Herbal Drugs

Chemical Vs Herbal Drugs For Pain - Which is Better For You?

2011-10-03T07:27:00.000-07:00

Pain is one terrible experience that not one single person in this world would like to encounter. Pain, defined as the unpleasant sensory and emotional experience caused by real or potential injury or damage to the body or described in terms of such damage.

I have happened to suffer some amount of pain for some years in my life; the damage to my left femoral joint came as a result of a disease called arthritis, which many people will know about. During those years, when I wake up from my bed I would have been thinking already that another horrible day is opening itself before me. Walking from my house to my place of work which I am supposed to enjoy now became a harrowing experience.

To the elderly, pain can't get any less worse. When it feels like you can't do any of the things you normally enjoy doing with yourself or your grandchildren then you are in for it. It would become as if you are being incarcerated in that chair of yours. Tell me, when was the last time you had a good dance around with your hubby? You see, you can't remember.

Furthermore, Pain could come from a lot of sources, diseases being number one of these causes. Arthritis, cancer, sickle cell anemia, migraine are some of these causes. Pain also arises as a result of accident, either domestic or external. Obesity also could cause pains to your joints making you to feel stiff and grouchy.

Now, when this pain arises how do we treat it? Many people have become junkies because of their addiction to pain killers, in fact Physicians now see many patients asking for pain killers as being addicted. Well, you can't blame the Physicians, why because these doctors have no definitive way to measure the degree of pain a patient is experiencing.

But, is it always advisable to use chemically prepared drugs to treat pain? No, I would not advise that. The problem with these kinds of drugs is that apart from the fact that patients could become addicted to these chemically prepared drugs, the side effects of these drugs should also not be underestimated.

What to do. What if you can get a medicine that is not chemically produced and that it tackles the pain by given your joints that extra nourishment it needed, would you not get it? I am talking of a drug that will give the necessary ingredients to the joints. These ingredients from nature will be recognized by our body chemistry, and will easily metabolize into your system.

Chinese Herbal Medicines For the Common Cold

2011-09-17T07:26:00.000-07:00

We've all heard it said "We can land spaceships on Mars, but can't even cure the common cold." The cold seems to be a humbling curse that is mankind's burden forever.

Despite the frustrations of science, some people claim to cure a cold with an amazing variety of stuff like garlic, ginger, zinc, and vitamin C. These never worked for me. I found that once my cold started, I was in for a week of suffering.

That is, until an acquaintance gave me a vial of Chinese pills and told me to take them if I felt a cold coming on. A few days later, I awoke with a sore throat. Before leaving for work I remembered the pills, and took them.

That evening, I realized that my budding cold had vanished, gone without a trace. What was that stuff?

The stuff tuned out to be Yin Chiao. Was this a fluke? How could no one know about this? As it turns out, it was no fluke. Since that day, Yin Chiao and similar Chinese remedies have ended most of my colds. Perhaps medical science hasn't cured the common cold, but it appears that Chinese herbalists did it hundreds of years ago. The formula for Yin Chiao was first published in the eighteenth century. It's hard to understand why it would take the West so long to discover them. I imagine if bad news travels quickly, good news must travel slowly.

Different ideas, no matter how good, are met with resistance. That's why it took us about a thousand years to discover Chinese food. With pharmaceutical cold medicines proving to be harmful, let's hope it doesn't take another thousand years to discover Chinese herbal medicine.

Not only are they safer, but Chinese herbs are simply more effective. When you discover them, you'll never even think about drugs for colds or visiting the doctor for a cold.

When the Western civilization discovers them, it could turn our medical establishment upside down, easing suffering and preventing millions of needless trips to the doctor. This might be bad news for doctors, but it's very good news for everyone else.

Though ancient Chinese herbalists knew nothing about germs, they knew that respiratory diseases were caused exterior wind evils. Evils that caused serious diseases like influenza and measles were called wind-heat evils. Common colds were caused by wind-cold evils.

Our bodies are protected from wind evils by defensive energy, known as wei qi. With adequate wei qi, you can be exposed to disease without getting sick. Herbs such as astragalus can be used to boost the wei qi, protecting us from invaders. They block the entry of wind evils.

