Exam 2 Flashcards
Explain how the protection of tropical rain forests will affect access to medicinal resources, including knowledge.
- Tropical rainforests have undergone widespread destruction with losses thousand of species that have not yet been investigated
- Indigenous people care about fragile ecosystems
- have to spend more time and research searching for medicinal plants that they rely on. Causes loss of tradition and knowlege.
- Many rural populations rely on herbal remedies as the only health care- loss of resourse and oral traditions
- New medicines needed: resistance evolving in pathogens to current meds
Describe the uses of these Native American plants: Goldenseal and Witch hazel. Know which parts are used for each.
Goldenseal- Native american medicine
rhizome (underground stem) was dried up and ground for
Yellow dye, Insect repellant, Antiseptic or antibiotic wash for treating wounds, mouth sores and eye inflammation.
Often used with Echinacea for treating colds (one of top selling herbal products)
One of the most over harvested herbs: >60 million goldenseal plants picked each year without being replaced
Witch Hazel- shrub or small tree with perfect flowers
Twigs, bark, leaves used in infusions for relief from aches and pains (soar muscles and soar throats)
Water or alcoholic extract is used as a tropical astringent and antiseptic
Common in skincare products - sunburn, acne, skin irritations, eczema, hemorroids, wound healing, and varicose veins.
Know how secondary chemical compounds differ from primary production, their purpose for the plant and how humans use them.
Secondary chemical compounds are produced for plant protection and survival. Humans can often use these chemicals for medicine and cosmetics.
Infection or herbavores
Describe the origin of aspirin, including the plants from which it is derived and their uses by ancient cultures.
Aspirin comes from willow bark - used by ancient greeks and native americans
Pain relief and other ailments
Willow bark contains salicin which is converted to salicylic acid in digestion.
Used in asprin
Know the three properties of aspirin and the risks associated with its use.
Three properties: Antiflammatory, Antiphyretic (fever reduction), Analgesic (pain relieving)
Risks:
Reye’s Syndrome- swelling of liver and brain following a viral infection, 3-5 days after symptoms start but also may be linked to aspirin when given to children for these viral infections.
GI distress/ bleeding
Gender differences related to heart health
Describe how salicylic acid protects plants.
Salicylic acid is a horomone that signals the plant to become more resistant to herbivores and pathogens–activates genes for:
Stronger cell wall at site of infection/ wound
Synthesis of enzymes that attack pathogens
Antimicorbial compounds
Production of SA lowers plant growth-must be needed
Volatility signals neighbor plants to become resistant
Acetylsalicylic acid caused less gastric distress
Salicylic acid for wart, corn removals and other skin ailments
Carried by slugs that eat the plants
Describe how Aloe vera is used to treat a variety of symptoms.
Aloe vera- a desert plant with modified leaves
Treats: minor burns, wounds and cuts, poison ivy, eczema, psoriasis, other rashes, skin and mouth ulcers, constipation (pugative), athlete’s foot.
Stimulates cell growth and inhibits bacterial and fungal infection in injuries
Traditional treatment of diabetes
Negative interactions with some heart medications
Sap (latex)- inhibits bacteria, viruses, pain, itches, also has anti-tumor properties.
Gel- antiseptic, antifungal, anti-flammatory, antibacterial, antimutagenic (highly toxic if injected)
Describe herbs and how they are made into herbal products for commercial and medicinal use. Read both articles to determine how preparation can affect safety.
Herbs are any form of a plant or plant product, including leaves, stems, flowers, roots, and seeds.
- Either sold raw or as extracts, where the plant is macerated with water, alcohol, or other solvents to extract some of the chemicals.
Because any given herb contains multiple ingredients, some manufacturers attempt to create standardized herbal products by identifying a suspected active ingredient and altering the manufacturing process to obtain a consistent amount of this chemical.
Define how dietary supplements are defined by the DSHEA.
The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA)- “anything that supplements the diet.”
Supplements therefore include vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, enzymes, organ tissues, metabolites, extracts, or concentrates.
They do not claim to cure or treat any illness
DSHEA- Must label supplements with all ingredients, serving size, nutritional information
Explain whether natural herbal remedies are always safe and effective. Know examples from readings and class. Name the first herbal compound to be banned by the FDA and the reason why it was banned.
They are not always safe
Ephedra weight loss supplement – first ban of botanical supplement by FDA, 2004
nausea, vomiting, psychiatric symptoms, heart attacks, strokes, seizures, death
only certain chemical compounds (alkaloids of ephedrine) are banned
Evaluate practices that could or do ensure the safe use of herbal remedies individually and in regulation.
