Buspar (Buspirone) is a drug of the azapirone chemical classification that was engineered and patented in the 1970s by Mead Johnson. It was later acquired by the pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb and approved by the FDA in 1986 for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). What’s unique about buspirone compared to other anxiolytics such …
Microbiota is classified as an ecological community of microorganisms that share a specific host. Within the human body it is estimated that there are trillions of microorganisms, accounting for approximately 1% to 3% of total body mass; equating to an average net weight of around 3 lbs. Though scientists these days are attempting to elucidate …
Cannabidiol (CBD) is just one of over 85 scientifically-identified cannabinoids (or chemical compounds) derived from the flowering plant cannabis. Each of the cannabinoids within cannabis elicit unique neurophysiological effects. Most people are well-aware of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the predominant cannabinoid within cannabis that is ingested by upwards of 230 million people per year as a psychoactive …
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a perennial plant named after the Latin term “valere,” which roughly translates to “strong and healthy.” The plant is considered native to Europe and various regions of Asia and tends to bloom pinkish and/or whitish flowers in the summer seasons. Upon blooming, its flowers are universally known to have a sweet, …
Effexor (Venlafaxine) is a drug that was introduced in 1993 as a pharmaceutical antidepressant by Wyeth; its marketing rights are now owned by Pfizer. Pharmacodynamically, it functions primarily as a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) and is understood to be the first-ever “dual reuptake inhibitor” approved by the FDA for the treatment of major depressive disorder. …
Propranolol is a beta blocker originally synthesized in the 1960s by James W. Black, a British scientist. It is a derivative of older beta-adrenergic antagonists dichloroisoprenaline and pronethalol, each of which lacked safety and efficacy to warrant medicinal usage. Chemically, propranolol is formed upon insertion of an oxymethylene group into the aryl ethanolamine structure of …
Hydroxyzine is an antihistaminergic drug that was initially marketed in the 1950s by Pfizer. It is manufactured under the brand names Vistaril and Atarax, but widely purchased as a generic. Although hydroxyzine has been on the market for over half a century (50+ years), it is still commonly utilized by medical practitioners in a variety of scenarios …