Expelling these evils requires herbs that release exterior conditions. Some of these are ginger, mint, kudzu root, and many others. Some of these herbs protect against wind-heat evils; others defend against wind-cold invaders. These herbs are rarely taken alone, but are combined in formulas that greatly increase their potency.

Some of the most popular Chinese cold formulas appear work on any kind of wind invasion, hot or cold. However I have found that certain formulas work better on different parts of the body.

For example, colds originating in the throat seem to respond best to Yin Chiao, which is taken at the first sign of cold. Keep them with you during cold season; the sooner you take them, the better they work. Yin Chiao contains remarkably simple and safe herbs. They are: honeysuckle, forsythia, balloon flower, peppermint, edible burdock, crested grass, schizonepeta, fermented soybean, and Chinese licorice root.

For colds that begin in the nose, I prefer Gan Mao Ling. Use it alone or combine it with Yin Chiao when nasal or sinus congestion is present at the onset. Gan mao ling contains: Ilex Root, Chrysanthemum Flower, Vitex Herb, Isatis Root, and honeysuckle flower

To relieve colds which are too far developed to stop, or to relieve colds that begin with body aches, fever, and chills, I believe the best remedy is Zong Gan Ling which contains: kudzu root, hairy holly root, vervain, woad root, wormwood, gypsum, and notopterygi.

Preventing a cold requires a different formula altogether, one that strengthens the body's defensive energy. The most famous of these formulas is called Jade Windscreen or Jade Shield. This formula is used to build defensive energy (wei qi) and protect against cold, flu, and other invasions. Jade Screen contains astragalus, Atractylodis, and Siler.

Many of these formulas are available in natural food stores, particularly on the West Coast. If you can't find them at your local health food store, you can certainly find them on the web. I strongly suggest that you try them. They will open your eyes to the potency and reliability of Chinese herbals. And unlike many of the drugs at your drugstore, all of these are safe for children.

Remember that a mere hundred years ago, no one in the West had even heard of Chinese food. Today there are Chinese restaurants everywhere. I can assure you that Chinese cold medicines work, and will become as valuable to our culture in the 21st century as Chinese food became in the 20th century.

The Benefits of Herbal Medicines and Treatment

2011-09-12T07:25:00.000-07:00

In today's fast moving world when everyone is chasing the money and have no time for the health, the diseases are inevitable. Nowadays, we are hearing about the name of the diseases which were not even existed 5 to 10 years before. These new diseases created a number of new treatments and medicines, and almost all of these treatments are having their side effects. That is the reason now people are looking for a natural, herbal way of curing the disease.

People are looking for natural remedies instead of homeopathic, allopathic or any surgical curing process. These herbal medicines or treatments are not a new thing, but they are in existence from thousands of years. The main advantages of these medicines are that they are not having any kind of side effects at all unlike those of allopathic medicines. Unlike those fast healing medicines available in the market, herbal drugs may take some time to cure the disease, but it will not leave any kind of side effects. According to some market research companies, the market of herbal remedies is increasing by 25% a year, which is one of the fastest-growing in alternative health industry.

If you go back to history, herbal remedies are used in India, and China dates back to 2800 BC. And as nowadays people are getting health conscious, herbal remedies are again back in the trend. Unlike any other treatment process, herbal treatment process offers a natural, safe, without any side effect process of healing the disease.

The main advantages of herbal medicines are:

Price:

Herbal medicines are a way cheaper as compared to their allopathic or homeopathic counterpart. Also it is very safe to take the herbal medicines without the prescription of any Doctor unlike the other medicines. Also the main problem with regular allopathic or homeopathic medicines is that if you are taking these kind of medicines fora particular problem, for example, if you are taking any medicine for back pain, and now you are suffering from fever then you have to take a good precaution so that both of these medicines cannot be in conflict.

Herbal medicines do not follow under the category of drug instead they fall under the category of food. Herbal medicines can also be termed as a food supplement thus not subjected to the same kind of scientific prescription and inspection.