Set of requirements and expectations for manufacture, preparation and storage to ensure consistency in quality.
(1) requiring manufacturers to register with
the FDA,
(2) mandating safety tests similar to those required
for over-the-counter drugs,
(3) requiring all health claims to be
supported by data approved by the FDA, and
(4) ensuring that
product labels provide an accurate list of all ingredients.
Describe the process of standardization [see second reading] and know whether U.S. law requires this of dietary supplements.
A process that manufacturers mays use for extracts to ensure that all of their batches are similar. The process involves identifying and measuring specific chemicals and adjusting them to assure consistent amounts in each batch
US law does not require dietary supplements to be standardized
Know which U.S. agency regulates prescription medications, how approvals differ for dietary supplements and who is responsible for safety of supplements.
FDA
Name the three types of psychoactive drugs and their overall effects on humans.
Stimulants- excite and enhance mental alertness and
physical activity; they reduce fatigue and suppress hunger.
ex: Caffeine, Ephedra (FDA banned ephedrine alkaloids), coca cola, Khat, Cocaine
Stimulants can be antagonistic (but not completely) (awake but still impaired)
Depressants- dull mental awareness, reduce
physical performance, and often induce sleep or a trancelike
state.
Effects: calming, reduces mental awareness and physical performance, pain perception.
Additive- combing depressants amplifies the effect
Dosage- low doses can increase excitement but higher makes you drowsy (High levels: Coma, Death (respiratory failure)
Ex: wine, opium, morphine, heroin
Hallucinagens- altered states of consciousness. Affect perception through production or mimicking of serotonin (another neurotransmitter). changes in perception, thought, and mood, often inducing a dreamlike state.
Ex: Marijuana (THC), LSD,
Describe the history of use of Papaver somniferum (opium poppy). Know examples discussed in class.
Opium is the latex
Poppys are native to the middle east.
Used madicinally by ancient cultures (edgypt, greece, rome) for analgesic and sleep-inducing properties
Hippocrates acknowledged its usefulness as a narcotic
Dioscorides recommended it for alleviating pain during limb amputations in the 1st C
Used for teething syrup for young children, cough remedy, cure for diarrheam soothing medivines for neuralgia and rheumatism (Middle ages)
1527 Laudanum introduced it as a pain killer (peak in 1800s)
In china Opium used increased in 1600s as tobacco used was discouraged
1805 active compound, morphine, extracted (named morphium after Morpheus)
Describe the conflicts and history over the opium trade in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Opium determined poisonous (addictive) in 1868
Pure food and Drugs Act of 1906 required accurate labeling
1729 opium smoking prohibited in China except for medicinal purposes due to high addiction rates
British East India Company smuggled opium into China via Canton
Opium shipments destroyed by Chines govt.
First Opium war, next decade another opium war with Chinese losing concessions to British and U.S.
1913 moral pressure - end opium trade
People’s Republic of China (1949) converted poppy fields to agricultural fields
- Pure food and drug act of 1906.
- 1909 smoking opium Exclusion Act - first federal law in the U.S. banned non-medicinal use of a substance; medical uses stil permitted.
- 1914 Harrison Narcotics Act-Licensing requirements and taxes for producers distributors and dispensers (physicians exempt).
1923 Narcotics banned by U.S. treasury dept narcotics division
Know the first active chemical isolated from a plant and its main importance in medicine.
Morphine- From the opium poppy
named after Morpheus- the greek god of dreams
Morphine depresses the areas of the brain involved in the perception of pain and reduces the anxiety that accompanies pain
the drug of choice for the control of intense pain from severe burns or visceral pain during the postoperative period, cases of terminal cancer, and kidney stones
Name the variety of drugs derived from the opium poppy and benefits and risks of each. (opiates)
Pain concerns: increase tolerance, withdrawal leads to pain, sensitivity to existing injuries, long-term hyperalgesia
Morphine- depresses pain perception in brain and reduces anxiety
Was prescribed for pain, diarrhea, coughing
Mimics endorphins (hormones)
“Soldiers disease”- Civil War soldiers became addicted
Still used for post-operative care, terminal cancer, kidney stones; sometimes in patients with heart failure
Codeine- suppresses cough; ⅕ as strong as morphine
Oral analgesic (painkiller)
Need a prescription (Schedule 3)
also very addictive
Heroin introduced by Bayer in 1898 as a cough suppressant
High addiction rate by 1903 (six times more addictive than morphine)
1917- no longer used in cough syrup- now used in some countries to suppress severe pain.
