Archive for the ‘Medicine’ Category
Magnolia Trees in Chinese Herbal Medicine
June 30th, 2011 | 
Author: In the Chinese Medicine Materia Medica, the bark of the Magnolia tree is called Hou Pu. Hou Pu is the highly aromatic bark stripped from the stems, branches and roots of the magnolia tree. The first mention of magnolia bark as a Traditional Chinese medicinal substance was recorded around 100 C.E. It is used frequently by acupuncturists and practitioners of Oriental medicine in Chinese herbal formulas. These herbal remedies include formulas to resolve complaints such as abdominal distension and pain, vomiting and diarrhea. Magnolia bark’s therapeutic actions include the promotion of qi in the gastrointestinal region. For the acupuncture patient, this translates to relief of stomach fullness, bloating and discomfort.
These properties are illustrated in the Chinese herbal formula Hou po wen zhong tang also known as Magnolia bark decoction for warming the middle. This medicinal formula features magnolia bark in addition to six other ingredients. The prescription remedies the diagnosis of damp-cold injuring the spleen and stomach. This clinical picture can arise most commonly from the overindulgence of foods and drink that are uncooked and cold, especially during colder months of the year. The nature of cold is to congeal, and when this condition strikes, the qi of the digestion becomes obstructed. Symptomatically, the patient may experience fullness, loss of appetite, fatigue in the extremities and diarrhea. The herbs in this formula work synergistically to move the obstruction, warm the digestion and dry the inappropriate stagnation of fluids in the gastrointestinal tract.
Magnolia bark is an invaluable asset in the Chinese herbal arsenal to restore poor digestion due to lack of movement from cold stagnation. A licensed and experienced Oriental medicine provider brings a lot to the table in the relief of digestive complaints. Acupuncture, Chinese herbs and dietetic recommendations can be a powerful combination to combat the symptoms and to rectify the underlying issues surrounding digestive discomfort.
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Tips On Finding Herbal Medicine For Weight Loss
For some, the process of losing weight is not as easy as simple diet and exercise. Issues with weight loss are not uncommon, and these days, neither is turning to alternative medicine and herbal remedies for help. With some insight, choosing the right way to lose weight naturally should not be too difficult. However, just like with any diet, exercise regimen, or other customized routine, these methods will need to be tailored to your body via trial and error, as well as good judgment. For starters, though, here are a few suggestions to get you losing weight safely with perfectly natural resources. These should help you find the best herbal medicine for weight loss.
Certain herbs, even on their own, will begin to help with a few causes of weight gain. The plants uva ursi and buchi, for instance, can be used as natural diuretics – that is, they help to get rid of that annoying water weight that is such a challenge to diet away. Dandelion plants, perhaps surprisingly, also work in this way. Teas or supplements made from these herbs and plants have been shown to help.
Guar gum is an interesting case in how it helps. It is said to give a feeling of fullness to the person who digests it – and it is used as a thickening agent for foods and pharmaceutical products. Talk about creative applications! It is also believed to help the weight loss process by promoting a properly functioning digestive system. A regulated system, in fact, is very important when you are trying to lose weight, and many herbs can assist with this, including the licorice plant, which is effective in soothing the gastrointestinal tract.
Some herbs regulate other parts of our bodies, too, or certain functions. By reducing the body’s conversion of carbohydrates into fats, herbs like garcinia and areaca catechu, work to prevent weight gain while shedding what is already in excess. Aside from a balanced diet, this tends to show results quickly. Still, though, it is proven to be very useful in losing weight. Its effectiveness does mean that it is tampering with a normal process of the body.
Details like that, in fact, show us that it is important to know what is not safe for weight loss, too. If you are looking to buy a supplement or weight loss product, take note of its ingredients, even if they are not what you are seeking in particular. Not everything in some of these products will be beneficial to you. Ephedra (also known as sea grape, yellow astringent, and others) is one example: it is a common main ingredient in some herbal medicine for weight loss, yet it is proven to be largely ineffective for this purpose.
