Opana (Oxymorphone) is a brand name semi-synthetic opioid medication manufactured by Endo Pharmaceuticals primarily for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. In addition to its usage for pain management, Opana is sometimes administered as an adjunct for the maintenance of preoperative anesthesia. The active ingredient within Opana known as “oxymorphone,” is produced from thebaine, …
Promethazine is a first-generation antihistamine of the “phenothiazine” classification often prescribed for the treatment of postoperative nausea, vomiting, and motion sickness. It is commonly utilized as an adjunct to narcotic analgesics to increase their efficacy among those experiencing acute or chronic pain. Additionally, promethazine is sometimes administered for the treatment of the common cold and …
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 …
Flexeril (Cyclobenzaprine) is a drug approved by the FDA as a short-term adjunct treatment for skeletal muscle spasms along with physical therapy and rest. Although its mechanism of action isn’t fully elucidated, it is thought to act within the central nervous system, principally at the brain stem. Within the brain stem, it is believed to …
Benadryl is a brand name for a variety of over-the-counter (OTC) medications containing the chemical diphenhydramine, an antihistamine. The drug was initially synthesized in 1943, was acquired by Pfizer in 1946, and became the first antihistamine to receive FDA approval in the United States. The brand “Benadryl” was acquired by Johnson & Johnson (from Pfizer) …