The Drug Codeine
We used several different sources to gather our information. We go information from Jay Moser and Sue Peterson, our two local pharmacists. We researched medical encyclopedias, journals, and magazines. Codeine is known medically as methylmorphine. It is a drug derived from opium, a poppy plant. It was discovered in 1832 by French chemist Pierre-Jean Robiquet. Codeine constitutes about 0.5 to 2.5 percent of this plant substance. The drug has been in use since the early 1900's and it shares most of the pharmacologic characteristics of morphine, the other alkaloid in opium. Codeine is classified as a narcotic, it has the same painkiller effect as morphine but is only one-sixth to one-tenth as strong. Codeine occurs as a colorless or white crystals or as a white, crystalline powder and is slightly soluble in water and freely soluble in alcohol. The phosphate and sulfate salts of codeine occur as white, needle- shaped crystals or white, crystalline powders. Why is it used? Codeine is most useful in the relief of mild to moderate pain. It is also used as a cough remedy because it suppresses the part of the brain that triggers coughing, and as an anti-diarrheal drug, because it slows down muscle contractions in the intestinal wall. There are possible adverse effects. The most frequently observed adverse reactions include lightheadedness, dizziness, sedation, nausea, vomiting, and sweating. These effects seem to be more prominent in ambulatory patients and in those who are not suffering severe pain. Other adverse reactions include the following: (1) Central Nervous System- Euphoria, dysphoria, weakness, headache, insomnia, agitation, disorientation, and visual disturbances. (2)
Gastrointestinal- Dry mouth, anorexia, constipation, and biliary tract spasm.
(3) Cardiovascular- Flushing of the face, abnormally slow heartbeat, faintness, and syncope. (4) Genitourinary- Urinary retention of hesitancy, anti-diuretic effect. (5) Allergic- skin rashes.
Most drug manufactors list specific warnings to be aware of when taking codeine.
(1) Codeine sulfate can produce drug dependence of the morphine type, and therefore has the potential for being abused psychic dependence, physical dependence and tolerance may develop upon repeated administration of Codeine.
(2) Codeine may impair the mental and or physical abilities required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks such as driving a car or operating machinery. (3) Patients receiving other narcotic painkillers, general anesthetics, tranquilizers, or other central nervous system depressants, including alcohol with codeine may exhibit an additive central nervous system depression. Who shouldn't take codeine? Pregnant women should not use codeine because safe use in pregnancy has not been established. Children below the age of three shouldn't be given this drug for that age group hasn't been established.
Codeine should be given with caution to certain patients such as the elderly or
Today, it’s still used to treat pain, headache and inflammatory conditions such as bursitis and tendinitis. The bark contains salicin, a chemical similar to aspirin. When combined with the herb's powerful anti-inflammatory plant compounds, flavonoids, salicin is thought to relieve pain (but not fever) and inflammation. In fact, aspirin is actually the brainchild of salicin.
Fennel oil has proven to be effective in providing relief from the depositions of mucus and phlegm that lead to congestion of the nasal tract, larynx, pharynx, bronchi and lungs due to cold and viral infection. It is particularly effective in treating frequent or chronic coughs.
WHO. "Scientific Facts on Psychoactive Drugs Tobacco, Alcohol, and Illicit Substances." GreenFacts - Facts on Health and the Environment. Green Facts, 2006. Web. 10 Dec. 2011. .
It is often used medically alongside eticyclidine, in combination with which it acts as a prodrug – metabolising into a more pharmacologically active substance.
"NIDA InfoFacts: Marijuana.” National Institute of Drug Abuse, Nov. 2010. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. .
Marijuana has been used for medicinal purposes for over the 3,000 years and has been met with much resistance in the recent decade (Bearman 12). In the early part of the century, marijuana, also known as cannabis, was a part of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) for about 90 years, but drug companies began to drop marijuana from medications when the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act was passed (4-6). Medical marijuana can be used in two ways; it can be smoked in a cigarette form or taken in a capsule. Marijuana’s most potent ingredient is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can be taken as a pill, but is “easily
Marijuana is one of the oldest cultivated plants. (Nahas,1986) The first people to introduce the potential healing properties of marijuana were the Chinese. About five thousand years ago, the people of the plains of Central Asia began cultivating the plant for its oil and fiber. The United States was introduced to marijuana in the 16th century. It was brought over by the Spanish and British and used for its fiber. The plant’s intoxicating properties were only discovered in the late 19th century. It was used for the production of rope and cloth until the 20th century and now it is widely a drug used preferably for pleasure.
Morning Glory Seeds. Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol & Addictive Behavior. Ed. Pamela Korsmeyer and Henry R. Kranzler. Vol. 3. 3rd ed. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2009. p78-79. Word Count: 181.
Brecher, Edward M. (1972) Licit and Illicit Drugs; The Consumers Union Report on narcotics, stimulants, depressants, inhalants, Hallucinogens, and marijuana- including caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. New York, 291-390
It is an enduring herb, which grows in most moderate countries. It varies from about two to five feet high, with long, smooth green leaves and yellowish white or purplish flowers. The root is light brown with a very sweet taste; fifty times the sweetness of cane sugar. It is an ointment, a cough mixture, and a laxative.
This powerful tonic has helped countless people to stay healthy and defend themselves against all viral, bacterial, parasitic and fungal diseases-even plague! The basic formula of this powerful tonic dates back to medieval Europe, and is certainly not to be underestimated.
...ave shown the effectiveness as weed, and they are known to lose their efficacy after time.
Marijuana is a green and brown mix of dried flowers, stems, seeds and leaves from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. The main active chemical is THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which moves quickly through the bloodstream to the brain and other organs throughout the body. In 2012, marijuana was noted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse as being the most widely used illicit drug in the U.S. Globally, between 129 and 191 million people aged 15 to 64 used marijuana at least one time in 2008, or 2.9 to 3.4 percent of the world's population. In North America, 29.5 million people used marijuana at least once in 2008. The minority that uses Marijuana the most are Hispanics and African American.
A considerable amount of literature has been published on cannabis specifically marijuana. These studies classify marijuana into three species: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and cannabis ruderalis. In fact, Cannabis sativa is the most widely used and recognized among the other species due to its ability to produce more fiber and oil. For many years, the plant has been used for making clothes as well as lighting and soap. Nevertheless, cannabis is widely used at the present time for intoxication and medical treatments. Marijuana is usually extracted from the flowers of the female plant (Grinspoon & Bakalar, 1993). According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana is well-defined as the “dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, which contains the psychoactive (mind-altering) chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as well as other related compounds. This plant material can also be concentrated in a resin called hashish” (NIDA, 2014).
A paracetamol based analgesic and antipyretic that provides fast, effective, temporary relief of pain and discomfort.