Synthroid (Levothyroxine) is a synthetic thyroid (T4) hormone commonly administered to treat hypothyroidism (or thyroid deficiency). It was initially synthesized by British chemists Charles Robert Harington and George Barger in 1927. As a pharmaceutical, synthroid is among the most prescribed medications in the United States, with upwards of 20 million prescriptions filled for the drug …
Effexor (Venlafaxine) is a medication that was originally approved by the FDA in 1993 for the treatment of major depression. Upon ingestion, Effexor functions as an SNRI (or dual-reuptake inhibitor) by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin, and to a lesser extent, norepinephrine. As a result of serotonergic and noradrenergic reuptake inhibition, concentrations of serotonin and …
Kava (Piper methysticum) is an herb that is commonly cultivated in island nations such as the Republic of Vanuatu, Fiji, Micronesia, and the Samoan islands. Historically, it has been utilized as a form of alternative medicine for hundreds (if not, thousands) of years. The herb is regarded as sacred by indigenous tribes and often consumed …
Valerian is a dietary supplement that was first sold in the United States in 1994, but has been historically utilized as a medicinal herb since the days of ancient Greece and Rome. It is understood to possess anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) and hypnotic (sleep-induction) properties and has been subject to investigation for the treatment of anxiety disorders …
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 …