Effectiveness:

The main reason behind that the people are looking for these herbs that they are either this is dissatisfied with their regular kind of medicines/remedies, or they are suffering from some kind of side effect Ute these remedies.

However, the main problem with the herbal medicines is that the less numbers of companies are interested in the manufacturing herbal medicines. Thus it is sometimes difficult to find out the herbal medicine of a reputed company. However, this trend is changing rapidly and a lot of reputed companies are stepping into the manufacturing of herbal medicines.

Alternative Herbal Medicines: Top Advantages and Disadvantages

2011-09-02T07:24:00.000-07:00

It's always wise to research and be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of herbal medicines before beginning an alternative healing regimen. Most important is assuring that the medicines you choose address your health concerns, but you naturally would also want to know whether or not you're getting your money's worth.

Informed consumers are making the move from the synthetic medications often prescribed by doctors to alternative medicines. Often times, an alternative herbal remedy is going to be the better solution for your health concern because using a manufactured drug could produce allergic or adverse reactions to the synthetic materials or chemicals contained in so many products.

The First Advantage - Natural Ingredients

Alternative herbal remedies are constituted primarily from plant extracts. These plant extracts and natural compounds contain the essential nutrients needed to respond to your body's natural recovery process and improve your overall health. Each tablet or pill contains only natural ingredients because neither synthetic chemicals nor lab-created formulas are necessary. Of course, there are a few additives mixed in to improve the overall effects, but these additives are not harmful in any way and are approved by governmental health regulatory agencies.

The Second Advantage - Cost-Effectiveness

Herbal medicines are less expensive than those medicines manufactured with synthetic compounds and chemicals. For people on a budget, this is a very practical way to take care of their health-related issues without (1) having to pay a doctor fee; and (2) paying a higher price for a prescribed medication.

There's a really simple reason why alternative herbal medicines cost less than manufactured drugs. It's because natural ingredients and plant extracts are used to make herbal medicines while expensive chemicals are used to create manufactured medicine in a lab.

The Third Advantage - No Allergic Reactions

Because alternative herbal medicines are 100% natural, you don't have to be concerned about allergic reactions or counter-indications with any foods that you consume. However, there are no guarantees that each person taking an alternative herbal medicine will experience the same benefits or effects as another person as people are different and the results vary.

It's always a good idea to inform your doctor of any herbal medicines that you are taking so that if necessary, he can order any tests that may be needed to check for compatibility or contraindications.

The Disadvantages of Using Herbal Medicines

While there are considerably more advantages to treating with alternative herbal medicines than there are disadvantages, there are a few points that need to be made in this regard. First, some people believe that because an herbal medicine is an all-natural treatment that they can take as much of it as often as they desire. This is not a good idea as doing so could lead to more health-related problems.

Alternative herbal remedies should be treated just like any other medicines and taken according to the suggested appropriate dosage. Herbal products are created with a specific formulation and as such need to be taken according to the instructions on the product label. If you have any questions, you should consult your doctor or healthcare provider.

Different Types of Adult Obesity and Herbal Drugs

2011-08-22T07:23:00.000-07:00

The fat is broken down in different ways in the body. It is quite important to determine the fat distribution, as the impact on health is not the same depending on the location of overweight. In obesity or overweight type female (gynecoid), excess fat is located at the hips, buttocks and legs. In obesity or overweight type male (android), excess fat is located at the abdominal organs on the abdominal wall and sometimes on the upper back. There are also mixed types, especially when obesity is very important.

This classification is somewhat simplistic and does not reflect the variety of human types. However, it is estimated that obesity-type female is not as serious as that of male type. This type of obesity is often more serious and results in metabolic disorders: diabetes type II with onset of insulin resistance, abnormal blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides) and cardiovascular disorders associated with increased risk of cancers.

Too many Kilos, those that are potentially hazardous to health, are mainly located at the waist and hidden in the abdominal organs. Measuring waist circumference is a simple and practical way of knowing if the overload fat is in the abdomen. There is a danger when the waist reaches more than 1 meter for men and more than 95 cm for women. Anyway, we must interpret the measure by the size of the individual.

