Module 8

MODULE 8

Drugs derived from plants

There were 4 drugs that I could think of that are derived from plants.  These include codeine, morphine, ephedrine, and caffeine. 

1. CODEINE
Medicinal uses: Analgesic (painkiller), antitussive (suppress coughing)
Plant derived from: Papaver somniferium

2. MORPHINE
Medicinal uses: Analgesic (painkiller)
Plant derived from: Papaver somniferium

3. EPHEDRINE
Medicinal uses: Sympathomimetic (mimic sympathetic nervous system hormones), antihistamine
Plant derived from: Ephedra sinica

4. CAFFEINE
Medicinal uses: Central Nervous System (CNS) stimulant
Plant derived from: Camelllia sinensis

SOCIETY and USAGE

In general, I think these drugs have had positive effects on our society when taken for the right reasons.  Codeine and morphine are very common to use as painkillers.  Unfortunately, with pain killers, people can abuse them and use them for recreational use or even get addicted to them.  However, I know personally I have had a lot of surgeries and codeine helped me with pain management.  Codeine is also an antitussive and helps suppress coughing.  I got my tonsils out and this definitely helped me recover.  Ephedrine is an antihistamine which is obviously helpful to society because it helps with inflammation.  For example, you could use ephedrine if you had a swollen ankle. It also is a sympathomimetic, meaning it mimics the sympathetic nervous system.  It can be used to treat low blood pressure, especially if caused by other drugs.  It can also help with irregular breathing.  Caffeine is obviously a common used drug in society and I would say it definitely helps because we have all seen how the people of society can act without their morning coffee! I think that using plants to make drugs can be very beneficial for society with few negative consequences if used properly and heavily monitored by physicians, pharmacists, and patients.

NEWS SOURCE

America's trapped my opioid meds

This article discusses a very serious issue within our country - Opioid (like codeine and morphine) abuse and addiction. It says "Drugs take the lives of 129 Americans every day." - WOW.

I do agree with this article in terms of drugs being more available now than they were in the past.  Yes, painkillers were more difficult to get in the past but it makes sense for them to be a tightly controlled substance given the high potential for abuse. I also agree that it negatively impacts our society because so many people are affected by drug addicts - not even just the addicts themselves. I also agree that we need to have programs in place for people who are struggling with opioid addition.  I am also in agreement that Congress expressing concern is beneficial for society.

I definitely agree with this article that opioids should be tightly controlled and that those struggling with addition need help! That being said, I believe that drugs like codeine and morphine are very helpful in terms of pain management for seriously painful procedures and injuries.  We can all work together to be able to use these helpful yet powerful drugs in a good way!