A story on the Skeletal System

by Jeanne Genevive A. Pillejera

What happened? He groaned. PAIN. He felt pain all over. He groaned as he turned to lie on his back. What happened? He opened his eyes slowly, and nothing. He couldn’t see anything. He winced as he tried to sit up, his vertebra sending out all sorts of pain sensations, echoing at his coccyx as he sat down. What on earth happened? He looked around again. Nothing. Nothing but darkness. What happened? The last thing he remembered was… The gun! There was a gun. Why is he still alive? He was pretty sure he was going to die… Why didn’t he? What happened? Everything seems so hazy. He winced at his throbbing temporals. He can’t remember anything after that gun. What happened? He reached for his head and heard them. Chains! He jumped the hit his frontal on the stone floor. Chains. Chains bound him. Shackled to his carpus, his tarsus, his hyoid… What was happening? He tried to scream for help. He can’t. Something was over his mouth. Something that wasn’t a gag. Something hard. Something clamping his mandible to his maxilla. He looked aroud, his eyes are adjusting to the darkness. Nothing. Nothing but chains. Chains that bound him, anchoring him to this room. He tried to remember what happened. He forced his brain to remember. He can’t remember. Something was blocking his memory. He got up slowly, forcing himself on his feet. He groaned at the pain radiating from his calcaneus and up his tibia and fibula. He groped the walls. Stone. Everything was wtone. He moved around slowly, looking for a door, a window. Anything. Stone. Nothing but stone. This room was nothing but chains and stone. Frustration and panic gripped him.

Then, a scream. And another. And another. A silver of hope. He walked around the room, looking for where the sound is loudest. There. He searched the wall. He felt it. Metal. A mall slit of metal. He took in a deep breath, sent up a small prayer, and fumbled at it with phalanges. It moved. He held his breath and moved it a bit more. A little bit more… He blinked several times as light flooded through the tiney hole. He saw him. The man who screamed. He was on the ground. Bloodied. His skull cracked acroos the parietal bone. What is happening? He looked around the room outside. A man was standing over the bloodied corpse. He knew that man. It was the man who held the gun.

*BANG*

What?! What was that?

*BANG*

He was remembering something.

*BANG*

That’s right. He was shot. That man shot him. But… how? Where was the wound? He looked out the tiny hole again. He stiffened. The man was looking right at him. No. The man was smiling at him.

A story on the Integumentary System

by Mary Grace P. Rubido

            Everything is perfect and fine when I’m with him. I feel like he is my second big brother. I don’t feel any awkwardness unlike when I’m with other guys I know. Why? I don’t know either. But, maybe because he acts like my real brother does. He would cheer me up when I’m down, carry when I’m sick, and when I got wounded even a little bit, like just a scratch in my outer most layer of skin, the epidermis, almost until my stratum basale, he would scold me and say, “Why are you such a child? Can’t you take care of yourself?” See! He is exaggerating things so much. But, that’s why I like him.

            I like him just the way he is. He is so comfortable to be with. I can say that he is my first best guy friend in my life. Oh! I also forgot, he is also protective. Just like when we both went home and rode an LRT train, we were in such a hurry because it is heavily raining outside. He is worried that EDSA might be flooded by now. So, we got in the area wherein it is crowded and two more people and the additional two more people made it like sardines in a can. The door of the train closed. We were at the side close to the pole of the seats and the door opposite to the one that opens. I am leaning with my back at the door and he is facing towards me. We were talking cheerfully and laughing at the same time. I wipe the sweat produced by my sudoriferous glands. But, it is not from my eccrine gland but from my apocrine gland. It is due to the stress of getting in a train immediately. When the next station came, there were three people who got in the train. They were pushing the people in front that made the people inside to compress and have a little space for them. Thinking of the situation, I suddenly notice our position. We are so close to each other.

