Caffeine and coffee are a daily part of life for most people in modern society. The discovery of the coffee bean is said to have been in Ethiopia, when a sleepy eyed goat herder noticed his goats eating red berries, he then noticed the effect it had on them as they jumped and danced around him. He then tasted the berries and his eyes opened wide, he took them to the local village who also liked it and in particular the monks who used the berries to keep them awake during meditation.
The first documented medicinal effects were documented by philosopher and physician Avicenna Bukhara, also known as Ibn Sina, around 1000AD, where he said it strengthens the body and acts as an astringent (Dharmandana n.d.). Coffee use then spread through the Middle East and eventually reaching the shore of Venice in the early 1500s. By the mid-1800s, coffee and caffeine was being used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda and Western Medicine. It was well known by this stage as a stimulant and was used widely in narcotic overdoses. The sources used for this review of the use of coffee and/or caffeine in a narcotic overdose include; The Materia Medica for Nurses (1897) and Caffeine as an antidote in the poisonous narcotism of opium (1860).
The Materia Medica for Nurses states that during an overdose from opium to administer strong black coffee and artificial respiration. The coffee is given through a tube into the stomach or rectum as it may be difficult for the patient to swallow. If a large dose of opium has been ingested it may be necessary for vomiting to be induced or the stomach to be pumped prior to coffee being given. Along with the black coffee external heat is to be applied as well as the bladder emptied through a catheter to prevent re...
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...a medicine. It also highly addictive and there is a chance for the treatment to be abused and hinder treatment for narcotic addiction by swapping one addition for another. There are also many other treatments in other sources published around the same time that offer different alternatives and may be slightly more effective than the use of coffee or caffeine.
Both sources state the same treatment for an opioid overdose with caffeine or coffee being the main substance. The two sources utilize caffeine as a stimulant to increase cognitive response and respiration. Coffee is also mentioned throughout both sources as being consumed daily by the general public and inform the chance of an overdose is very unlikely. By looking at both sources it can be assumed the caffeine and coffee are effective natural treatments for an overdose with mild, short lasting side effects.
Coffee is a truly a mythological treasure. It serves the dual functions of waking one up and providing one with relaxation. It is both acid and base, bitter and sweet, caustic and comforting. It is used for an array of purposes: to soothe, to give energy, to lend fortitude, to bring people together. Sometimes it is ascribed almost supernatural healing properties. In Mario Puzo’s The Fortunate Pilgrim, coffee takes these roles and more: the drinking of coffee is an immensely important ritual that serves a myriad of social functions and responds to a wide range of human emotions.
Almost one hundred years ago, prescription drugs like morphine were available at almost any general store. Women carried bottles of very addictive potent opiate based pain killers in their purse. Many individuals like Edgar Allen Poe died from such addictions. Since that time through various federal, state and local laws, drugs like morphine are now prescription drugs; however, this has not stopped the addiction to opiate based pain killers. Today’s society combats an ever increasing number of very deadly addictive drugs from designer drugs to narcotics to the less potent but equally destructive alcohol and marijuana. With all of these new and old drugs going in and out of vogue with addicts, it appears that the increase of misuse and abuse is founded greater in the prescription opiate based painkillers.
Grinspoon L, Bakalar JB (1981). Coca and cocaine as medicines: an historical review. J Ethnopharmacol. 1981 Mar-May; 3(2-3):149-59.
To further rule in or out the paramedics current theory of a drug overdose the paramedics can con...
Although opium has been imported to Britain for hundreds of years for medicinal purposes it was not until the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries that its use as a pharmaceutical panacea and exotic recreational drug became epidemic within all strata of British society. Prior to the 1868 Pharmacy Act which restricted the sale of opium to professional pharmacists, anyone could legally trade in opium products: by the middle of the nineteenth century hundreds of opium based potions, pill, and patent medicines were available to the general public. Among the most famous preparations were Dover’s Powders, initially marketed as a cure for gout; Godfey’s Cordial which was sold as a “soother” for crying babies; and laudanum, a tincture of opium in alcohol, which was both easily made and readily available (Berridge, 24).