As you can see, there are many options available. Different herbs have different results (though they have different side effects, too). Of course, these natural remedies should not be used to replace a proper diet and good exercise. While seeking an herbal medicine for weight loss, you should make sure to look for something that will fit in with your habits, or that you can mold those habits around
Pain Medicine: Different Types of Pain Medicine
The formal term for painkillers is analgesics, a word derived from the Greek words an (without) and algia (pain). The three most commonly used types of pain medicine today are the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), the paracetamol based drugs and the opioid drugs.
The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) group contains a wide range of different painkillers. Examples of commonly known NSAID painkillers are Aspirin, Diclofenac and Ibuprofen. NSAID pain killers do not only alleviate pain; they will also lower fever and decrease inflammations. They are called non-steroidal in order to discern them from the steroids, since the steroids are also used for their anti-inflammatory capacity. Aspirin was discovered in 1829 when salicylic acid was chemically isolated for the first time, but willow bark containing salicylic acid has been used as a pain killer long before the 19th century. A lot of NSAIDs are available over-the-counter but this does not mean that they are harmless. When misused, even comparatively weak NSAIDs can have severe side effects, including bleeding ulcers and photosensitivity. NSAIDs are generally not recommended during pregnancy.
Paracetamol is also known as acetaminophen. Both words are derived from the chemical name for this painkilling compound: N-acetyl-para-aminophenol and para-acetyl-amino-phenol. Two examples of commonly known brand names under which Paracetamol is marketed are Tylenol and Panadol. Painkillers containing Paracetamol will relieve pain and decrease a fever, but unlike the NSAID painkillers they have no anti-inflammatory properties. One of the advantages of Paracetamol compared to NSAIDs is that Paracetamol painkillers will not affect the blood’s ability to clot. Nor will they damage the kidney or lining of the stomach as long as you stay within the recommended limits and never use too much Paracetamol. High doses of Paracetamol will however be damaging to a wide range of bodily functions. Paracetamol should never be combined with alcohol since the liver will be overloaded with the burden of breaking down both alcohol and Paracetamol, which makes the risk of Paracetamol poisoning higher. If you are healthy, well-nourished and do not drink alcohol, a single 10 gram dose of Paracetamol can cause significant liver damage.
Opioid drugs are very potent painkillers but will come with a sever side effects, even in low concentrations. Morphine is one of the most commonly used opioids in pain killing drugs. An example of a morphine based painkiller is Tramal. Pethidine is another pain killing opiate and can be found in medications such as Alodan and Demerol. Morphine will act directly on the central nervous system and can relieve even sever pains, such as post surgery pains and cancer pains. Morphine is addictive and it is important that it is used with caution. The addiction can be physical as well as physiological. The side effects are also both physical and psychological. Among the physical side effects are constipation and an inhibition of the cough reflex. Psychological side effects include euphoria as well as nightmares, and drowsiness can come hand in hand with insomnia. Morphine was isolated from opium in 1803 by Friedrich Serturner, a German pharmacist. He named it morphium after the Greek god of dreams, Morpheus. Serturner soon discovered its usefulness as a painkiller, but morphine didn’t grow really popular until the hypodermic needle was invented in 1853.
What are contraceptive pills?
Birth control is available in many different types. One of the most common types of birth control is use of oral medications popularly known as contraceptive pills. These pills are very common because they are convenient to use and easily available. Also, these pills are non-invasive in nature.
However, sometimes due to complications, women experience a missed period when they are on birth control. This could be because of several reasons. One of the reasons is anxiety. Women get tensed if they miss a period when on pills. They start thinking that they are pregnant. Well, that might be the case, but if you miss a period when you are on pills does not necessarily mean that you are pregnant.
There are numerous instances where women miss a period but come out negative on a pregnancy test. This is very common. Women who are taking combination pills experience this problem more than the ones taking pills containing only one form of female hormone.