            He had his arms placed just in the level of my head. His face is near to me too and he said, “You okay? Sorry.” I replied, “No. It’s okay.” I lowered my head. Now I can almost hear his heartbeat. I feel like the train suddenly became slow. I can feel the palms of my hand and the solex of my feet becomes sweaty. And my heart is beating abnormally.

            “Hah… hah…”, he breathes heavily.

            I can feel his breath upon the back of my neck. My hair root plexuses reacted to it and send signals that caused my arrector pili muscles to contract and make a blood rush in my face and gave me some goose bumps. I can’t stay in this position longer. So, I decided to turn around and face the door instead. It is now in Gil Puyat station.

            One more station to go.

            When suddenly he said, “Hey, your hair is messed up.” Then, he fixed my hair. His fingertips touched my hair, and it caused my arrector pili muscles to contract again.

            “Ahh… I-it’s ok. I’ll just fix it myself.” I take a hold of my hair. And I can feel his breath not on my neck but at the back of my otic. I can’t take it anymore. I feel like I am white as the person with albinism. At last, we are at the EDSA station where we got off the train.

The New Frontier of Life

by John Anthony M. Pingol

A world full of life emerges from the bosom of the earth. The flora and fauna of our planet gives life. They are the progenitors of the ever changing mechanism of adaptation. and to adapt is to survive our planet. And in order to survive, the least of the factors are of the greatest impact to life.

since we are composed of matter, we are molecular and atomically alike to each and every thing that lives and gives life. We eat, breathe, drink and excrete just as plants and animals do. These molecules will give rise to those who will adapt and continue in the conquest for life. These molecules can be seen anywhere and related to different processes of life. We eat because we need energy from carbohydrates and lipids. We grow in the presence of proteins. We change through the action of nucleic acids and create what we are thru enzymes.

These macromolecules will aid the world for a better view of internal and external processes of man. They can be treated as markets of illness or even as a remedy to one. The chemistry of life will show the compatibility of the molecules with each other and it is the duty of a pharmacist to study the compatibilities and rationalize them for the use in fighting for human survival.

The pharmacist will be the one to mediate the treatment of certain diseases with the aid of these molecules. They will be the first line of defense, along with other health care professionals, against the battalion of diseases. They will counter protein invaders with enzymes and antibodies. Repel immunosuppressing agents with vitamins and minerals. They will give power with the aid of carbohydrates and lipids and aid us in growth with the aid of proteins.

With our own legion of Medically allied professionals all will come to an end, a better one. But without the guide and help of the One who created everything, all will be lost and no one will be spared. With the help of unity and prayer, we will give effort to the works of our defenders and stop the siege of these diseases.

But for now, let us continue our never ending search for the ammunition than can and will out best the horrifying agents of diseases. May these researches be directed to the light. and should we find this ammunition, let us not forget all the efforts in it. The pharmacist, for one, because he will guide the human race to the eradication of this unwanted captors of life. They will let loose of the binds of death that slowly pulls us towards it. and when this moment comes, we are prepared to stop the almost never ending fight for survival? Are we ready for change? Are we ready for change? Are we ready for the better? All this will be answered by the future.

Extraordinary Measures - In the Eyes of Mary Charity Guiya-an

Extraordinary measures is an ordinary film with ordinary characters in a story too big for it. This story is based on facts. This story is about a family with two sick children have no more than a year to live when their father determines to seek out a maverick scientist who may have a cure in Pompe disease.

        I found out that the movie extraordinary measures is exciting, enlightening, interesting and useful. It is an interesting and exciting movie because I am interested on how Mr. Crowley discover on the Internet professor at the university of Nebraska named Dr. Robert Stonstill he's working on a controversial cure for pompe disease that the medical establishment rejects and Dr. Stonstill is not interested in Pompe patient, only on the chemistry of the disease. I am interested on how these two men come together? How they come up with the treatment of the disease.

