Lobelia inflata, a potentially toxic herb also known by the common names asthma weed and Indian tobacco, is sold as a dietary supplement in liquid extract, tincture and caplet form. According to RxList, lobelia is unsafe to take by mouth and...
Dilantin is an anti-convulsant or anti-seizure medication that has been used to treat epilepsy since 1938. It works on the cerebral cortex to reduce the strength and speed of electrical discharges in the motor region of the cortex, helping to...
Hemolytic anemia, a medical condition which causes the premature destruction of red blood cells, can lead to cardiovascular collapse, heart disease and lung disease. One of the easiest ways to spot symptoms of hemolytic anemia is to check the...
The appendix is a small pouch connected to the right side of the colon. When it becomes obstructed, it swells up. Bacteria that normally reside in it have nowhere to go, thus creating a closed, infected space in the abdomen. According to the...
Pseudoephedrine is a decongestant medication sold over the counter (such as in Sudafed). It is also found as a component in some prescription medications. Pseudoephedrine is available as a tablet, chewable tablet, controlled-release tablet,...
Phenmetrazine and its analog phendimetrazine are stimulant drugs prescribed for suppressing appetite and increasing weight loss. Both are listed as controlled substances by the Food and Drug Administration. These drugs are similar in structure to...
Hyperthyroidism, an overactive thyroid, affects less than 1 percent of pregnant women, the New York Thyroid Center states, but can have devastating consequences. Some symptoms of hyperthyroid that occur in pregnancy are common to everyone with...
Methamphetamine (also known as "ice" or "glass") intoxication occurs when you introduce a lethal dose of drugs into the system. A lethal dose can vary from person to person, as each individual may have a different threshold for intoxication. When...
Hormones are messenger chemicals produced by glands and released into the bloodstream. They affect activity in cells throughout the body, signaling to each other and to other tissues to form a range of functions. The levels of each hormone in the...
The Native Americans smoked eyebright to treat asthma and other respiratory conditions such as bronchitis and cough. In the 19th century, it was used to induce vomiting. More recently, eyebright served as a nicotine substitute in anti-smoking...
An over-the-counter bodybuilding supplement, N.O.-Xplode is touted as an "Extreme Pre-Training Igniter" by its manufacturer, BSN. It is sold as a powder available in various flavors to be combined with water and consumed before an intense workout...
According to Drugs.com, ofloxacin is an oral, prescription medication that is in the fluoroquinolone class of antibacterial drugs. Ofloxacin is appropriate for use in adults who have mild to moderate bacterial infections such as bronchitis,...
Doctors prescribe amoxicillin for a wide variety of bacterial infections of the skin, sinuses, bladder, ear, nose, throat and stomach. As a member of the penicillin-like antibiotic group of medications, amoxicillin effectively kills many...
The coronary arteries are responsible for providing blood to the heart. If the arteries become narrowed or blocked, patients may require bypass surgery, which replaces the diseased artery with a graft. A triple bypass surgery involves bypassing...
A greater than 2 percent body weight loss from water deficit constitutes significant dehydration, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. A person's overall health status determines what degree of water loss the individual can...
Antibiotics are derived naturally from molds and bacteria or are synthesized in a laboratory and are used to treat bacterial infections. As with other drugs taken during pregnancy, antibiotics may reach the fetus by crossing the placenta and can...
Phentermine hydrochloride affects the cardiovascular system in much the same way that fear, excitement and anger do. Essentially an amphetamine, phentermine stimulates the part of the central nervous system that regulates the heart and blood...
The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that more than 300,000 people in the United States use methamphetamine, or crystal meth, a highly addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system. Crystal meth is popular because it is...
Datura includes several species of poisonous plants in the Solanaceae family that have a long history of use as hallucinogens. Renown for its unpleasant and frequently violent effects, datura, especially datura stramonium or jimson weed, has...
Augmentin is the brand name for a combination drug that contains amoxicillin and clavulanate. In the U.S., GlaxoSmithKline produces three forms of Augmentin: regular tablets, an extended-release form known as Augmentin XR and a product known as...
Serax is a benzodiazepine prescribed for the treatment of anxiety disorders and short-term anxiety. It is also indicated for symptom relief in alcohol withdrawal, including tremors, anxiety and inebriation. For elderly patients, Serax may be...
Lobelia is a plant that grows up to three feet tall with hairy stems, green leaves and pale violet-yellow flowers. Lobelia has a long history of use by Native Americans as an herbal remedy for the treatment of respiratory conditions. Today, the...
People who abuse stimulant drugs often do so to improve mental and physical performance, increase productivity, reduce appetite or produce a sense of exhilaration, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Although these effects are...
The term flesh-eating bacteria refers to an infection called necrotizing faciitis. This is a severe, rapidly progressive bacterial infection of the skin and underlying soft tissues and muscle compartment sheath (the fascia). Necrotizing faciitis...
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a class of drugs that elicit an array of antipyretic (fever-reducing), analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. This class of drugs is utilized by more than 17 million people in the United States...
Lobelia inflata is an annual or biennial flowering herb that grows wild in many parts of North America. It can grow to a height of three feet, producing pale green leaves and attractive violet-blue blooms with tiny yellow centers. The leaves and...
The thyroid helps control a number of metabolic functions, including temperature regulation, reproductive function, weight and heart rate, among others. Thyroid stimulating hormone, produced by the pituitary gland, tells the thyroid to increase...
Bradycardia is a heart rate below 60 beats per minute. There are several factors that can decrease heart rate and cause bradycardia. How sensitive a person is to these factors depends on how healthy she is. Medication, disease processes and...
Metformin is a prescription medication indicated for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, either alone or combination with other drugs. It is the only medication that belongs to a class called the biguanides. Metformin works by decreasing the amount...
