Drugs and Pharmacology, Nineteenth Edition

Welcome to the nineteenth edition of Drugs and Pharmacology. Today, we discuss the history of marijuana in France, it’s medical implications in treating depression, hyperbaric oxygen therapy for brain-injuries, and a comprehensive look at NSAIDS and their complications.

Remember, we review the latest blogs related to drugs — medicinal, recreational, interactional, personal, professional, or any other aspect. If you were left out in this round, just leave a comment with your blog entry. You can check out the archives for every edition of this carnival.

For future editions, please remember to submit your blog entries using the online submission form. We will do our best to review and include your entry! Enjoy your readings…

Providentia writes Going To Pot:

Despite a lengthy history dating back thousands of years, hashish and other cannabis compounds were only introduced to France by veterans of Napoleon’s Egygtian campaign at the turn of the 19th century (it became so popular with the French soldiers serving in Egypt that Napoleon issued an order banning its use). Several medical doctors who had been part of the French campaign were sufficiently intrigued by hashish to send samples back to their colleagues in France for further research.

The Conscious Life writes NSAIDs: What You Need to Know Before Taking Them:

In 1971, Sir John Vane found how aspirin actually works, and took home a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for this discovery. The English pharmacologist postulated that aspirin acts by suppressing the production of prostaglandins, the messengers responsible for the inflammatory response.

JeremyJones.org writes Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) with Dr Harch in New Orleans:

So we packed up and travelled to New Orleans where we met with Dr Harch and David began his treatments at 1.5 ATA at 100% oxygen in a hard chamber. We went through two treatments a day, five days a week, for four weeks. David did not show any signs of improvement at first, in fact we found him to be a bit more lethargic than usual. However, on the weekends by Sunday he was more energetic than he had been before the treatments began. After the 25th treatment, it became clear that David’s range of motion was increasing considerably and he had the ability to lift his head.

Clinical Depression writes Medical marijuana is an effective treatment for depression: True or False?:

The antidepressant and intoxicating effects of cannabis are due to its chemical similarity to natural substances in the brain known as “endo-cannabinoids,” which are released under conditions of high stress or pain, said Gobbi. They interact with the brain through structures called cannabinoid CB1 receptors. The study demonstrated that these receptors have a direct effect on the cells producing serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that regulates the mood, she said.