        Extraordinary measures is also enlightening and useful on the viewers especially on the parents who have children,in this movie I've learned a lot and we should apply this lessons on the reality because it is used to believed that the parent had unlimited claim on their children and rights over him. In a truer view of a matter,we are coming to see that the rights are on the side of the child and the duties on the side of the parents and one duty of a parent is to make a child to be happy,like Mr. Crowley done to his two children who has Pompe disease,He make his best or he make a way just to make Dr. Stonestill agree with his proposal to help him with the disease of his children and he also do his best just to earn such money for the cost of the medication of his children even though he knows that it is impossible to earn such money.

        I've learned that people should not just easily quit if they failed or insulted by others,They should take that as a challenge like again Mr. Crowley done to this movie that even though Dr. Stonestill do not agree with him he didn't quit easily,he did not loose hope he patiently wait for the answer of Dr. Stonestill if he agree with him.

        I also learned that we must have to accept failures, we must have to be humble because if a person is not humble there is no right path for their works and life. We people are not perfect so we make mistakes and we have to learn our mistakes and so that we can improve ourself. We should consider other peoples opinion on the idea, as they say “No man is an Island” like Dr. Stonstill hardly accept others opinion.

        If one family has a strong bonding, love,openness and faithful to God , even they are poor people if they have this three character if they have any kind of problems they can find way to solve it and overcome it without hurting anyone.

Extraordinary Measures - In the Eyes of Andrea Marie Enriquez

The movie Extraordinary Measures based from a nonfiction book The Cure, by the Pulitzer prize journalist Greeta Anand present on how a father do all his best to bucked the medical establishment in a quest to save his children is quiet impressive. It is about a parents who form a biotechnology company to develop a drug to save the lives of their children, who have a life-threatening disease called Pompe disease. In the movie, they are able to present all the needed information regarding Pompe disease including its possible signs and symptoms  to an individual, even the early onset  and the late onset of the disease are being well presented on the story. The film also included an examination of how medical research is conducted and financed means they made all the research to make this movie realistic and purely based on the scientific principle.          

When it talks about the different character of the movie, all of them were able to do or performed well on their designated role especially to Brendan Fraser  when he play as John Crowley,  a  biotechnology executive whose two youngest children were affected with Pompe Disease or acid maltase deficiency. Along with his wife Aileen (Kerri Rusell) and Harrison Ford as Dr. Robert Stonehill's. all  of them were able to portray all the necessary emotions on a particular scene that is being felt by the viewers.

When it comes to the main plot of the said movie, it is quiet inspirational and motivating, since it is based on a true story. Especially on how John Crowley together with his wife  and Dr. Robert Stonehill  passed all the obstacles to be able to push through the new drug for the treatment of Pompe disease on a very short period of time. To save the life of Megan, before she turned 9 Because at this age it is a common life span of a children suffering from Pompe disease or before it totally disables the heart and muscles of Megan. But the main point there is whatever happens as long as the person is determined to reach a particular goal even if it is impossible he/she will risk anything like what John Crowley did on the movie. He did all his best to convinced Dr. Robert Stonehill to pursue his theory in the clinical trial for the benefit of the entire Pompe disease victim. This is maybe  the main reason why the main motto of the movie is don’t hope for a miracle. Make one…especially when it talks about for treating a fatal condition.

Drug Interactions: ANALGESICS AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS

Drug Interactions

     

These are various reactions of a certain drug to other drugs, food, laboratory tests, and herbal products which can either be beneficial or detrimental to the patient depending on the result of the interaction.

In general, drug interactions can occur due to chemical, physiologic, or pharmacological actions. The object drug (one with desired effect) can be altered by a precipitant drug (one causing the interaction) by several mechanism. Pharmacokinetic alterations can be brought up by any alteration in gastric pH, complexation and adsorption of object drug, delayed or rapid rate of gastric emptying, malabsorption, displacement from protein binding sites, induction or inhibition of biotransformation, and alteration of excretion. Pharmacodynamic interactions can occur from antagonism, potentiation/addition/synergistic effects, alteration of electrolytes, interactions at receptor sites, alteration of gastrointestinal flora, and different drug combinations.

