Testosterone is classified as an androgenic steroid hormone that is secreted primarily by the testicles in males, and to a modest extent in females via the ovaries. Testosterone is considered the defining sex hormone of males and is responsible for promoting reproductive tissue development (testis and prostate), along with sex-specific features such as: body hair, …
Soma (Carisoprodol) is a drug developed in the late 1950s that was initially suspected to be an antiseptic, but turned out to be a CNS depressant with minor muscle-relaxant properties. Although its mechanism of action isn’t fully elucidated, carisoprodol and its primary metabolite “meprobamate” are believed to indirectly modulate the neurotransmission of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric-acid) via …
“Plan B” is a brand name birth control formulation manufactured in tablets, each of which contains 0.75 mg of the active steroid levonorgestrel. Levonorgestrel is an entirely synthetic progestogen that was synthesized in the 1960s and was included in birth control products by the 1980s. The levonorgestrel within Plan B functions by inhibiting ovulation or …
Unisom (doxylamine succinate) is a first-generation antihistamine available as an over-the-counter medication in the United States. It is commonly used as a sleep aid (to combat insomnia), an antiallergenic (to reduce severe allergies), and sometimes to treat symptoms of the common cold. The pharmacological ingredient within Unisom, known as “doxylamine,” functions predominantly via antagonism of H1 …
Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical evergreen tree in the coffee family (Rubiaceae) native to Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia. Due to the fact that its leaves contain an array of therapeutic alkaloids, kratom leaves are commonly ingested orally via chewing or in a tea-like preparation for medicinal purposes. Various alkaloids derived from …
Lortab is a brand name medication engineered to contain active ingredients hydrocodone bitartrate (a synthetic opioid) and acetaminophen (a non-opioid analgesic). The drug is typically prescribed for the treatment of moderate to severe acute, chronic, or postoperative pain. The hydrocodone component of Lortab functions via binding to opioid receptors in the central nervous system, principally …
Spice and “K2” refer to various retail products containing herbs laced with synthetic cannabinoids. The synthetic cannabinoids within Spice and K2 are often considered functionally similar to THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannbinol) derived from cannabis in that they bind to cannabinoid receptors within the brain, and act as agonists. This cannabinoid receptor agonism facilitates intoxicating effects similar to …