Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical evergreen tree from the coffee family (Rubiaceae) native to Indonesia, Papa New Guinea, Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia. The kratom tree produces leaves containing psychoactive compounds, and when ingested, these compounds are capable of eliciting opioidergic and/or stimulatory effects. Although it is estimated that kratom leaves contain …
Gabapentin is rumored to have been synthesized by chemists in the 1970s in attempt to develop an antispasmodic agent. After its synthesis, rights to gabapentin were acquired by Parke-Davis (a subsidiary of Pfizer) whereafter it underwent clinical trials that evaluated its safety and anticonvulsant efficacy in the treatment of seizures. Clinical trial data indicated that …
Baclofen is a drug that was originally synthesized in the early 1960s by Heinrich Keberle, a Swiss chemist employed by the pharmaceutical company Ciba-Geigy. At the time of its synthesis, Keberle hypothesized that baclofen would prove effective as an antiepileptic agent, however, clinical trials yielded unfavorable results. Though ineffective as an antiepileptic, researchers noticed that …
Lamotrigine is a synthetic phenyltriazine chemical with anticonvulsant and analgesic properties initially sold by GlaxoSmithKline under the brand name Lamictal. It was first approved by the FDA in 1994 for the treatment of partial seizures in adults, and was subsequently approved in 1998 for the management of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome – a severe form of epilepsy …
Elemental lithium was first discovered by Johann August Arfvedson in 1817 and was later isolated via electrolysis of lithium oxide (Li2O) through a joint effort of William Thomas Brande and Sir Humphrey Davy. In the 19th century, scientists discovered that lithium was capable of dissolving uric acid crystals isolated from kidneys, and for this reason, …
Travivo (Gepirone ER) is a pharmaceutical medication of the “azapirone” classification exhibiting a combination of anxiolytic, antidepressant, and libido-enhancing properties, similar to the drug Buspar (Buspirone). It was originally synthesized in 1986 by the company Bristol-Myers Squibb, and its licensing rights were acquired by the company Fabre-Kramer in 1993. In 1998, Fabre-Kramer out-licensed Gepirone to …
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 …