Overview of Analgesics and NSAIDs' Mechanism of Action

Analgesia, or loss of sensitization to pain, can be achieved using drug groups such as opioids, acetaminophen, steroids, and non-steroidal anfi-inflammatory agents. Other drugs such as local and general anesthetics can also give the same effect although their use is more on the loss of sensitization to stimuli rather than pain alone.

Steroids, acetaminophen and NSAIDs are more directed to the inhibition of prostaglandin production. Prostaglandins are endogenous substances which are considered to be a chemical mediator for pain and inflammation. These substances are derived as end products from the metabolic pathway of arachidonic acid (ARA). Free ARA, the one undergoes biotransformation,  is cleaved out from the phosphobilipid layer of the cell membrane by the enzyme phospholipase A2. The free ARA will be enacted by cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme and/or lipooxygenase enzyme, however the latter is not directly relevant to pain and inflammation. The cycooxygenase enzyme will act on the arachidonic acid to form prostaglandins which as discussed earlier will contribute to the pain sensation. Steroids, such as prednisone, will act on the phospholipase A2 enzyme which will limit the amount of free ARA to be converted to prostaglandins. NSAIDs can inhibit either COX1 or COX 2 or both to prevent the formation of prostaglandins. Acetamiinophen is a weak inhibitor of COX1 and COX in the periphery due to the presence of peroxidases in inflammatory sites but pose its inhibition on COX3 found in the central nervous system in which the analgesic effect is directed to the brain pain centers.

A more powerful group of analgesics are called collectively as opioids. With morphine as the prototype, they will act not on the ARA-COX-prostaglandin pathway but mimics the action of endorphins and they bind to opioid receptors. Such receptors are called mu, kappa, delta, and iota receptors. When opioid drugs will bind to these receptors especially to mu receptors, this will result to depression of certain brain functions that will lead to analgesia.

Morphine is a drug that is used for patients who are terminally ill and requires analgesia for hospice treatment. NSAIDs like aspirin, ibuprofen, and mefenamic acids are over the counter drugs that may be used by anyone even without medical advice. Acetaminophen is the most commonly used drug for fever due to safety profile.

List of Drug-Drug Interactions for Analgesics and NSAIDs
List of Drug-Food Interactions for Analgesics and NSAIDs
List of Drug-Laboratory Interactions for Analgesics and NSAIDs

References:


Brunton, L. et.al. (2006). Goodman and gilman's the pharmacologic basis of therapeutics. New York: McGraw Hill. 11th Ed.
Hacker, M. et.al. (2009). Pharmacology principles and practice. San Diego, CA: Elsevier
Katzung, B. (2007). Basic and clinical pharmacology. New York: McGraw Hill. 10th Ed.
Rybacki, J. (2004). Essential guide to prescription drugs. New York: Harper Collins

Glutathione As a Skin Whitener

Over the past few years, the Philippine market has been saturated by the drug product Glutathione. This drug is used as a skin whitener in the form of soaps and capsules. There are so many brands in the market and it has been one of the most popular whitening agent for women and men alike. There has been controversies regarding the quality standards of some brands before and I believe it has been resolved now.

Glutathione is an endogenous substance, i.e. it normally exist in the body, that is used as an antioxidant primarily in the liver. It is used as a substance to counter act free radicals that might damage normal cells in the body. Free radicals are unstable chemical compounds that are looking for electrons for its stability. When it enters the body, it can react with the chemical components of our cells since it contains electrons that the free radical need. When the cell is affected by the free radical, it can cause the death of that cell or it can cause mutation that might lead to cancer. Glutathione's chemical structure is composed of electrons that can be readily accessible for the free radicals. It will provide them the electrons that they need for them to become stable and will not cause harm to the living cells. So, instead of the cells, glutathione will be the one which will be enacted upon by the free radicals. Glutathione is a drug that is used in medicine before as a liver protectant. Since this drug is a known antioxidant, it will prevent the damage inflicted on healthy liver cells. It was found out that one of its side effect is the whitening of the skin.

