Celexa - [ Citalopram Hydrobromide ] - Celexa is the brand name
used for Citalopram HBr by Forest Pharmaceuticals.
Citalopram is an oral medication used for the treatment of drepression.
Citalopram is not a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI: the most common
form of antidepressant). Instead, Citalopram is an antidepressant that
is a member of the family of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors (SSRIs). Citalopram helps to restore the brain's chemical
balance by increasing the supply of a substance in the brain called
serotonin. Citalopram appears to relieve
depression by increasing serotonin without affecting many of the other
chemicals in the brain that influence mood.
HOW SSRIs WORK: Although the brain chemistry
of depression is not fully understood, there does exist a growing body
of evidence to support the view that people with depression have an
imbalance of the brain’s neurotransmitters. These are chemicals in the
brain that allow nerve cells to communicate. One of these neurotransmitters
is serotonin. An imbalance in serotonin may be an important factor in
the development and severity of depression. SSRIs affect how much serotonin
is available by blocking its reabsorption during transmission from one
nerve cell in the brain to another. Serotonin is released from one nerve
cell and passed to the next. In the process, some of the serotonin released
is reabsorbed by the first nerve cell. SSRIs block the reabsorption
of serotonin into the first nerve cell. It is this blocking action that
causes an increased amount of serotonin to become available at the next
nerve cell. This is how SSRIs affect the balance of serotonin in the
brain.
WHEN YOU SHOULD NOT USE THIS MEDICINE: You should
not use this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to citalopram.
You should not use citalopram within 14 days before or after taking
an MAO (monoamine oxidase) inhibitor such as phenelzine (Nardil ®),
isocarboxazid (Marplan ®), tranylcypromine (Parnate ®), or selegeline
(Eldepryl ®).
Ephedrine - [ Ephedrine Hydrochloride ]
- Ephedrine, also called Ma Huang, Ephedra, epitonin, and/or Chinese
ephedra, is found in numerous diet supplements, muscle enhancers, appetite
suppressants from makers such as Metabolife, Advocare, Metabolite, and
Metab-Rx Ultra.
Pseudo-ephedrine hydrocloride is used as over the counter nasal decongestant
medicine, in such products as Suphedrine, NyQuil, et al.
Ephedrine HCl is a sympathomimetic drug that relaxes
smooth muscle and constricts blood vessels. It was formerly widely used
as a bronchodilator in the treatment of such conditions as asthma and
chronic bronchitis, but has largely been replaced for treating these
conditions by drugs that have fewer adverse effects. Its main use now
is as a nasal decongestant (alone or in combination with other drugs)
and it is included as an ingredient in many medicines for treating colds
and coughs. It is also used to treat bedwetting in children. Ephedrine
hydrochloride is available as tablets or an injection on prescription
only and as an elixir or nose drops that can be bought from pharmacies
without a prescription.
The central stimulant effects of Ephedrine are more
marked than those of epinephrine. In general,
the effects of ephedrine are similar to those observed with epinephrine
but are slower in onset, less potent, and longer in duration. However,
in the uterus, Ephedrine produces dilatation of uterine muscle; Ephedrine
is also less effective than epinephrine in elevating the blood sugar
concentration.