It is claimed by doctors that if women take these contraceptive pills on a regular basis at the same time everyday, the chances of them getting pregnant are almost negligible. It is very rare that a woman gets pregnant when she is taking these pills. Although rare, you should always get yourself checked by your doctor when in doubt. Also, use good quality and reputed pills. Yasmin and Microgynon are two such pills that have helped many women prevent unwanted pregnancies. Always consult a doctor before you buy contraceptive pills.
My ex laughed at my performance
Of course it’s not your fault. One in three men struggles with what’s called rapid climax or premature ejaculation. No matter how sexually experienced you are, it can happen to anyone. It is one of the most gratifying feelings to please you partner in bed. Your sexual performance in bed should be able to provide the satisfaction that your partner is looking for. Most men are concerned about their performance in bed. It is this mental pressure that sometimes causes ejaculating before your partner reaches the climax.
Communication is the key
An open and frank discussion with your partner can help you enhance your sexual performance. Communication is a two-way proposition. You should communicate with her honestly. Openly discuss your desires and fears with your partner without having to feel any embarrassment. During sexual intercourse, you should not emphasise more on performance, just go with the flow.
Sex therapy helps
Psychosexual therapy suggests certain techniques to prevent or delay premature ejaculation. Stopping and then starting during a foreplay or sexual intercourse helps in lengthening the time to climax. You can briefly switch off the ejaculation reflex by taking a deep breath while you are approaching the orgasm.
Male enhancement pills
The basic science behind ejaculation process helps us understand it better. It is the reflex mechanism between brain, nervous system and blood circulatory system that orchestrates ejaculation process. It starts with the sexual stimulation. One way to delay premature ejaculation is to delay the messages transmitted by brain to other system. Priligy (dapoxetine) is the prescription drug which delays premature ejaculation up to three times.
Premature ejaculation is the common men’s condition, but rarely talked about openly. Many men fear embarrassment and are reluctant to talk to a doctor about this condition. But openly discussing with your partner can help overcoming the stigma attached to it. Have your condition diagnosed by a physician to get an effective premature ejaculation treatment.
The Boom Of Pharmaceutical Engineering
Before 1970, the word Pharmaceutical engineering was non-identifiable but now the scenario has been totally changed. The one and only answer to all the adversities faced by business enterprises is Pharmaceutical engineering which has the capacity to fight with all the competition and proove its ability.
Global economy has a negligible affect on Pharmaceutical engineering as it deals with all medical liabilities and the major contributor of all health care products and services. It has incredible future in the business sector due its never ending growth.
All the wonders created in the world of medical science is possible only due to Pharmaceutical engineering. It has the potential to fight with the major vital diseases. The engineers have made the word impossible as possible by developing the solutions for the most deadly and non-curable diseases. But this is not the end; the Pharmaceutical engineers are consistently progressing in their respective fields and are continuously doing research to find the ungiven answers.
In the world of medical science, they are not only proving themselves in the field of drug discovery but also in the fields of Biotechnology, nutrition, nanotechnology, biomedical science etc they are showing their proficiency and proving their worth. There is a consistent requirement of these skillful engineers in the healthcare sectors for drug processing, drug development, R&D of new medicines, etc.
For survival of the fittest in this challenging world, health and fitness are the two crucial terms which needs the maximum attention. For dreadful diseases, age is no bar and everybody becomes its victim so Pharmaceutical engineers are extending there helpful hands to them by creating drugs which can fight with these non curable diseases. Delivery of drugs is also done by these engineers so that the needy people get it within time. Hard work and patience are the criteria’s for these engineers as this branch of science is involved in the discovery and development of future medicines.