Glutathione can act on the normal synthesis or the creation of a protein called melanin. Melanin in its simples definition is a protein that causes the formation of skin pigments or skin color. This is a natural protectant of the body agains the harmful rays of the sun. Depending on different factors such as race, location, and genetics, the amount of melanin produced in the skin will vary among people. People living in the upper and lower hemispheres may have a fairer skin due to the fact that the region do not receive that much sunlight and melanin production can be minimal. People who are inhabitants of those regions may adapt to their environment and will carry the trait of having a fair skin that can be passed on to their off springs and new generations. Unlike those people who lives near the equator which receives ample amount of sunlight, the body will counteract that by producing melanin to protect the underlying tissues from too much sun damage. People who have traits of having a fair skin may produce more melanin if they are exposed in an environment near the equator but still maintains their natural color. This is called the "tan" skin. When those people living in a region near the equator will live in an environment that is not receiving too much sunlight, their bodies will produce less of melanin but still maintains their dark skin color. Depending on those situation, the body will produce a melanin that is suited for each individual. If the body perceives that it needs a darker melanin color, then it will produce the protein and if not, it will produce less. Now, glutatione will act on these melanin production. The drug will not stop the generation of melanin since it is required to maintain body color. It will just act chemically with the production of melanin and combine itself to melanin to produce a variety of melanin that have less pigmentation or color. Aside from the giving you a healthy liver, it also promotes a fairer white skin. Now that’s sweet. The question left is whether it is effective?

In the practice of pharmacy and medicine, a certain drug should meet a required amount or concentration before an effect would be seen. In the case of glutathione, there is an intravenous injection preparation that will guarantee that this concentration is reached. However, this is very expensive. When it comes to soaps and other skin products, glutathione may somewhat be absorbed but it varies and the application should be done on the time that the body is producing melanin. The exact time is unknown in each individual and therefore it may lead to frustrations. Oral preparations such as capsules are readily available in the market in doses required to have a whitening effect. But, based on the chemical properties of glutathione, it is not well absorbed in the gut and therefore will not deliver the required amounts. Even if you will overdose yourself with it, that will not guarantee of a whiter skin. It will also need some time before a fairer skin will be seen. Glutathione is also combined with other antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E in order to have a better effect. But still, the vitamins can be easily absorbed by the body but glutathione will not. In this case, the most effective way would be the administration with the use of an injection. But like as stated before, it is very expensive.

Other drugs are available and in the market and people may have heard of it. This is called as N-acetylcysteine. This drug is a metabolic precursor of glutathione. It means that when this drug is taken in the body, it will be metabolized and be formed as glutathione. N-acetylcysteine is well absorbed in the stomach and is used to replenish glutathione stores in the body in case of poisoning. Once, transformed into glutathione, it will act as glutathione which can have an effect of skin whitening. However, the drawbacks of using N-acetylcysteine are primarily, it is a prescription drug (it requires a valid prescription before purchasing) that is used in the management of severe cough. If this drug is used for more than three (3) days, it can cause a side effect in which a person will suffer a more severe cough. Whitening agents are used for long periods of time before effects can be seen and this drug should not.

Even if glutathione is created in our body, its primary function is to protect the liver and therefore it is not produced in amounts that will affect the skin production of melanin.

Fairer skin is one of the impacts of modern day advertisement in the Philippines which for someone to be beautiful or handsome requires a light skin color. This is the primary reason why the market for glutathione had increased in the past few years and may still increase.

This article does not intend to discredit the whitening effects of glutathione and does not point out that the use will not give effects.

Having a fair skin for a Filipino is something but do not forget that our skin color especially the one called as “Kayumangging Kaligatan” is envied by foreigners in our land. Many of the “whites” spends hundreds of dollars just to have a tan skin and we are spending thousands of pesos just to have a whiter skin. This skin color, kayumanggi, is what is given to us and should be proud of.