In the brain, the drug makes the neurons more plastic, better able to make connections and create positive changes that enhance memory. Researchers found that laboratory rats, taught to listen to a certain sound in order to receive a reward, and given the drug after training, remembered what they learned and responded correctly to the tone at a greater rate than those not given the drug.

Scientists also found that the rodents were more "tuned in" to the relevant acoustic signals they heard during their training -- an important finding Bieszczad said because setting up the brain to better process and store significant sounds is critical to human speech and language.

"People learning to speak again after a disease or injury as well as those undergoing cochlear implantation to reverse previous deafness, may be helped by this type of therapeutic treatment in the future," said Bieszczad "The application could even extend to people with delayed language learning abilities or people trying to learn a second language."

This hypersensitivity in processing auditory information enabled the neurons to reorganize and create new pathways -- allowing more of the information they learned to become a long-term memory, said Bieszczad who collaborated with colleagues in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at the University of California Irvine.

"People normally remember an experience with limited detail -- not everything we see, hear and feel is remembered," she said. "What has happened here is that memory becomes closer to a snapshot of the actual experience instead of being sparse, limited or inaccurate."


Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Rutgers University.Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. K. M. Bieszczad, K. Bechay, J. R. Rusche, V. Jacques, S. Kudugunti, W. Miao, N. M. Weinberger, J. L. McGaugh, M. A. Wood. Histone Deacetylase Inhibition via RGFP966 Releases the Brakes on Sensory Cortical Plasticity and the Specificity of Memory Formation. Journal of Neuroscience, 2015; 35 (38): 13124 DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0914-15.2015

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/10/151002113548.htm

segunda-feira, 1 de junho de 2015

Como os Psicodélicos Salvaram Minha Vida

 

 

Agradecemos ao Vitor Reinaque Mutinari por ter contribuído ao blog com a tradução do artigo.

Eu te convido para dar um passo atrás e limpar sua mente de décadas de falsa propaganda. Os governos do mundo todo mentiram para nós sobre os benefícios da maconha medicinal. O público também foi desinformado sobre psicodélicos.

Essas substâncias não viciantes – MDMA, Ayahuasca, Ibogaína, Cogumelos com Psilocibina, Peyote e muitos mais – são comprovadamente rápidas e eficientes ao ajudar pessoas a se curarem de traumas, TEPT (Transtorno de Estresse Pós Traumático), ansiedade, vício e depressão.

 

Minha experiência com sintomas de Ansiedade e TEPT

Eu fui atraída para o jornalismo desde jovem pelo desejo de fornecer uma voz ao ‘pequeno cara’. Por quase uma década trabalhando como correspondente investigativa da CNN e jornalista independente, eu me tornei uma porta voz dos oprimidos, vitimados e marginalizados. Meu caminho de jornalismo submersivo trouxe-me mais próxima de minhas fontes, vivendo a história para ter uma real compreensão do que estava acontecendo.

Falando em uma conferência de imprensa no Líbano sobre abusos dos direitos humanos que presenciei enquanto repórter no Barein.

Falando em uma conferência de imprensa no Líbano sobre abusos dos direitos humanos que presenciei enquanto repórter no Barein.

Após muitos anos de reportagem, eu percebi uma infeliz consequência do meu estilo – havia-me imergido muito profundamente nos traumas e sofrimento das pessoas que entrevistei. Comecei a ter problemas para dormir quando suas faces apareceram nos meus sonhos mais sombrios. Passei muito tempo absorvida em um mundo de desespero e minha incapacidade de defesa permitiu que o trauma dos outros se estabelecesse dentro de minha mente e ser. Combinando isso com as diversas experiências violentas enquanto trabalhando no campo e eu estava no meu pior. Uma vida de reportagens no limite levou-me à beira da minha própria sanidade.

Porque eu não consegui encontrar uma maneira de processar minha angustia, ela cresceu como um monstro, manifestando-se em um estado constante de ansiedade, perda de memória de curto prazo, sonolência e hiperexcitação. As palpitações me fizeram sentir como se estivesse batendo na porta da morte.

Porque escolhi Medicinas Psicodélicas

Enquanto na CNN, eu investigava questões ambientais e de direitos humanos.

Enquanto na CNN, eu investigava questões ambientais e de direitos humanos.

Remédios prescritos e antidepressivos servem um propósito, mas eu sabia que eles não estavam no meu caminho de cura após minhas investigações terem exposto seus efeitos colaterais sinistros, incluindo crianças nascendo dependentes das medicações após suas mães não conseguirem largar seus vícios. Mascarar os sintomas de uma condição psicológica mais profunda com uma pílula parecia como colocar um Band-Aid num ferimento à bala.

Eu fiquei ciente dos poderes curativos em potencial dos psicodélicos como uma convidada do podcast Joe Rogan Experience em Outubro de 2012. Joe me contou que cogumelos psicodélicos transformaram sua vida e tinham potencial para mudar o curso da humanidade para melhor. Minha reação inicial foi achar divertido e ficar um pouco incrédula, mas a semente havia sido plantada.