The ability to grow is a legacy of ancient times, when our "caves" ancestors have absolutely to store up food when it was available. The best course is to keep it on oneself for hard times. This ability to store fat and use it later has allowed humanity to survive despite recurring famines.

In some populations, there was even selections of the fittest to make such bold among Polynesians (Maori). Indeed, climatic variations in the Pacific region (nino, nina, cyclones) cause, in these very remote islands, famines that could last many weeks or months. Today, with the decline of physical labor, abundant food and reduced energy needs, this "advantage" becomes genetically negative, it promotes the onset of obesity.

Experts say that obesity is on average 25 to 30% of cases in part genetic and the rest linked to eating and physical behavior, when both parents are normal or underweight, the risk of becoming big in turn in adulthood is less than 10%. When one parent is large, this risk is about 40% to 80% if both are.

We grow mainly because we absorb more calories (as food) than we use. There is an imbalance between food intake and energy expenditure overall. One should recall that the accumulation of fat in fat cells (adipocytes) is something daily and quite normal. Several physiological mechanisms allow transforming what was eaten into fats, immediately stored in the fatty tissue in the form of triglycerides.

These stored fats will be used to request the opportunity to make prolonged exercise or during a period of fasting, for instance. It is the increase in the number of adipocytes, their hypertrophy and disruption of their activity that cause the accumulation of grease resulting in morbid obesity.

We know that medium weight is a parameter remarkably stable during adulthood. It grows sustainably when the food-energy imbalance is chronic and changes in both the number of fat cells (increase) and their regulation, physiological mechanisms that maintain the weight almost constant are disturbed, consequently you inexorably gain weight. This overweight will, no doubt, stabilize, but at a higher level.

We grow sustainably when fat cells accumulate triglycerides (fats) but do not "know" anymore how to free them when the body needs them. Added to this energy imbalance related to food, other causes may be hormonal reasons (puberty, pregnancy, endocrine disruption related to chronic stress), a lower metabolic regulation of carbohydrate and fat associated with aging (we grow with age), dietary reasons (diet too rich in fat immediately stored in adipocytes and food artificially high in sucrose and fructose) and perhaps an environment and food contaminated by pesticides or alimentary adulterants (dyes, changes of taste, aroma ) which insidiously alter our metabolism, from childhood.

Things You Need to Know About Herbal Drugs and Antibiotics For Feline UTI

2011-08-16T07:22:00.000-07:00

Cats have always been known as cool and aloof, and they often like to keep to themselves. Some people also have the wrong impression that cats are generally emotionless, only showing "signs of life" when they are in fights. But if you are a cat owner (or more accurately, a cat guardian, as cats always seem to act in an independent manner so that they cannot be considered "owned"), you will be able to confirm that each individual cat has its own unique personality and behavior. And changes in the cat's behavior are the most important way pet owners detect the possible presence of disease in their beloved cats.

Of the various diseases that can afflict cats, urinary tract infections (or UTI) are one of the most common illnesses that prompt pet owners to consult veterinarians. Symptoms of feline UTI are simple enough: increased frequency of cat urination, decreased volume of urine output, frequent grooming by the cat of his genital area, urinating outside of the litter box. As one can see from the symptoms listed, feline behavioral changes can lead one to suspect of the disease. But definitive symptoms like pus or blood in the urine can also be observed, especially in severe, untreated cases.

Once diagnosis of urinary tract infection is confirmed by the veterinarian, usually after a urine analysis is performed on the cat, the next step is to decide on the best treatment option on how to get rid of a urinary tract infection in cats.

Veterinarians are partial to the use of antibiotics in the treatment of any kind of infection, including urinary tract infections. Antibiotics like amoxicillin, cephalexin, fluoroquinolones, gentamicin and tetracycline are given for 7 to 14 days. All are effective against Escherichia coli, the most common etiologic agent found in urine samples of cats diagnosed with urinary tract infections. Although effective in ridding the body of bacteria, antibiotics cannot solve the reason why your pet's urinary system is prone to bacterial infections. In addition, a course of antibiotics can make a serious dent in your wallet, as antibiotics are a little expensive.

