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 …
Benadryl is a widely-recognized brand name for popular over-the-counter (OTC) antihistaminergic products containing diphenhydramine (U.S. & Canada), a chemical of the ethanolamine classification. Diphenhydramine was initially discovered in 1943 by professor and chemist George Rieveschl while attempting to synthesize alternatives to scopolamine. Just several years after its synthesis, diphenhydramine received FDA approval in 1946 as a …
Seroquel (Quetiapine) is an atypical antipsychotic engineered in the early 1990s by the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. It was first approved by the FDA in 1997 for the treatment of schizophrenia, and was sequentially approved by the FDA in 2004 for the management of bipolar mania. Seroquel would also receive subsequent FDA approval in 2009 as …
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, …
Magnesium is regarded as an essential mineral for humans and functions as a cofactor in upwards of 300 biochemical processes throughout the body. For example, magnesium is implicated in: ATP production, blood pressure regulation, bone development, glucose modulation, heart rhythm normalization, muscle and nerve function, plus protein synthesis. Knowing that magnesium is essential for optimal …