Psicodélicos eram uma escolha estranha para alguém como eu. Eu cresci no Centro-Oeste e fui alimentada por 30 anos de propaganda explicando o quão horrível essas substâncias eram para minha saúde. Você pode imaginar meu queixo caído de surpresa quando, após o podcast do Rogan, encontrei artigos sobre os maravilhosos efeitos dessas substâncias que se comportavam mais como medicinas do que drogas. Artigos como este aqui, este, este, este, e este. E estudos como este, este, este, este, este… e este… todos exemplos angustiantes de come fomos enganados pelas autoridades que classificaram os psicodélicos como narcóticos schedule 1 (classificação oficial norte-americana), ‘sem valores medicinais’ apesar de dezenas de estudos científicos provando o contrário.

 

Viajando Pelo Mundo

Tendo apenas experimentado uma única vez um estranho baseado de maconha na faculdade, em Março de 2013 eu me encontrava embarcando em um avião para Iquitos, Peru para experimentar um dos mais poderosos psicodélicos da terra. Deixei meu carro no aeroporto, apressadamente arrumei meus pertences em uma mochila e me dirigi para a floresta Amazônica colocando minha fé cega em uma substância que a uma semana atrás eu mal conseguia pronunciar: ayahuasca.

A bebida ayahuasca é preparada pela combinação de folhas de chacrona, que contém o poderoso psicodélico DMT), com a vinha ayahuasca.

A bebida ayahuasca é preparada pela combinação de folhas de chacrona, que contém o poderoso psicodélico DMT), com a vinha ayahuasca.

Ayahuasca é um chá medicinal que contém o composto psicodélico dimetiltriptamina, ou DMT. A bebida está se espalhando pelo mundo após inúmeras anedotas terem mostrado que a bebida tem o poder de curar ansiedade, TEPT, depressão, dores inexplicáveis, e inúmeras aflições físicas e mentais. Estudos sobre bebedores de longo prazo de ayahuasca mostraram que eles são menos suscetíveis a vícios e possuem níveis elevados de serotonina, neurotransmissor responsável pela felicidade.

Se eu tinha alguma ressalva, dúvida, ou descrença, elas foram rapidamente expelidas logo após minha primeira experiência com ayahuasca. O chá de gosto horrível vibrou através de minhas veias e dentro do meu cérebro enquanto a medicina escaneava meu corpo. Meu campo de visão foi engolfado com uma profusão de cores e padrões geométricos. Quase instantaneamente, eu tive uma visão de um muro de tijolos. A palavra ‘ansiedade’ estava pintada em spray em grandes letras no muro. “Você deve curar sua ansiedade, ” a medicina sussurrou. Eu entrei num estado de sonho onde memórias traumáticas foram finalmente desalojadas do meu subconsciente.

Era como se eu estivesse assistindo um filme da minha vida inteira, não como meu ‘eu emocional’, mas como uma observadora objetiva. Esse vívido filme introspectivo foi exibido em minha mente enquanto eu revivia minhas cenas mais dolorosas – o divórcio dos meus pais quando eu tinha apenas 4 anos de idade, relacionamentos passados, ser baleada por policiais enquanto fotografava um protesto em Anaheim e sendo esmagada em baixo de uma multidão enquanto fotografava um protesto em Chicago. A ayahuasca me permitiu reprocessar esses eventos, separando o medo e emoção das memórias. A experiência foi equivalente a dez anos de terapia em uma sessão de ayahuasca de oito horas.

Nós esperamos nervosamente que a cerimônia de ayahuasca começasse. Nós deram dado baldes para os intensos efeitos abortivos da medicina.

Nós esperamos nervosamente que a cerimônia de ayahuasca começasse.

Mas a experiência, e muitas experiências psicodélicas para esse propósito, foi aterrorizante algumas vezes. Ayahuasca não é para todos- você deve estar disposto a revisitar alguns lugares bem escuros e se render para o incontrolável, fluxo feroz da medicina. Ayahuasca também causa vômitos e diarreia violentos, que os xamãs chamam de “melhorar” porque você está purgando o trauma de seu corpo.

Após sete sessões de ayahuasca nas selvas do Peru, o nevoeiro que encobriu minha mente sumiu. Eu era capaz de dormir novamente e noticiei melhoras na minha memória e menos ansiedade. Eu ansiava absorver o máximo de conhecimento possível sobre essas medicinas e passei o ano seguinte viajando pelo mundo em busca de mais curadores, professores e experiências pelo jornalismo submersivo.

Eu fui atraída para os cogumelos com psilocibina após ler como eles reduziam a ansiedade em pacientes terminais de câncer. Ayahuasca mostrou me que meu distúrbio principal era ansiedade, e eu sabia que ainda tinha trabalho a fazer para consertar isso. Cogumelos com psilocibina não são neurotóxicos, são não viciantes, e estudos mostraram que eles reduzem ansiedade, depressão, e até levam a neurogênese, ou o crescimento de células cerebrais. Porque governos do mundo todo mantem fungos tão profundos fora do alcance do povo?

A curandeira abençoou me enquanto eu comia uma folha cheia de cogumelos com psilocibina para a cerimônia de cura.

A curandeira abençoou me enquanto eu comia uma folha cheia de cogumelos com psilocibina para a cerimônia de cura.

Depois de Peru, eu visitei curandeiras em Oaxaca, Mexico. Os mazatecos haviam usado cogumelos com psilocibina como sacramento e medicinalmente por centenas de anos. Curandeira Dona Augustine me serviu uma folha repleta de cogumelos durante uma belíssima cerimônia diante de um altar católico. Enquanto ela cantava canções milenares, eu observava o pôr-do-sol sobre a paisagem montanhosa em Oaxaca e um profundo senso de conexão lavou meu inteiro ser. A beleza inata me levou a uma perda das palavras; uma súbita manifestação de emoção me pôs em lagrimas. Eu chorei pela noite e junto com cada lagrima, uma pequena porção do meu trauma escorria pelo meu rosto e dissolvia-se no chão da floresta, me libertando de sua energia tóxica.

