Promethazine is a first-generation antihistamine of the “phenothiazine” classification often prescribed for the treatment of postoperative nausea, vomiting, and motion sickness. It is commonly utilized as an adjunct to narcotic analgesics to increase their efficacy among those experiencing acute or chronic pain. Additionally, promethazine is sometimes administered for the treatment of the common cold and …
Spice and “K2” refer to various retail products containing herbs laced with synthetic cannabinoids. The synthetic cannabinoids within Spice and K2 are often considered functionally similar to THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannbinol) derived from cannabis in that they bind to cannabinoid receptors within the brain, and act as agonists. This cannabinoid receptor agonism facilitates intoxicating effects similar to …
Ketamine is a drug initially synthesized in the 1960s to be used as an anesthetic. It was approved by the FDA in 1970 and was utilized medically as anesthesia for soldiers during the Vietnam war. At the time, ketamine was considered a superior option to PCP (phencyclidine) due to its short duration of effect and …
Chantix (Varenicline) is a drug marketed by Pfizer for the treatment of nicotine addiction. It functions as a selective, competitive partial agonist at α4β2 (alpha-4-beta-2) nAChRs. Competitive partial agonism at the α4β2 receptors decreases the binding of nicotine to these receptors, thereby modulating the release of dopamine in the mesolimbic pathway as triggered by nicotine …
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid drug that was originally synthesized in the early 1960s by Paul Janssen, founder of Janssen Pharmaceutica. The drug initially gained mainstream popularity as a general anesthetic in the 1960s under the brand “Sublimaze”, a compound consisting of fentanyl and citric acid. It wasn’t until the 1990s that fentanyl was approved …
Klonopin (Clonazepam) is a benzodiazepine medication utilized primarily for the treatment of anxiety disorders and acute epilepsy. It is also prescribed off-label for a host of other medical conditions including: acute mania, akathisia, bruxism, insomnia, and restless leg syndrome. As a benzodiazepine, it functions principally by modulating the neurotransmission of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) within the …
Subutex is a drug that was approved by the FDA in 2002 for the treatment of opioid dependence. It is typically utilized as an agent in opioid replacement therapy to help individuals transition off of more potent (often illicit) opioidergic drugs such as oxycodone and heroin. In other words, an individual who was previously ingesting …