Strychnine Strychnine is a naturally occurring drug that exists as a colorless, odorless, bitter, and highly toxic crystalline alkaloid used in killing small vertebrates such as rodents, birds, and other pests. Barks and seeds from climbing shrubs and trees from the genus Strychnos contain the potent alkaloid, and the distribution of the plants occurs widely distributed in warm climates across Africa, Asia, and America. The Strychnos nux-vomica and Strychnos ignatii plants found in Australia and southern Asia are the main sources of the strychnine alkaloid. However, scientists have discovered methods of synthetically producing the drug in laboratories. Strychnine has a chemical formula of C21H22N2O2 and a molar mass of 334.41g/mol, and the compound …show more content…
The inhibition occurs in both the brainstems and the spinal cord where strychnine competitively counteracts the activity of the neurotransmitters produced by the cells in the nervous system. The drug’s actions predominantly occur at the neuron synapse of the Renshaw cell-motors that are vital in connecting motorneurons. Preventing the binding between the post-synaptic receptors and glycine at the neuron synapse stops the post-synaptic channels from opening (Roy et al., 2012). Thus, severe neurological symptoms appear in the victim as the inhibitory signals fail to propagate in the nervous system. Excessive convulsions and motor neuron activities then occur due to the failure of the post-synaptic inhibition and accumulation of glycine in the brain. As a result, exaggerated responses to external stimuli such as touch, sound, and vision may arise in the central nervous system. This causes the restlessness, painful spasms, and agitation witnessed among individuals suffering from strychnine
When a person's faith is also an alternative for their culture and morals, it proves challenging to take that sense of security in that faith away from them. In Night, Elie Wiesel, a Jewish student living in Sighet, Transylvania during the war of 1942, uses his studies in Talmud and the Kabbalah as not only a religious practice but a lifestyle. Elie and his fellow civilians are warned, however, by his Kabbalah teacher who says that during the war, German aggressors are aggregately imprisoning, deporting, and annihilating millions of Jews. When Elie and his family are victim of this aggression, Elie realizes how crucial his faith in God is if he is to survive the Holocaust. He vows after being separated from his mother and sisters that he will protect he and his father from death, even though as death nears, Elie gradually becomes closer to losing his faith. In the end, to Elie's devastation, Elie makes it out of the Holocaust alone after his father dies from the intense seclusion to malnutrition and deprivation. Elie survives the Holocaust through a battle of conscience--first by believing in God, then resisting his faith in God, and ultimately replacing his faith with obligation to his father.
The cause of Tardive Dyskinesia has not been positively identified, but researchers do know that neuroleptic drugs change the way nerve impulses jump from the pre-synaptic neurons across a synapse to the post-synaptic neurons. (2). Such drugs prevent the neurotransmitter dopamine from reaching the brain, "directly impairing the function of the basal ganglia and the emotion-regulating limbic system and frontal lobes." (6)
Abstract: The human brain is the most complex organ in the body. Its functions control every aspect of life. It is important to attempt to comprehend the workings of the brain and to learn the effects of natural and unnatural substances on it. In order to look at chemical effects on the brain, one must first get an understanding for the chemicals as well as how the brain works to interpret and react to signals set out by these chemicals, rhythmically and physiologically. Several chemicals observed include: cocaine (and other chemicals), seratonin, and melatonin.
“All I had to do was to close my eyes for a second to see a whole world passing by, to dream a whole lifetime.”(83) Elie Wiesel chose a unique way to write his novel Night in order to draw attention to what was happening. Wiesel attempts to engage his readers by using diction, imagery, and organization.
In the brainstem, the most primitive part of the brain, lie clusters of serotonin neurons. The nerve fiber terminals of the serotonergic neurons extend all throughout the central nervous system from the cerebral cortex to the spinal cord. This neurotransmitter is responsible for controlling fundamental physiological aspects of the body. In the central nervous system (CNS), serotonin has widespread and often profound implications, including a role in sleep, appetite, memory, learning, temperature regulation, mood, sexual behavior, cardiovascular function, muscle contraction, and endocrine regulation. Not only does this bioamine control physiological aspects of the body, but it also has an involvement in behaviors like eating, sleeping and aggression. Serotonin has been noted to produce an inhibitory effect on the nervous system that calms, soothes and generates feelings of general contentment and satiation.
Neurotransmitters can also produce their effects by modulating the production of other signal-transducing molecules ("second messengers"messengers") in the post-synaptic cells (Cooper, Bloom and Roth 1996). Nine compounds -- belonging to three chemical families -- are generally believed to function as neurotransmitters somewhere in the central nervous system (CNS) or periphery. In addition, certain other body chemicals, for example adenosine, histamine, enkephalins, endorphins, and epinephrine, have neurotransmitter-like properties, and many additional true neurotransmitters may await discovery.