Cogumelos com psilocibina não são neurotóxicos, são não viciantes, e um estudo da Universidade do Sul da Florida mostrou que eles podem reparar danos cerebrais causados por trauma.

Cogumelos com psilocibina não são neurotóxicos, são não viciantes, e um estudo da Universidade do Sul da Florida mostrou que eles podem reparar danos cerebrais causados por trauma.

Talvez o mais espantoso, os cogumelos silenciaram a parte autocritica de minha mente por tempo suficiente para eu reprocessar a memória sem medo ou emoção. Os cogumelos possibilitaram-me lembrar de um dos momentos mais aterrorizantes de minha carreira: quando fui detida sob miras de armas no Bahrein enquanto filmava um documentário para CNN. Eu havia perdido qualquer lembrança daquele dia quando homens mascarados apontaram armas em nossas cabeças e forçaram minha equipe e eu ao chão. Durante uma boa meia hora, eu não sabia exatamente se iriamos ou não sobreviver.

Eu passei muitas noites sem dormir procurando desesperadamente por memórias daquele dia, mas elas estavam trancadas em meu subconsciente. Eu sabia que as memórias ainda me assombravam porque a qualquer momento eu iria ver ‘disparadores’ de TEPT, como barulhos altos, helicópteros, soldados, ou armas, e uma onda de ansiedade e pânico iriam inundar meu corpo.

A psilocibina era a chave para destrancar o trauma, possibilitando-me aliviar o aprisionamento momento a momento, fora do meu corpo, como um observador objetivo sem emoção. Eu espiei dentro da van da CNN e vi meu antigo eu sentada no banco traseiro, helicópteros barulhentos sob nossas cabeças. Minha produtora Taryn estava sentada a minha direita tentando freneticamente fechar a porta da van enquanto nos tentávamos escapar. Eu ouvi Taryn gritar “armas!” quando homens mascarados pularam dos veículos de segurança que cercavam a van. Eu observei enquanto eu rastejava desesperadamente até uma mochila no chão, pegando meu cartão de identificação da CNN e pulando fora da van. Vi-me deitada no chão em posição de criança, poeira cobrindo meu corpo e face. Observei-me enquanto lancei minha mão com o emblema da CNN no ar acima da minha cabeça gritando “CNN, CNN, não atirem!!”

Eu vi a dor em minha face quando as forças de segurança jogaram o ativista de direitos humanos e amigo querido Nabeel Rajab contra o carro de segurança e começaram a perturba-lo. Eu vi o terror em minha face enquanto olhei para minha camisa, braços no ar, rezando para que as fitas de vídeo escondidas em meu corpo não caíssem no chão.

Durante a cerimônia a psilocibina libera memórias traumáticas armazenadas no fundo do meu subconsciente para que eu possa processa-las e curar. A experiência é intensamente introspectiva.

Durante a cerimônia a psilocibina libera memórias traumáticas armazenadas no fundo do meu subconsciente para que eu possa processa-las e curar. A experiência é intensamente introspectiva.

Enquanto revivia cada momento de aprisionamento, reprocessei cada memória movendo-as da pasta “medo” para seu novo permanente lar na pasta “seguro” no disco rígido de meu cérebro.

Cinco cerimônias com cogumelos com psilocibina curaram minha ansiedade e os sintomas de TEPT. As borboletas que tinha um lar permanente em meu estomago voaram para longe.

Psicodélicos não são a solução completa. Para mim, eles foram uma chave que abriu a porta para a cura. Ainda tenho que trabalhar para manter a cura com o uso de tanques de flutuação, meditação, e yoga. Para os psicodélicos serem efetivos, é essencial que eles sejam tomados com o estado mental adequado em um ambiente descontraído propicio para a cura, e que todas as possíveis interações medicamentosas tenham sido cuidadosamente pesquisadas. Pode ser fatal se Ayahuasca for misturada com antidepressivos prescritos.

Fui abençoada com uma natureza curiosa e uma teimosia de sempre questionar autoridade. Se tivesse optado por um roteiro de um médico e me resignado na esperança que as coisas simplesmente melhorassem, eu nunca teria descoberto todo o alcance da minha mente e coração. Tivesse eu bebido o Kool-Aid e acreditado que todas as ‘drogas’ fossem ruins e sem valor medicinal, talvez estivesse no meio de uma batalha com TEPT.

A Criação do Reset.me

Este mesmo mundo que exalta a guerra, a violência, o mercantilismo, a destruição ambiental e o sofrimento proibiu algumas das chaves mais profundas para a paz interior. A Guerra às Drogas não é baseada na ciência. Se fosse, duas das drogas mais mortais da Terra – álcoole tabaco – seriam ilegais. Aqueles que sofrem com trauma se tornaram vitimas dessa guerra falida e perderam um dos modos mais eficientes de cura.

A humanidade enlouqueceu como resultado.

Lyon e um cientista abrem o estômago de peixe para procurar lixo plástico durante filmagens de um documentário sobre a poluição oceânica excessiva de plástico.