There are several factors that contribute to the overgrowth of bacteria in your pet's urinary system, an overgrowth that can eventually lead to a full-blown infection. The most important factor is your cat's pH balance. If your cat's urine is less acidic than normal, bacteria tend to survive in the urine, which can later turn into an infection. Another factor is concentrated urine secondary to inadequate hydration of your cat. Hyper-concentrated urine can lead to the formation of stones, which can block the passage of urine, and together with it the flushing away of filtered bacteria. Knowing all of these factors will help you in knowing how to get rid of a urinary tract infection in cats, or better yet, prevent it from occurring in the first place.

As an alternative to antibiotics, there are more natural ways on how to get rid of a urinary tract infection in cats. Herbal drugs and homeopathic remedies are now available in the market that can help, not just in treating an already infected cat, but also in preventing the infection from happening in the first place. Herbal drugs containing uva ursi, extracts from barberries and cantharsis are proven effective in soothing the pain and inflammation accompanying feline UTI. They are also known to restore the urinary system's normal pH balance, preventing the overgrowth of bacteria, thereby preventing recurrence of the infection. One obvious advantage of using herbal drugs in feline UTI is that since it is a natural product, there is less occurrence of side effects compared to using antibiotics. In addition, the cost of herbal remedies is but a fraction of the cost a 14-day antibiotic regimen.

Herbal Drugs and Their Spasmodic Effects

2011-08-09T07:21:00.000-07:00

The typically synthesized derivatives, to mention a few, such as isoflavones, ketamine benzaldehyde or benzyl cinnamate thalidomide mebeverine hydrochloride verapamil and midazolam, are currently used in pharmaceutical drug industry as antispasmodic and vasodilators. However, a large number of herbal remedies of plant isolates proved just as effective and useful.

Herbal drugs in general, are often used in urinary tract diseases such as inflammation of the lower urinary tract, kidney and bladder, and also benign prostata hyperplasia. They usually show mild aquaretic / diuretic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antispasmodic actions. Aniba canelilla (Mez) is a medicinal plant used in the Amazon folkas therapeutic , antispasmodic, anti-diuretic, carminative, tonic agent. It is used also as a stimulant of the digestive and central nervous system; the plant essential oil has analgesic activity. The hydroalcoholic extracts of Achillea millefolium L. (AM) and Artemisia vulgaris L. (AV), both belonging to the Asteraceae family, confirm their folk use as analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic agents.

The antispasmodic effects of methyleugenol from the essential oil of Artemisia dracunculus is reported to possess bitter, stimulant, tonic, antispasmodic and anthelmintic properties. Artemisia scoparia Waldst and kit (Compositae) is a source of immense medicinal and pharmaceutical importance, such as Scoparone, Rutin and Esculetin which are effective as immunosuppressants, hepatoprotective, antispasmodic, hypotensive, antiatherogenic, anti-inflammatory agents.

St John's Wart (Hypericum perforatum) is famous for its many medicinal uses. The crude extract of aerial parts and its fractions were studied in vitro for its possible spasmolytic and bronchodilator activities. The composites of are sold as pills in over-the-counter herbal remedies in pharmacies.

Of the several hallucinogenic plant constiuents; papavrine, morphine and opium were shown to have sedative and antispasmodic effects, besides their addictive nature and other deleterious effects when often misused.

Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is an ancient, highly significant and popular plant species with proven pharmaceutical value especially, against human chronic diseases in modern medicine. Among the opium alkaloids, morphine is a strong analgesic, while codeine is anti-tussive and papaverine antispasmodic. Besides being a potent pain killer, morphine, the largest component of opium, exhibits a combination of depression and stimulation in the central nervous system. India is a unique country where opium poppy is legitimately cultivated for gum latex as per WHO guidelines.

Hyoscine, another hallucinogenic and poisonous plant constituents, experience wide use in phamacetical drug industry. Hyoscine butylbromide (tradenames: Buscopan/Buscapina) is an antispasmodic drug for the treatment of abdominal pain associated with gastrointestinal cramping. As a hyoscine derivative, it competitively inhibits muscarinic acetylcholine receptors on smooth muscle cells in the gastrointestinal tract...