One of the many things that makes me happy or smile is being with my friends, but another thing that makes me really happy is doing robotics with my friends. Robotics is one of many activities that is involved in SECME. SECME is an acronym that stands for science, engineering, communication, mathematics, and enrichment. A few SECME activities that I enjoy doing that involve STEM or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are seaperch, first lego league, vex, and vex IQ.
Today, belladona is a very important plant to science and the medical field because of its chemical content. Dioscorides knew of the active constituent of this species in the first century, but it wasn't "discovered" for another eighteen hundred-years. In 1809, the chemical was isolated and by 1819 it was classified an "alkaloid." Today, we know that belladona contains atropine, scopolomine and hyoscyamine. According to the U.S. Pharmacopoeia, "atropine is extremely poisonous."(2) It is so potent that a dilution of only 1 part in 130,000 parts water is sufficient to dilate the pupil of a cats eye.
Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain characterized by an enduring predisposition to generate epileptic seizures,1 and by the neurobiological, cognitive, psychological and social consequences of this condition. An epileptic seizure is a brief disturbance of consciousness, behavior, emotion, motor function, or sensation that is due to abnormal electrical discharge in the brain.2 In partial-onset epilepsy, these bursts of electrical activity are initially focused in specific areas of the brain, but may become more generalized, with symptoms varying according to the affected areas. Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological condition in the UK.3 The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated its prevalence to be affecting approximately 5-8 per 1000 people.4 Anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) are the major therapeutic option. Over a dozens of AEDs are introduced in the last 2 decades (Table 1.1). Between 1990 and 2011, 15 new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) were approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and/or by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). These drugs are Eslicarbazepine ace...
570885, HIST 317 Nokter the Stammerer According to dictionary.com “wisdom” is defined as knowledge of what is true or rightcoupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight. Now the reason why that definition is important is because that what Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, embodies in ‘The Life of Charlemagne’ by Notker the Stammerer. Much like Einhard’s biography of Charlemagne in some ways, Notker the Stammerer writes less about Charles the Great’s character and more about his thirst for and his acquisition of wisdom. In this analysis what will be examined is how deeply Charlemagne and wisdom are intertwined.
The mode of action of Memantine is completely different from other medications utilized for the treatment of patients with Alzheimer’s disease.The action of Memantine is independent of the brain chemical acetylcholine and the enzyme acetylcholineesterase, which are the targets for other medicines used for Alzheimer’s disease.Memantine basically competes with the amino acid glutamate (main brain chemical secreted by nerve cells) which is responsible for contributing to the symptoms of AD for binding to the receptors on the cells’ surface known as N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor.Blockage of the receptor and thereby the effects of glutamate by Memantine may protect nerve cells of the brain from excessive stimulation by glutamate.Studies have shown that Memantine does not influence the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase by other medications of AD such as tacrine, donepezil, or
Jean Luc Godard’s Breathless is often regarded one of the earliest films exhibiting the French New Wave style of cinema due to its influence on the movement and innovation by the producers. One of the most noticeable edits that Godard does in Breathless is the jump-cuts made frequently during conversations, and other times when one would expect continuity, in order to break up the flow of story to the audience and force them to actively participate on understanding the progression of events. This is quite contrary to the typical Hollywood style of film editing as transitions between shots are usually smoothed over as much as possible so that the audience focuses solely on the plot events transpiring on the screen rather than the editing
Atropine is a non-selective muscarinic cholinergic antagonist and it functions by directly blocking the M3 receptor (Bhattacharjee et al., 2013). This is an example of pharmacological antagonism whereby atropine competitively inhibits Ach, antagonizing the action of Ach at postganglionic muscarinic sites (Bhattacharjee et al., 2013). The inhibition effect of atropine is concentration-dependent (Wali et al., 1987). In high concentrations, atropine reduces Ach-induced contractions by blocking ion channels present at the postsynaptic membrane of the smooth muscle cells (Wali et al., 1987).
When using a drug like cocaine it causes the nerve cells to release an abnormal large amount of natural neurotransmitters and also prevents the normal recycling of brain chemicals which are needed to shut off the signal between neurons. Such disruption produces an amplified message that disrupts the normal communication patterns in the brain.
In this quest of alternative drug development, plant origins are appearing as a vast resource of easily serviceable option. From early 19th century to until recent, plant products and derivatives