Lyon e um cientista abrem o estômago de peixe para procurar lixo plástico durante filmagens de um documentário sobre a poluição oceânica excessiva de plástico.

Passei dez anos testemunhando a insanidade coletiva como jornalista da linha de frente – guerras, derramamento de sangue, destruição ambiental, escravidão sexual, mentiras, vicio, ódio, medo.

Mas eu entendi tudo errado jornalisticamente. Eu estava focando nos sintomas de uma sociedade doente, ao invés de estar atacando a raiz da causa: trauma não processado.
Nós todos temos trauma. Trauma se aloja em criminosos violentos, a esposa que traí, políticos corruptos, aqueles que sofrem de transtornos mentais, vícios, dentro deles muito medo de assumir riscos e atingir seu pleno potencial.

Se não for adequadamente processado e purgado, trauma é cimentado no disco rígido da mente, crescendo em uma parasita obscuro que eleva sua cabeça feia por toda a vida de uma pessoa. Os ferimentos nos mantem trancados em uma grade de medo, preso atrás de uma personalidade não verdadeira para a alma, trabalhando em um emprego mundano ao invés de seguir uma paixão, repetindo o ciclo de abuso, destruindo o ambiente, ferindo uns aos outros. O sofrimento mais comum e severo é infligido na infância sequestrando o lugar do motorista para a fase adulta, conduzindo o indivíduo em uma estrada privada de felicidade. Renomado especialista em vícios Gabor Mate diz, “O maior causador de vícios severos é sempre o trauma infantil”.

Nós vivemos em um mundo cheio de feridas e quando deixadas sem tratamento, elas são passadas sem cerimônia de uma geração para outra, assim o ciclo traumático continua com toda sua brutalidade destrutiva.

Mas há esperança. Nós podemos transformar o curso da humanidade ao purgar coletivamente nossa mágoa/pesar e curando a nível individual, com ajuda das medicinas psicodélicas. Uma vez curados em nível individual, nós veremos uma dramática transformação positiva na sociedade como um todo.

Eu fundei o website reset.me para produzir e agregar jornalismo sobre consciência, medicinas naturais, e terapias. O explorador psicodélico Terrence McKenna comparou tomar psicodélicos com apertar o ‘botão reiniciar’ no seu disco rígido interno, limpando todo lixo, e recomeçando. Eu criei o reset.me para ajudar conectar aqueles que precisam apertar o ‘botão reiniciar’ na vida com o jornalismo cobrindo as ferramentas que nos permitem curar.

É uma crise de direitos humanos os psicodélicos não estarem acessíveis para a população em geral. É insano que governos do mundo todo tenham proibido as próprias medicinas que pode emancipar nossas almas do sofrimento.

É tempo de parar essa loucura.

 

http://mundocogumelo.com

quinta-feira, 7 de maio de 2015

Potential painkiller provides longer lasting effects

 

 

Thu, 05/07/2015

Derek Thompson, University of Missouri-Columbia

Medications have long been used to treat pain caused by injury or chronic conditions. Unfortunately, most are short-term fixes or cause side effects that limit their use. Researchers at the Univ. of Missouri have discovered a new compound that offers longer lasting painkilling effects, and shows promise as an alternative to current anesthetics.

“Because of its versatility and effectiveness at quickly numbing pain in targeted areas, lidocaine has been the gold standard in local anesthetics for more than 50 years,” said George Kracke, PhD, associate professor of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine at the MU School of Medicine and lead author of the study. “While lidocaine is effective as a short-term painkiller, its effects wear off quickly. We developed a new compound that can quickly provide longer lasting relief. This type of painkiller could be beneficial in treating sports injuries or in joint replacement procedures.”

Painkillers work by interfering with the nervous system’s transmission of nerve signals that the body perceives as pain. Lidocaine is used as an injectable pain reliever in minor surgical or dental procedures, or as a topical ointment or spray to relieve itching, burning and pain from shingles, sunburns, jellyfish stings and insect bites. The new compound developed at MU, boronicaine, could potentially serve many of those same functions as an injectable or topical painkiller.

National Academy of Sciences member M. Frederick Hawthorne, PhD, director of MU’s International Institute of Nano and Molecular Medicine and a pioneer in the field of boron chemistry, synthesized boronicaine as a derivative of lidocaine. By changing aspects of the chemical structure of lidocaine, the researchers found that the new compound provided pain relief that lasted five times longer than lidocaine. In pre-clinical, early stage studies, boronicaine provided about 25 min of relief, compared to about five minutes of pain relief with lidocaine.

Although some conditions may warrant the use of a short-lasting painkiller, in many cases a longer lasting anesthetic is a better option,” Kracke said. “Having a longer lasting anesthetic reduces the dosage or number of doses needed, limiting the potential for adverse side effects.”

While other types of painkillers can provide longer pain relief than lidocaine, they can cause heart toxicity, gastrointestinal issues and other side effects. Preliminary findings show no toxicity in single-dose studies of boronicaine, though more studies are needed.

“Boronicaine could have distinct advantages over existing painkilling medications,” said Hawthorne, who also serves as the Curators’ Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Radiology at MU. “We’re conducting more research into the side effects of the compound, but in time it could very well become a useful material to use as an anesthetic.”

The study was published in ChemMedChem.