The natural and often common -day used plant materials as spices and flavouring in food products are cardamom, pepper ginger and mint. These were found to have some spasmodic effects as well.As an example the "gastrointestinal tea" contains natural cardamom (seed), pomegranate (grains), long red pepper (foeti), physocarpous siberian (roots), berry apple (foeti), red bartsia (herb) of specified proportions have anti-inflammatory action; enzyme normalization of gastrointestinal tract; improvement of gastric juice enzymatic activity; antispasmodic and analgesic action...

Ginger (rhizome of Zingiber officinale) is a well known herb for its culinary and wide range of medicinal uses, and is considered an essential component of the kitchen pharmacy. More commonly, ginger has been traditionally used in disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, as a stomachic, laxative, sialog gue, gastric emptying enhancer, appetizer, antiemetic, antidyspepsic, antispasmodic, and antiulcer agent with sufficient scientific support. Similarly, ginger has been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory, hypoglycaemic, anti- migraine, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, diuretic, and hypocholes

The use of mint species in traditional and conventional medicine is mostly due to the presence of two classes of secondary monoterpenoids in essential oils and different structural types of phenolic compounds. Essential oils are known to act as antimicrobial, antispasmodic, carminative, and antiviral agents. In addition, the essential oils of several mint species have been recently qualified as natural antioxidants.

Psidium guajava L has an edible fruit when ripe and has a pleasant aroma. Guava has been a widely used folkloric medicine in China, India, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Tropical America. Being rich in polyphenolics and flavonoids, it exhibits many therapeutic uses including amebicide, analgesic, vermifuge, antimalarial, antibacterial, colic-relief, antispasmodic, astringent, antiulcerous, gastrototonic cough suppressant, hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, diarrheal, some psychic diseases and hyperglycaemia.

Other plant parts that can mentioned here for their spasmodic effects are: Tribulus terrestris Linn; different parts of which are highly prized remedy amongst the people of India. Since ancient periods, the fruit is used as demulcent, diuretic, antispasmodic and aphrodisiac. The fruits have been identified by their macroscopic and microscopic characters, cell contents, the behavior of powdered drug with different reagents and preliminary phytochemical analysis.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium L..) is traditionally used against inflammatory and spasmodic gastrointestinal complaints, hepato-biliary disorders, as an appetite enhancing drug, against skin inflammations and for wound healing, due to its antiphlogistic, choleretic and spasmolytic properties. The main pharmacologically active principles were shown to be the essential oil (antimicrobial), proazulenes and other sesquiterpene lactones (antiphlogistic), dicaffeoylquinic acids (choleretic) and flavonoids (antispasmodic).

'Tian-ma' (Gastrodia elata Blume) is an effective analgesic and antispasmodic agent and there are some counterfeits in the Chinese traditional medicine

Turkey is the biggest exporter of oregano herb and oil to the world markets. The Oregano herb is mainly used in food, spice and pharmaceutical industries. Carvacrol is responsible for the biological activities. Many diverse activities claimed for carvacrol include antimicrobial, antitumor, antimutagenic, antigenotoxic, analgesic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, angiogenic, antiparasitic and antiplatelet coagulation properties.

Herbal Drugs For Sexual Impotence - a Male Evil

2011-08-05T07:20:00.000-07:00

Sexual Impotence is also defined as erectile dysfunction. Impotence is a common problem that affects many men at least once during life. According to a study conducted in the United States, the incidence of impotence varies with age and increases in proportion of affected men: 7 to 8% for men ages 20 to 39 and 55-60% Men aged over 70 years.

The largest increment is seen for men aged 60 to 69 years. Only in North America, it is estimated that at least 10 million men are affected by chronic impotence and at least 20 million more have a less severe form of erectile dysfunction associated with age: chronic health or psychological problems.

Although in the past, impotence was regarded as due to psychological causes, we now know that 85 / 90% of all causes of erectile dysfunction are due to organic sources such as vascular problems, diabetes, sex hormones, and effects of medicine. Impotence can sometimes result in a failure or an occasional lack of erection, both due to psychological and physiological factors entangled.