Pharmaceutical Engineering – A New Face of Latest Technology
Pharmaceutical engineering is evolved from Chemical Engineering. The main aim is to develop and manufacture the components which can be utilized by the Pharmaceutical industry. Apart from this, it also takes into account the commercialization of products developed by them. People engaged in its dominion have plenty of career prospects. Biotechnology, Food industry, Nanotechnology, Nutrition, Biomedical, personal and cosmetics are the numerous fields which provides
abundant scopes to these engineers. In all these fields they can utilize their skills and extract the desired output.
As the world is developing day by day, deadly diseases and their harmful effects are also growing which has created danger for the survival of mankind. Therefore Pharmaceutical engineering has taken the burden of saving the mankind from the claws of these deadly diseases. They are continuously providing a healthy environment to the health care workers and quality hospitals and medical institutions for the treatment of patients. Safety measures are assured by Pharmaceutical engineers by providing state of the art rooms for research and treatment. Not only this, this engineering stream also provides the desired infrastructure facilities.
With the invention of new viruses and their ill consequences, Pharmaceutical engineers must be updated with the latest technologies so that they can find a solution to all health problems. Pharmaceutical engineering is a vast field which has got a lot of things to learn and people engaged in its spectrum should be ever ready for learning. This engineering stream has contributed a lot to this mankind by providing solutions for various deadly diseases but it has a long way to go. It has to welcome all the new technologies to give answers to many questions. There are still many diseases present in this world whose cure is yet to develop. Thus it is thriving hard to find out the solutions.
Medical Lab Supplies – Sterility in Disposability
Medical lab supplies are among the most consumed products in the medical industry. Laboratory regulations and both state and federal laws mandate that the handling and disposal of biological waste be done properly, and anything which comes into contact with a patient must be disposed of properly. This is why such supplies are consumed at such a large scale – because they are pretty much single use only items. Anything used for taking samples, or anything that comes into contact with bodily tissues and fluids are used once, and then disposed of properly, and immediately. But how is all of this kept from becoming so expensive?
Here’s an example; a scalpel is used to take a tissue sample – does it then get thrown away? It used to be that when a scalpel was used, it was then put into an autoclave with other medical tools for sterilization. These days things are far more strict, as even though the former means of sterilization kept everything as close to 100% sterile as physically possible, there is still always a chance, no matter how slight or minute, of cross contamination. Now there are scalpel handles with disposable blades, and these are among the many types of disposable medical lab supplies we have today.
The dangers of cross contamination aren’t always direct – some are indirect. For example, other disposable medical items can include vials or canisters for holding tissue samples or samples of bodily fluids and excretions for tests to be performed upon. Cross contamination can have an indirect effect upon patients in the way of influencing test results which would communicate incorrect data if gone unchecked. This can prove to be a very dangerous thing indeed, depending upon the outcome of such misrepresented data.
Again, while the present state of sterilization processes can and do kill 99.99% of all micro-organisms, there is always an existing chance, however astronomical, that anything reused may still be contaminated, however slightly. In the patient’s best interest, and in the interest of professional ethics (not to mention minimizing malpractice incidents and incurring costs), anything that touches a patient once is invariably thrown away. From tongue depressors to scalpel blades, from cotton swabs to syringes, anything that comes into direct contact with tissues or bodily fluids are items which are single use only and disposed of as biological waste. These are the medical lab supplies which need to be kept well in stock at all times so that they may always be on hand.
While medical lab supplies pretty much all fall under this category, lab equipment is a bit different. Things such as centrifuges and the like, which may contain objects (test tubes, in the case of a centrifuge) which hold tissue samples and such, do not themselves come into direct contact with the biological matter. Such equipment still must be regularly cleaned and sterilized, but they don’t need to be thrown away. Non-contact, non-disposable equipment and direct-contact disposable supplies usually go hand-in-hand. The above-mentioned centrifuge is one larger example, while the former-mentioned scalpel handle with disposable blade is another, smaller example.
Indian Pharmaceutical Suppliers and the US FDA
The purpose of this article is to generate confidence in Indian suppliers that serve Canadian and online pharmacies. India commands the dominant world market share as manufacturer and exporter of generic product.