Source: Univ. of Missouri-Columbia

segunda-feira, 9 de fevereiro de 2015

Drug detectives

Sometimes, toxic side effects aren't discovered until fairly late in the drug development process, when substantial amounts of time and money have already been invested in clinical trials. Even though the pharmaceutical industry uses preclinical data and predictive algorithms to weed out drugs that are likely to fail because of toxicity, many still slip through the cracks.

Now, a group of researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City has devised a new drug screen that capitalizes on the tendency of toxic compounds to alter the properties of the lipid bilayer that encases cells. They will present their screening method at the 59th annual meeting of the Biophysical Society, held Feb. 7-11 in Baltimore, Md.

Changes to the properties of the lipid bilayer component of the cell membrane can alter the function of proteins embedded in the membrane -- proteins that regulate critical functions such as transport of materials in and out of the cell and communication with other cells.

The new screen, called the Gramicidin-Based Fluorescence Assay (GBFA), repurposes an assay previously developed by principal investigator Olaf Andersen and a former graduate student Helgi Ingólfsson. It tracks changes in the activity of a small protein (the gramicidin channel) coupled to a fluorescence signal as a way of monitoring changes in lipid bilayer properties, a correlate for toxicity.

"As we gathered data, we began to notice a trend: molecules that significantly affected lipid bilayer properties were often indiscriminate modifiers of membrane protein function and thus tended to have an array of off-target effects," said researcher Lea Sanford. That is, when compounds intended to influence a specific protein target also alter lipid bilayer properties, they may alter the function of numerous membrane proteins and thereby cause a cascade of usually unwanted off-target and side effects.

Sanford and her colleagues wanted to see whether changes in lipid bilayer properties were reliably correlated with a drug's toxicity to cells, or cytotoxicity. To test the hypothesis, they did a blinded screen of 134 compounds provided by The Rockefeller University's High-Throughput Screening Center. Indeed, the toxic compounds in the database, which had been characterized using high-content cytotoxicity screening, showed greater rates of fluorescence quenching. The greater a molecule's bilayer-modifying effect (the faster the fluorescent signal decreased during the assay), the higher the likelihood it would be toxic. It appears that, as the team expected, the test could be used to identify probable cytotoxic drugs.

"This is our first study on toxicity and our results imply that the GBFA is a viable, cheap and straightforward option for predicting which compounds are likely to have off-target effects and potentially be cytotoxic, thus having the potential to indicate likely drug failures at an early stage in the development process," said Sanford. "We need to expand the library of compounds tested to more thoroughly vet the assay's use in this way."

The researchers also emphasized that changes in bilayer properties are not inherently negative. In some cases, the off-target effects of a drug could make it useful for treating conditions other than the one for which it was originally developed.

"A molecule may be toxic for many reasons that do not involve the bilayer, but it is striking how increased bilayer activity tends to be associated with toxicity," noted Andersen. "The cool thing about this project is that it shows that lipid bilayers will continue to surprise us."

terça-feira, 16 de setembro de 2014

Drugs and Alcohol

 

People have been using substances to lift their spirits for millennia. Techniques for fermenting beer and related tipples are known from Egypt and Sumeria 4000 years ago, and they soon spread across the inhabited world. Coca leaves (the source of cocaine), tobacco, and caffeine were also popular with ancient cultures.

Humans may even have an evolutionary pre-disposition to seek out narcotics, even though they can be addictive and damaging. Some people may have genes which make them more genetically prone to drug addiction than others. Even some animals - jaguars, lemurs and bees, for example - have a habit of getting high.

There is an enormous amount of research on drug taking, examining both legal highs, such as alcohol, nicotine and caffeine, and illegal stimulants, such as marijuana, LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, amphetamines, heroin and magic mushrooms and the so-called date-rape drugs rohypnol and GHB.

Alcohol - Some experts believe that the world's first impromptu breweries might have been created when grain stores became drenched with rain and warmed in the sun. Ever since, humans have discovered that alcohol reduces their inhibitions, impairs their judgement, affects sexual desire and performance, creates beer bellies and leads to hangovers (and dubious cures).

Binge drinking is an ever-increasing health concern, and when not consumed in moderation, alcohol can lead to liver problems, brain damage and infertility. Drinking whilst pregnant can also damage the unborn child. It is not all bad news though: studies show that some types of booze, such as red wine, are rich in antioxidant polyphenols which can help prevent heart disease and cancer.

Marijuana, once the preserve of hippies, is now regularly smoked by millions of people in the US and UK. Around 14.6 million Americans have used marijuana in the last 30 days. Though still controversial, support for controlled legalisation of this most common illegal drug is growing.

That support is bolstered by research showing that cannabis (and psychoactive extracts such as THC or cannabinoids) can provide relief for sufferers of multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. Cannabis can also help to improve appetite and decrease weight loss in AIDS victims and may be able to slow the growth of cancerous tumours.

However, detractors argue that the long-term effects of smoking dope on the brain are unclear, that it decreases fertility, damages the unborn foetus, can contribute to cot death in babies born to dope-smoking parents, and may lead to memory loss, schizophrenia, depression and other illnesses.

Ecstasy, or MDMA, was allegedly first prescribed as an anti-depressant. It was also used by American marriage counsellors and psychotherapists in the 1970s. The drug made patients feel less anxious and more open, accepting and empathic. But notoriety for the drug in the UK did not come until it was popularised by the rave dance scene in fields and warehouses in the late 1980s. Use of the drug is now common in main stream clubs and 2 million or more British youngsters pop the tablets at weekends. Clubbers enjoy the feelings of emotional closeness, rushes of energy, increased stamina heightened sense of touch and other effects.