The psychological causes are often the cause of impotence: fear, anger, frustration, performance anxiety are the most frequent. Among the organic causes of impotence, there are the general causes such as vascular problems: thickening of the lining of the arteries or venous leak early.

Impotence treatment

Since the early 1980s, patients have the opportunity to learn to inject a drug substance in the corpus cavernosum of the penis. It causes dilation of blood vessels and causes an erection that lasts approximately one hour. For prolonged use, one can manifest problems of ischemia.

In 1998 came the molecule Sildenafil, marketed under the name Viagra ®, ensuring improved erectile function for men. It causes smooth muscle relaxation, allowing for engorgement of blood vessels in the corpora cavernosa, and is used to treat impotence. It is an assistance to obtain and maintain an erection in the presence of an arousal - sexual impulse.

Viagra ® should be used only on medical prescription and control.

Viagra ®: side effects and indications against

Its side effects are mainly related to a decrease in blood pressure (hypertension, cardiovascular disorders, etc.). Headache, redness of the face, stomach, lack of air, related urinary infections, diarrhea, nasal congestion and impaired vision (temporary changes of red and green, or accentuated sensitivity to light) were also described.

The prescription of Viagra ® includes a number of against-indications, including the combination with nitrates in any form, often used in the treatment of angina pectoris, and in the liver or renal insufficiencies.

Herbal Drugs - New Theme of Pharmaceutical Research

2011-07-04T07:19:00.000-07:00

All over the world at present there is a great activity as scientists investigate plants, micro-organisms, marine creatures and many other forms of life for biological activity. There is a desire to find out more about the interactions between one organisms and another which can be attributed to the chemical substances present in at least one of the species concerned. The area where activity has been greatest is the effect of extracts from the flowering plants on human physiology and human pathogens, since this is very relevant to the discovery of new drugs for treating diseases of human beings and other mammals.

There are mainly two reasons for interest in natural products. Firstly, the use of medicinal plants such as phytomedicines, dietary supplements, food and beverage ingredients and traditional medicine, this segment is growing rapidly. Secondly, natural products continue to remain an important source of new drug discovery. It is now increasingly accepted worldwide that screening natural products is the more effective strategies for discovering new chemical entities as product libraries have a broader distribution of molecular properties such as molecular mass, octanol-water partition co-efficient and diversity of ring systems when compared to synthetic and combinatorial counterparts.

Most of the earliest pharmaceuticals were plant materials. The obvious effect on human health and activity following the ingestion or application of plant products is known in most societies and the consequent use of plants for treating disease commenced before written history. Similar use for getting rid of pests have also been known and employed for a very long time. This pragmatic use under laid the development of Modern Botany, Taxonomy and Chemistry as science progressed.

It is noteworthy that all the early investigations into the chemicals found in plants utilized those with medicinal activity. It was found that, in many cases, the activity of the crude plant extract could be reproduced by an equivalent dose of the isolated active constituent and this laid the foundation for the modern scientific presentation of orthodox pharmaceuticals. These active constituents of one molecular type, 'the single chemical entity', could either be isolated from natural sources or synthesized, and was incorporated into a dosage form.

As the herbal drugs contain so many chemical compounds, it is essential to separate out those compounds, which are responsible for therapeutic effect and are called active constituents. Some important chemical substances found in plants are alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, glycosides, essential oils, fatty oils, resins, mucilage, tannins, gums and others. These potent bio-active compounds which are found in medicinal plants are most commonly used for the therapeutic purpose or as a precursor for the synthesis of useful drugs. The active principles differ from plant to plant due to their biodiversity and they produce a definite physiological action on the human body.

Many methods have been devised whereby the activity of a compound or extract can be tested scientifically. In the case of possible new drugs, these methods range from the clinical testing of volunteers to cell-free enzyme systems and receptor binding assays. The consequence is that, once having found activity in the extract from plant, there is a desire to find out the compounds that are responsible for the activity. It is interesting and intellectually challenging to isolate novel chemical compounds.