Codeine (3-methylmorphine) is an opioid medication commonly prescribed for the treatment of severe coughing (antitussive), mild to moderate pain (analgesic), and/or uncontrollable diarrhea (antidiarrheal). It is considered a natural form of methylated morphine and is the second-most significant alkaloid in opium, accounting for up to 3%. In the United States, codeine is typically manufactured in …
Percocet is a brand name medication comprised of active ingredients oxycodone (a semi-synthetic opioid) and acetaminophen (paracetamol). It was first introduced to Germany in 1917 as an intravenous formulation for pain management among soldiers in World War I. Eventually it received approval in the United States (1976) as an oral (tablet) formulation as a narcotic …
Hydrocodone is a popular pharmaceutical drug commonly prescribed for the treatment of severe pain, and in some cases as an antitussive agent to mitigate chronic coughing. It is a semi-synthetic drug in that it is synthesized from codeine (an opioid alkaloid derived from opium poppy). Upon ingestion of hydrocodone, it facilitates analgesic effects via binding …
Xanax (Alprazolam) is regarded as the single most popular benzodiazepine in the world. It is a highly effective drug when utilized for the medical treatment of acute anxiety, panic attacks, and social phobia. This is due to the fact that Xanax modulates the neurotransmission of GABA (gamma-amino-butyric acid), specifically at the GABA-A receptor sites. To …
Lorazepam (brand name “Ativan”) is a benzodiazepine drug that hit the market in 1977 and is commonly prescribed to treat anxiety. Although it is a highly effective treatment option for anxiety when used over a short-term, it is regarded as problematic when taken over an extended duration. Long-term usage of lorazepam is linked to dementia, …
PCP (Phencyclidine), commonly referred to as “Angel Dust,” was first synthesized in the 1950s and initially approved by the FDA as an anesthetic under the brand Sernyl. As a result of its extended half-life (approximately 3 days) and adverse psychotomimetic effects (e.g. hallucinations), it was taken off the market in 1965. Despite its removal from …
LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide) is a psychedelic drug initially synthesized in 1938 by Albert Hofmann from ergotamine, a chemical derivative of ergot (a grain fungus). In the United States, the drug is considered a Schedule I controlled-substance, meaning it has no accepted medical use and there is a lack of safety associated with its administration. …