Critics say that regular ecstasy use is a recipe for causing memory loss and lasting damage to the brain's serotonin-producing neurons. Users can die from fatal overheating or a dangerous build-up of water on the brain. Ecstasy causes other problems such as stifling sex drive and damaging babies in the womb.

Tablets contaminated with other compounds are part of the problem and many tests have been developed to check for purity. Controversial research found evidence of a link between ecstasy and Parkinson's disease in 2002, though the finding was later retracted. Other animal studies conversely hinted that ecstasy might actually help treat the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Some experts point to the fact that despite the drug's massive popularity, ecstasy deaths remain extremely rare: downhill skiing kills more people. Controversial medical trials are testing the use of MDMA to treat post-traumatic stress disorder in victims of rape and violent crime.

Cocaine comes from the coca plant, the leaves of which have been used by Native South Americans for 3000 years as a mild stimulant. Cocaine itself was first developed as a local anaesthetic, but has been a popular street drug since the 1970s. Today it is used by millions of people in the US alone and up to 150,000 end up in emergency rooms with heart attacks or other side effects. It acts on the brain's dopamine system, and is thought to mimic the thrill of desire and anticipation.

Cocaine is highly addictive - many users become dependent after a year or two, and some research suggests that just a single dose could get you hooked. Use of the drug is linked to high blood pressure, deadly heart conditions and violent behaviour. Therapies to help addicts conquer their dependence include vaccines and related methods, which use antibodies to bind cocaine and stop it reaching its target in the brain. Other drugs can block cocaine cravings.

sábado, 3 de maio de 2014

Albuterol Inhalation

 

Generic Name: albuterol inhalation
Brand Names: Accuneb, ProAir HFA, Proventil, Proventil HFA, ReliOn Ventolin HFA, Ventolin HFA

What is albuterol inhalation?

Albuterol is a bronchodilator that relaxes muscles in the airways and increases air flow to the lungs. Albuterol inhalation is used to treat or prevent bronchospasm in people with reversible obstructive airway disease. Albuterol is also used to prevent exercise-induced bronchospasm. Albuterol inhalation may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

 

Important information

It is important to keep albuterol on hand at all times. Get your prescription refilled before you run out of medicine completely. Keep using all of your other medications as prescribed by your doctor.

Talk with your doctor if any of your asthma medications do not seem to work as well in treating or preventing attacks. If it seems like you need to use more of any of your medications in a 24-hour period, talk with your doctor. An increased need for medication could be an early sign of a serious asthma attack.

How to prevent and treat an asthma attack.

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of albuterol can be fatal. Extreme heat can cause the medicine canister to burst. Do not store your inhaler in your car on hot days. Do not throw an empty canister into open flame.

 

Before using albuterol inhalation

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to albuterol.

To make sure you can safely use albuterol, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:

  • heart disease, high blood pressure, or congestive heart failure;

  • a heart rhythm disorder;

  • a seizure disorder such as epilepsy;

  • diabetes; or

  • overactive thyroid.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether albuterol will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication. It is not known whether albuterol passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while you are using albuterol. An inhaler should not be given to a child younger than 4 years old. Albuterol solution in a nebulizer should not be given to a child younger than 2 years of age.

See also: Pregnancy and breastfeeding warnings (in more detail)

 

How should I use albuterol inhalation?

Use albuterol inhalation exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Use only the prescribed dose of this medicine and follow all patient instructions for safe use. Talk with your doctor about your individual risks and benefits of using albuterol.

When using the albuterol inhaler device for the first time, prime it by spraying 4 test sprays into the air, away from your face. Shake well before priming. Also prime the inhaler if you have not used it for 2 weeks or longer, or if you have dropped the inhaler.

The instructions below are for standard use of the inhaler and nebulizer devices. Your doctor may want you to use your device differently. Use only the inhaler device provided with your medicine or you may not get the correct dose.

To use the albuterol inhaler:

  • Shake the canister well just before each spray.
  • Uncap the mouthpiece of the albuterol inhaler. Breathe out fully. Put the mouthpiece into your mouth and close your lips. Breathe in slowly while pushing down on the canister. Hold your breath for 10 seconds, then breathe out slowly.

  • If you use more than one inhalation at a time, wait at least 1 minute before using the second inhalation and shake the inhaler again.

  • Keep your albuterol inhaler clean and dry, and store it with the cap on the mouthpiece. Clean your inhaler once a week by removing the canister and placing the mouthpiece under warm running water for at least 30 seconds. Shake out the excess water and allow the parts to air dry completely before putting the inhaler back together.

To use the albuterol solution with a nebulizer:

  • Measure the correct amount of albuterol using the dropper provided, or use the proper number of ampules. Place the liquid into the medication chamber of the nebulizer.

  • Attach the mouthpiece or face mask to the drug chamber. Then, attach the drug chamber to the compressor.

  • Sit upright in a comfortable position. Place the mouthpiece into your mouth or put the face mask on, covering your nose and mouth. Turn on the compressor.

  • Breathe in slowly and evenly until you have inhaled all of the medicine (usually 5 to 15 minutes). The treatment is complete when no more mist is formed by the nebulizer and the drug chamber is empty.

  • Clean the nebulizer after each use. Follow the cleaning directions that came with your nebulizer.

