the correct usage of modern medicine

In taking any medicine, we should know why the medicine is prescribed, how themedicine should be used, what special precautions should be followed, what specialdiet should be followed, what are the side effects, and what storage conditions are needed. In addition, we should note the following points :

1.Self-medication

Do not prescribe medicines for yourself (self-medication) or forother people. Discuss with your doctor and listen to himconcerning the medicine to be taken.

2.Follow the instructions given

Follow the instructions given by your doctor or pharmacistconcerning the dosage and method of taking the medicine.

3.Medicines for adult and childrenMedicines for adult should not be given to children and viceversa.

4.Side effectsVisit the doctor immediately if there are symptoms of allergyor other effects of the drugs.

5.Expiry dateLike foods, medicines also have expiry date. Do not takemedicines after their expiry dates.

possible side effect of using modern medicine

 Aspirin

Can cause bleeding in the stomach because aspirin is vey acidic.

Can cause allergic reactions, skin rashes and asthmatic attacks

Amphetamines

People who abuse amphetamines are excitable and talkative.

Psychologically additive and can cause heart attack.

Can cause anxiety , sleeplessness, aggressive behavior and decrease appetite.

Can cause enlarged pupils, heavy perspiration and trembling hands.

Codeine

Can cause addiction.

Penicillin

Can cause allergic reactions.

Can cause death for people  who are allergic to it.

Streptomycin

Can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, rashes and fever.

Can cause loss of hearing following long-term use.

Stimulants

Can cause addiction

Antidepressants

Can cause addiction.

Can cause headaches, grogginess and loss of appetite.

Antipsychotic drugs

Can cause dry mouth, blurred vision, urinary retention, constipation.

Can cause tremor and restlessness.

Sedation (make people calmer, or to make people sleepy).

the functions of each type of modern medicine

Analgesics

1.Analgesics are medicines that relieve pain. Examples of analgesics are       aspirin, paraccetamol, and codeine. Analgesicsare sometimes called painkillers.

2.Aspirin and paracetamol are mild painkillers whereas codeineis powerful  painkillers.

3.Analgesics relive pain but do not cure the disease.

4.Aspirin : pain relief and anti-inflammatory action

a)The IUPAC name of aspirin is acetyl aslicylec acid. Aspirin contains two functional groups, a carboxylic acid group and the ester group. Thus, aspirin is acidic in nature.

b)Uses of aspirin Aspirin reduces fever and inflammable as well as relives pain. Aspirin is used to :

(i)Reduce fever

(ii)Relieve headaches, muscle aches and joint aches

(iii)Treat arthritis, a disease caused by inflammation of the joints

(iv)Act as an anticoagulant. It prevents the clotting of blood and reduce the risk of the heart attack andstrokes.

5.Paracetamol

a)Paracetamol have the following structural formula. Thus, unlike aspirin, paracetamol is neutral in nature.

b)Paracetamol is similar to aspirin in its effects (that is, reduces fever and relieves pain) but it does not reduce inflammation.

c)Paracetamol also reduces or relieves flu symptoms sucha s fever, bone aches and runny nose.

6.Codeine

a)Codeine is an organic compound that contains the elements of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen.

b)Codeine is an analgesics and is used to relive mirror tomoderate pain. Codeine is more powerful than morphine. Codeine and morphine are narcotic drugs

c)Codeine is also used in cough mixtures for suppressing coughs.

Antibiotics : antibacterial medicine

1.Antibiotics are chemicals that destroy or prevent the growth of infectious microorganism.

2.Two examples of antibiotics are penicillin and streptomycin.

3.Antibiotics are used to treat diseases caused by bacteria.

4.Antibiotics are not effective against diseases caused by viral infections such as influenza, measles, or small pox.

5.Penicillin

 a)Penicillin is derived from the mould Penicillium notatum.

b)Penicillin are used to treat diseases, caused by bacteria, such as pneumonia, gonorrhea and syphilis.

c)Penicillin is only effective on certain bacteria. For example, it cannot be used to treat tuberculosis.

6.Streptomycinis 

the antibiotic that is effective in treating tuberculosis.

Psychotherapeutic medicines

1.Psychotherapeutic medicines are a group of drugs for treating mental or emotional illnesses.

2.Psychotherapeutic drugs can be divided into a few groups as shown below :

• stimulants, ex: caffeine, amphetamine 
• antidepresant, ex: prozac
• antipsychotic agents, ex: chloropomazin 

3. Stimulants

a)Stimulants are naturally occurring or synthetic drugs that stimulate (excite) the activity of the brain and central nervous system.

b)Adrenaline is a stimulant that the body produces when it needs to prepare for demanding or energetic activities.

c)Stimulants make a person more alert, more energetic,less tired and more cheerful.

d)Examples of stimulants are caffeine and amphetamines.Caffeine is a week, naturally occurring stimulant and isfound on coffee, tea and Cola drinks.

e)Amphetamines are strong synthetic stimulants andincrease alertness and physical ability.

f)Amphetamines increase the heart and respiration rates,as well as the blood pressure. As a result, it causes thebody to postpone the need of sleep and can reverse,partially and temporarily, the symptoms of fatigue.

4.Antidepressants

a)Depression is a chronic illness. Most cases of depressionare caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain.

b)People experiencing depression feel hopeless. Theyexperience a loss of interest in everyday activities suchas work or hobbies.

c)There is a strong correlation between the amounts of special chemicals (called neurotransmitters) in the brainand a person’s mood. If these chemicals get too low, theperson may feel depressed.

d)Antidepressants are medicines that increase the brain’slevel of neurotransmitters, thus improving mood.

e)Antidepressants make a person feel calm and sleepy.

5.Antipsychotic medicines

a)Psychosis is the serious mental illness in which peoplelose touch with reality. People with psychosis may,

i. Hear voice and see things that are not really there(hallucinations)

ii. Have belief that are not based on reality (delusions)

b) In psychiatry, there are a number of disorders that areclassified under ‘ psuchosis’, such as schizophrenias(madness), psychotic depression, mania and so on.

c) Psychotic patients have extreme mood swings. Theirmood changes rapidly from high spirit to deepdepression.

d) Antipsychotic medicines do not cure symptoms to helpthe person live a more normal life.

types of modern medicine

1.Before the 20th century, most medicines were extracted from plants (herbal medicines). Since 1900. Thousands of modern drugs have been synthesized from organic compound.

2.Modern medicines can be classified as follows based on their effects on the human body.

3.Some examples of modern medicines are analgesics, antibiotics, psychotherapeutic drugs.

4.Modern drugs have a trade name and a generic name. For example, the analgesic aspirin (generic name) is sold under different brand names such as Caprin and Disprin. Similarly, paracetamol (generic name) is sold under the trade name of Panadol. 

5.Modern medicines usually contain a mixture of active ingredients prepared in different forms, such as capsules, pills, solutions or suspensions. For example, Alka-Seltzer (used as an antacid) contains sodium bicarbonate, citric acid and aspirin. It is the sodium bicarbonate then neutralizes the excess stomach acid.