Caffeine is a mild stimulant that occurs naturally in at least 63 plant species. Caffeine can be found in the leaves, stems, seeds, and roots of these various plants. Caffeine is part of the methylxanthine family. It consists of a xanthine molecule with three methyl groups attached to it. Caffeine can be found in many products like sodas, tea, and coffee, but it also occurs in several other products such as prescription medications, diuretics, and pain relievers. Caffeine’s widespread use and popularity have caused many people to view the substance as an addictive drug. Thus making caffeine the most inexpensive and readily available drug known to man. Then on the other hand there are people who view caffeine as a helpful stimulant that increases the individual’s concentration and awareness as well as many other physical traits. The important thing to remember is that caffeine’s affects vary based on the person, the amount ingested, the frequency of consumption, and individual metabolism. (http://www.pp.okstate.edu/ehs/kopykit/caffeine.html)
Drug use and abuse is as old as mankind itself. Human beings have always had a desire to eat or drink substances that make them feel relaxed, stimulated, or euphoric. Wine was used at least from the time of the early Egyptians; narcotics from 4000 B.C.; and medicinal use of marijuana has been dated to 2737 B.C. in China. But it was not until the nineteenth century that the active substances in drugs were extracted. There was a time in history when some of these newly discovered substances, such as morphine, laudanum, cocaine, were completely unregulated and prescribed freely by physicians for a wide variety of ailments.
Naloxone is an opioid antagonist which is designed to quickly reverse an opioid overdose. The medication binds to the opioid receptors and prevent other opioids from reaching them. It has the potential to reverse and block the effects of opioids and rapidly restore normal respiration to an individual whose breathing has stopped or slowed
4) Siegel, S., Hinson, R.E., Krank, M.D. and McCully, J. Heroin "overdose" death: contribution of drug-associated environmental cues. Science 216, 436-437 (1982)
Aranella, Cheryl, MD., M.P.H. Use of Opiates to Manage Pain in the Seriously and Terminally Ill Patient. American Hospice Foundation, 2006. Web. 7 November 2011.
The term energy drinks refers to beverages that contain caffeine in combination with other ingredients such as guarana and other vitamins and minerals. In other words, energy drinks can be defined as a soft drink containing a high percentage of sugar, caffeine, or another stimulant, typically consumed during or after sporting activity or as a way of overcoming tiredness. Energy drinks are highly sweetened, caffeinated beverages that are packaged in brightly colored, slim line containers. They are sold virtually everywhere. At first, energy drinks were sold as a medicinal tonic drink and they have some benefits if person take it in limit. There are various negative effects of energy
72 hours is only three days, slightly less than half the week, a minor blip on an annual calendar. How hard could it be to remain abstinent from essentially anything of my choosing for 72 hours? I created a mental list of things I could quit, after a few hours of self-reflection I decided to make these 72 hours a challenge. While caffeine is a drug, Dr. Michael Kuhar of Emery University in Atlanta prefers to use the term “dependent” rather than “addicted” when categorizing extreme use. (Fortin, 2009) Caffeine is the substance that I consume the most in my life and I would consider myself “dependent”. I consume caffeine every day, I start every morning with coffee and continue to drink it throughout the day. I try to avoid soda and junk food in my diet so almost all of the caffeine that I consume comes from coffee. A typical 8 oz. cup of brewed coffee contains
Coffee is the first thing that people associate with instant energy on a groggy morning. “In the U.S., coffee is king of beverages” (Reinke) Research has been done that has named coffee as an addiction to the people who consume large quantities of it. Coffee was named the top source of antioxidants. This is partly because of the amount consumed each day. Some of the antioxidants that coffee has are quinines and chlorogenic acid. It also contains trigonelline, an antibacterial compound. This is where coffee acquires its delicious aroma. Now let’s step back for a minute and just think about how much caffeine people consume. In an 8oz cup of coffee it has about 85 milligrams of caffeine. This is about double the amount that tea contains. Studies have shown that caffeine stimulates the brain and nervous system. This is where you get that energized feeling. After about the third cup, knees start to bounce, pens are clicking and people start running laps around the office. Caffeine can become addicting if you drink too much. Coffee can become that addictive habit people are unable to shake.
It appears that coffee was discovered in the ninth century after a goatherd named Kaldi found the berries that his sheep were eating made his sheep and then himself unusually energetic. The stimulating berries after being roasted and brewed eventually evolved into coffee as a hot drink and became popular throughout Arabia, Turkey and Europe by the seventeenth century. (Thomson, 2006). In 1901, the first successful technique for manufacturing a stable powered product was invented by Sartori Kato, a Japanese chemist living in America. Kato received a patent for his invention and the instant coffee history was made. He then set up his own coffee company named Kato Coffee Company in Chicago (Stefanie, n.d.).
Caffeine (also known as Guaranine) is a plant-based alkaloid that operates as an insecticide when found in plants and a stimulant when ingested by humans. It is most commonly found in coco, tea, and coffee plants. The caffeine works as a built-in pesticide in these plants by over-exciting insects to the point of extinction. Medically caffeine is known as trimethylxanthine . It is a white powder with an intense bitter taste that when consumed by humans, it is recognized as a psychoactive drug. These drugs work on the body’s central nervous system to affect brain functions such as consciousness...