Talk with your doctor if any of your asthma medications do not seem to work as well in treating or preventing attacks. If it seems like you need to use more of any of your medications in a 24-hour period, talk with your doctor.

An increased need albuterol could be an early sign of a serious asthma attack.

It is important to keep albuterol inhalation on hand at all times. Get your prescription refilled before you run out of medicine completely. Keep using all of your other medications as prescribed by your doctor.

Store albuterol inhalation at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Extreme heat can cause the medicine canister to burst. Do not store it in your car on hot days. Do not throw an empty canister into open flame.

 

What happens if I miss a dose?

Use the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

 

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of albuterol can be fatal.

Overdose symptoms may include nervousness, headache, tremor, dry mouth, chest pain or heavy feeling, rapid or uneven heart rate, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, dizziness, seizure (convulsions), feeling light-headed or fainting.

 

What should I avoid?

Avoid getting this medication in your eyes. If this does happen, rinse the eyes with water and seek medical attention.

 

Albuterol inhalation side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to albuterol: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

  • bronchospasm (wheezing, chest tightness, trouble breathing), especially after starting a new canister of this medicine;

  • chest pain and fast, pounding, or uneven heart beats;

  • tremor, nervousness;

  • low potassium (confusion, uneven heart rate, extreme thirst, increased urination, leg discomfort, muscle weakness or limp feeling); or

  • dangerously high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, confusion, chest pain, shortness of breath, uneven heartbeats, seizure).

Less serious albuterol side effects may include:

  • headache, dizziness;

  • sleep problems (insomnia);

  • cough, hoarseness, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose;

  • mild nausea, vomiting;

  • dry mouth and throat;

  • muscle pain; or

  • diarrhea.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

See also: Side effects (in more detail)

 

Albuterol inhalation Dosing Information

Usual Adult Albuterol Dose for Asthma -- Acute:

Metered-dose inhaler: 2 puffs every 4 to 6 hours as needed.
Inhalation capsules: 200 mcg inhaled every 4 to 6 hours.
May increase to 400 mcg inhaled every 4 to 6 hours, if necessary.
Nebulizer: 2.5 mg every 6 to 8 hours as needed. (2.5 to 5 mg once followed by 2.5 mg every 20 minutes for acute bronchospasm).

Usual Adult Albuterol Dose for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease -- Acute:

Metered-dose inhaler: 2 puffs every 4 to 6 hours as needed.
Inhalation capsules: 200 mcg inhaled every 4 to 6 hours.
May increase to 400 mcg inhaled every 4 to 6 hours, if necessary.
Nebulizer: 2.5 mg every 6 to 8 hours as needed. (2.5 to 5 mg once followed by 2.5 mg every 20 minutes for acute bronchospasm).

Usual Adult Albuterol Dose for Bronchospasm Prophylaxis:

Metered-dose inhaler: 2 puffs (180 or 216 mcg) 15 minutes before exercise.
Inhalation capsules: 200 mcg inhaled 15 minutes before exercise.

Usual Adult Albuterol Dose for Asthma -- Maintenance:

Metered-dose inhaler: 2 puffs every 4 to 6 hours. More frequent administration or a large number of inhalations is not recommended.
Inhalation capsules: 200 mcg inhaled every 4 to 6 hours.
May increase to 400 mcg inhaled every 4 to 6 hours, if necessary.
Tablets: 2 to 4 mg orally 3 to 4 times a day. May increase stepwise to a maximum of 8 mg orally 4 times a day.
Extended-release tablets: 4 to 8 mg orally every 8 hours. May increase to a maximum of 16 mg orally twice a day.
Syrup: 2 to 4 mg orally 3 to 4 times a day. Doses > 4 mg should be given 4 times a day. May increase up to 8 mg orally 4 times a day.

Usual Adult Albuterol Dose for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease -- Maintenance:

Metered-dose inhaler: 2 puffs every 4 to 6 hours. More frequent administration or a large number of inhalations is not recommended.
Inhalation capsules: 200 mcg inhaled every 4 to 6 hours.
May increase to 400 mcg inhaled every 4 to 6 hours, if necessary.
Tablets: 2 to 4 mg orally 3 to 4 times a day. May increase stepwise to a maximum of 8 mg orally 4 times a day.
Extended-release tablets: 4 to 8 mg orally every 8 hours. May increase to a maximum of 16 mg orally twice a day.
Syrup: 2 to 4 mg orally 3 to 4 times a day. Doses > 4 mg should be given 4 times a day. May increase up to 8 mg orally 4 times a day.

Usual Pediatric Albuterol Dose for Asthma -- Acute:

Less than 1 year:
Nebulizer: 0.05 to 0.15 mg/kg/dose every 4 to 6 hours with subsequent doses titrated based on clinical response.
1 year to 4 years:
Nebulizer: 1.25 to 2.5 mg every 4 to 6 hours with subsequent doses titrated based on clinical response.
5 years or older:
Metered-dose inhaler (HFA): 2 puffs (216 mcg) every 4 to 6 hours as needed.
Inhalation capsules: 200 mcg inhaled every 4 to 6 hours.
May increase to 400 mcg inhaled every 4 to 6 hours, if necessary.
5 years to 11 years:
Nebulizer: 2.5 mg every 4 to 6 hours with subsequent doses titrated based on clinical response.
12 years or older:
Nebulizer: 2.5 to 5 mg every 6 hours as needed.
Metered dose inhaler (non-HFA): 2 puffs every (180 mcg) every 4 to 6 hours.

