Sumatriptan (brand names “Imitrex”) is a synthetic medication that was initially approved in 1991 for the treatment of migraine and cluster headaches. Chemically, it is classified as a “triptan” or tryptamine-based agent and is identified as a structural analogue of various alkaloids such as bufotenine and DMT (dimethyltryptamine). When administered following the onset of a …
Sinemet is a pharmaceutical drug engineered by Merck that combines Carbidopa (a peripheral enzymatic inhibitor of DOPA decarboxylase) and Levodopa (an agent that crosses the blood-brain barrier to increase central concentrations of dopamine); hence it is frequently referred to as “Carbidopa-Levodopa.” The drug was initially approved by the U.S. FDA in 1988 for the treatment …
Requip (Ropinirole) is a drug initially approved in 1997 by the United States FDA for the treatment of [early or advanced-stage] idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. In the management of Parkinson’s disease, Requip can be utilized either as: a standalone agent or as an adjunct to L-DOPA. After its initial approval for the attenuation of Parkinson’s symptoms, …
Mirapex (Pramipexole) is a medication that was approved by the FDA in 1997 for the treatment of idiopathic (early-stage and advanced) Parkinson’s disease. Analysis of the drug’s pharmacodynamics reveals its function as a mixed partial/full dopamine agonist, with highest affinity for: D3 receptors, D2 receptors (D2S and D2L), and D4 receptors (in that order). To …
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 …
Inositol is a non-essential nutrient and natural sugar present within phospholipids of cell membranes, plasma lipoproteins, and the nuclei. Chemically, there are 9 subtypes of inositol each with distinctive stereoisomers, the most common of which is known as “myo-inositol.” Within the human body, myo-inositol is synthesized from glucose and accounts for 95% of total free …