Indian suppliers are the generic sourcing choice for Canadian and online pharmacies because globalization is driving them toward U.S. FDA compliance in the move to more collaborative relationships with the US, EU and Japan. Learn more.
Evolution of the Indian pharmaceutical industry:
In the 50’s and 60’s India had minimal domestic pharmaceutical production. They were dependent on western sources for medicines which they could ill afford. The Indian government instituted tariffs and liberalized patent laws to nurture a domestic pharmaceutical industry. The patent laws allowed Indian companies to copy expensive original preparations by foreign firms and produced these by means of alternative production procedures. This had the effect of allowing Indian manufactures to duplicate western formulations before the expiration of the patent in the country of origin, typically the US. This environment caused western pharmaceutical companies to withdraw from India.
From the 70’s to 2005 the Indian pharmaceutical industry experienced double digit growth. They became expert at producing western preparations using a slightly modified process to stay within Indian patent law. They became known as the “Pharmacy of the poor”. Low wages and high educational standards lent it self well to super charging the growth of the pharmaceutical industry. Focusing on generic production eliminated developmental risk as well as prohibitively expensive research dollars. India holds 20% of the world generic market but 2% of the pharmaceutical world market. 22% of total generic production is exported and of that 80% goes to US and the EU.
After the 2005 patent law reform, which resulted in the adoption of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, the industry entered a more collaborative environment with western pharmaceutical industry than during the earlier developmental period. This reorientation of the industry resulted in these important changes.
1. A segment still focuses on generic as its prime business. In this segment 80% of generic production is targeted for US, EU and Japan.
2. A major segment is focusing on development of new medicines. This has spawned new research relationships between Indian firms and western giants like Ely Lily.
3. Contract manufacturing for western giants is the last segment of the reorientation.
The most significant change resulting from patent reform is movement of the entire Indian pharmaceutical industry toward US FDA compliance due to the new western focus on so many touch points. The US, EU and Japan are the most lucrative world markets. Since the US FDA governs the major segment of export target market the move to FDA standards serves the reorientation of the Indian pharmaceutical industry.
Here are some relevant excerpts and website links.
The Indian pharmaceutical industry is also getting increasingly U.S. FDA compliant to harness the growth opportunities in areas of contract manufacturing and research. Indian companies such as Ranbaxy, Sun Pharma, and Dr. Reddy’s are increasingly focusing on tapping the U.S. generic market. Recently, Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd has received a tentative approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to manufacture and market Lamivudine tablets (150 mg), a medicine used in treating HIV infection. This tentative approval has been granted under the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Initiative (PEPFAR).
Computer Radiography System – Mobile Radiology Equipment at Its Best
One of the most recent innovations in the world of radiology is the computer radiography system, also known as a CR system. It is basically a unit that is used for digital medical imaging. Further, just like the prices of all radiology equipment and similar computer related devices has dropped recently, so have CR systems, making them all the more affordable for smaller clinics and similar medical setups.
Another reason why CR systems are such a hit with clinics is that their current radiology equipment can be retrofitted with the new equipment. This means that a clinic can start on a relatively smaller budget, and add on equipment as and when it has sufficient funds. In case you are also looking for a medical imaging option that is also portable, there are certain CR systems that cater to that needs as well. These give the medical personnel the provision of capturing images of patients that are unable to visit the clinic, since the device can now be carried to their premises for any kind of checkup. Further, if the CR system is also having internet connectivity via a laptop, one can also send the images from the patient’s home to the clinic for an on-the-spot diagnosis. This practice is not only convenient for the patient, but also saves a lot of valuable time, particularly in case the patient’s condition is critical.
For imaging, this radiology equipment uses phosphor screens and plate readers; the image is first captured on the plate and then converted into the digital format, so that it can be enhanced for a better view. Further, if there is a PACS system installed in the clinic, these images can also be archived as well as set up for recovery in case of any problem in the server.