Usual Pediatric Albuterol Dose for Bronchospasm Prophylaxis:

Over 4 years:
Metered-dose inhaler (HFA): 2 puffs (216 mcg)15 minutes before exercise.
Inhalation capsules: 200 mcg inhaled 15 minutes before exercise.
12 years or older:
Metered-dose inhaler (non-HFA): 2 puffs (180 mcg) 15 minutes before exercise.

Usual Pediatric Dose for Asthma -- Maintenance:

2 years to 5 years:
Syrup or tablets: 0.1 to 0.2 mg/kg 3 times daily. Do not exceed 12 mg a day.
Over 4 years:
Metered-dose inhaler (HFA): 2 puffs (216 mcg) every 4 to 6 hours. More frequent administration or a large number of inhalations is not recommended.
Inhalation capsules: 200 mcg inhaled every 4 to 6 hours.
May increase to 400 mcg inhaled every 4 to 6 hours, if necessary.
6 years to 11 years:
Syrup or tablets: 2 to 6 mg orally 3 to 4 times a day. May increase stepwise to a maximum of 24 mg/day in divided doses.
Extended-release tablets: 4 to 12 mg orally every 12 hours. May increase to a maximum of 12 mg orally twice a day.
12 years or older:
Syrup or tablets: 2 to 8 mg orally 3 to 4 times a day. Doses > 4 mg should be given 4 times a day. May increase up to 8 mg orally 4 times a day.
Extended-release tablets: 4 to 8 mg orally every 8 hours. May increase to a maximum of 16 mg orally twice a day.
Metered-dose inhaler (non-HFA): 2 puffs (180 mcg) every 4 to 6 hours. More frequent administration or a large number of inhalations is not recommended.

What other drugs will affect albuterol inhalation?

Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use, especially:

  • a diuretic (water pill);

  • digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin);

  • a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin, Tenoretic), carvedilol (Coreg), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), metoprolol (Dutoprol, Lopressor, Toprol), nadolol (Corgard), nebivolol (Bystolic), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran), sotalol (Betapace), and others;

  • an antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Vanatrip, Limbitrol), doxepin (Sinequan, Silenor), nortriptyline (Pamelor), and others;

  • an MAO inhibitor such as furazolidone (Furoxone), isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), or tranylcypromine (Parnate); or

  • other bronchodilators such as levalbuterol (Xopenex), pirbuterol (Maxair), terbutaline (Brethine, Bricanyl), salmeterol (Advair, Serevent), metaproterenol (Alupent, Metaprel), or isoproterenol (Isuprel Mistometer).

This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with albuterol. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

sexta-feira, 14 de março de 2014

Marijuana Shop Owners Paying Taxes In Cash Because Banks Can’t Take Their Money

 

By Chris Morran

(DanCentury)

Marijuana may be legal and taxed in Colorado, but the federal government still considers anyone who sells it to be a drug dealer and won’t allow banks to offer accounts to these businesses. So how is a legal businessman supposed to pay those sales tax to the state?

One shop owner tells Bloomberg he’s got to carry a bag holding thousands of dollars in cash to the state’s revenue department in order to remit sales tax payments.

“It highlights the awkward situation we’ve been placed in,” he explains. “We are paying taxes, but despite our best efforts to be good citizens, we’re still paying in cash.”

Since the business can’t open a bank account, it has to operate on a purely cash basis, making it a target for robbery — and just a huge pain in the butt for people keeping the books.

Making matters more complicated, some state and local agencies won’t accept cash payments for required taxes and licensing fees.

The owner of the Colorado shop had been operating a legal dispensary even before the recent change in state law. He tells Bloomberg that his business had an account with Wells Fargo until 2011, but then the bank decided to stop doing business with dispensaries, regardless of local laws.

Since then, he’s been paying cash for his $45,000/year licensing fees and $35,000 in state and local taxes.

“They’re encouraging cash operations, which are a threat to public safety, and much more difficult to track and audit,” says the executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association to Bloomberg. “Wherever you stand on the marijuana issue, it serves everybody’s interest to have banking access.”

Business owners can try to hide the nature of their marijuana shop by putting it inside a shell business with an innocuous name and not telling the bank.

“As long as the bank doesn’t find out, you should be safe,” explains the director of the California office of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. “Or you can use a family account or a personal account. Some people have another business on the side and they use that account.”

But once the bank finds out, expect to have that account closed right away.

A rep for the Colorado Revenue Dept. says some local banks have begun allowing marijuana-selling businesses to open accounts, though these institutions risk losing their federal deposit insurance and possibly their charter if caught.

Banks are supposed to file Suspicious Activity Reports on transactions and deposits related to proceeds from the sale of controlled substances, says the FDIC.

The Liquor Control Board in Washington state, where pot was also recently legalized, says it is now prepping itself for what it expects could be the problematic intake of cash from bank-less marijuana sellers.

“We’ll need to be prepared to accept potentially large amounts of cash,” a Board rep tells Bloomberg. “Do we suddenly have to have armored-truck service? That’s a potential.”

Congressman Jared Polis of Colorado recently introduced legislation that would remove the Schedule I controlled substance designation from marijuana.

“We want to make sure they have access to the same type of banking facilities as other businesses,” explains Polis.

 

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