Kybella (Deoxycholic acid) is an injectable medication engineered by Kythera Biopharmaceuticals and approved by the FDA in April 2015 for the management of moderate-to-severe submental fat (fat beneath the chin) in adults. Reducing the appearance of a protruding “double chin” with Kybella entails visiting a medical professional to receive a series of subcutaneous [deoxycholic acid] …
Phentermine is a natural monoamine alkaloid derivative that was initially approved by the United States FDA in 1959 as an anorectic (appetite suppressant) for the treatment of obesity. It was popularized throughout the early 1970s under the brand name medication “Fastin,” marketed by King Pharmaceuticals. In the late 1990s phentermine was discontinued from pharmaceutical circulation, …
Qsymia is a weight loss drug engineered by the California-based pharmaceutical company Vivus Inc. It was initially approved by the FDA in 2012 for weight reduction among adults with BMIs (body mass indexes) exceeding 30 kg/m² as an adjunct to interventions such as caloric restriction, dietary modification, and regular exercise. Qsymia is also approved for …
Acupuncture is a form of complementary alternative medicine (CAM) in which a practitioner (acupuncturist) stimulates the skin of his/her client transcutaneously [with needles] or transdermally [with electrical pulses or lasers]. According to proponents of traditional Chinese medicine, the precise stimulation of sites across the skin (referred to as “acupuncture points”) modulates the flow of energy …
Naltrexone is a chemical initially synthesized in 1963 and patented thereafter by the pharmaceutical company Endo Laboratories in 1967. It is considered a substituted derivative of oxymorphone in that the tertiary amine methyl-constituent is replaced with an allyl group (specifically an N-cyclopropylmethyl group) – or a longer chain of carbon atoms. It was initially approved …
Naltrexone is a pure opioid receptor antagonist utilized principally for the treatment of alcohol and opioid dependence. As an opioid receptor antagonist, naltrexone competitively binds to mu-opioid receptor (MOR) and kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) sites with higher affinity than opioid agonists, thereby attenuating receptor activation. Should an individual administer an opioid agonist (e.g. morphine) while taking …
Zomig (Zolmitriptan) is a medication marketed by AstraZeneca and is FDA-approved as an abortive therapy for migraines and cluster headaches. Chemically, it’s classified as a triptan implying that it’s a tryptamine-derivative, and is manufactured in multiple formats including: tablet and nasal spray. Similar to other triptans, Zomig is considered efficacious when administered during a migraine …