Lutein is a pigment that belongs to the group of carotenoids. In green plants, xanthophylls help to modulate light energy during photosynthesis. It functions well with another carotenoid called zeaxanthin in our body. (1) Like other carotenoids, Lutein is fat-soluble, and cooking does not change its structure and effectiveness. So consuming foods with a high...Continue Reading
Liquorice is a flowering plant, a perennial legume herb, found in Western Asia, North Africa and Southern Europe. (2) The botanical name of liquorice is Glycyrrhiza glabra. (2) The extract from its root is a sweet aromatic flavouring, which may be used in flavouring food and confectionery, candies, drinks and tobacco. It possesses medicinal properties...Continue Reading
India’s third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is already underway, triggered by the Omicron variant. While some researchers have predicted that the third wave will reach its peak by February 3rd, others suggested it would arrive much sooner. [1, 6] With the Omicron variant being considered a “variant of concern”, prominent drug companies are bracing...Continue Reading
Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder that affects how a person behaves and their presentation of thoughts and feelings. (2) People with schizophrenia seem to have lost touch with reality and may exhibit episodes of psychosis. (1) Schizophrenia often requires imaging or laboratory testing and behavior observation to understand the occurrence in a person. Non-treatment...Continue Reading
Bortezomib is an anti-cancer drug used to treat multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma. (3) It is administered in an intravenous mode to treat cancer. It is listed as an Essential Medicine by World Health Organisation. Originally manufactured in 1995, Bortezomib was clinically tested for its efficiency in treating multiple myeloma. In 2008, it gained...Continue Reading
Mannitol is a low-calorie type of sugar alcohol used as a sweetener and medicine. It is a natural sweetener and a component of sugar-free gums. (2) Mannitol is absorbed in meagre quantities by the intestine. An effective diuretic, Mannitol increases urine production to remove the excess water and toxins from the body. (4)It also aids...Continue Reading
Calcitriol is a medication used to treat low-level calcium and bone-related disease. It is a form of vitamin D3 which helps the body absorb calcium from the stomach. It also works on patients with hyperparathyroidism (overactive parathyroid glands). It is effectively administered to patients who have chronic kidney failure and do not receive dialysis. Calcitriol works by...Continue Reading
Every year on January 4, the day is celebrated as World Braille Day to honour the birthday of its inventor, Louis Braille. It acknowledges the visually impaired and promotes their needs for equal human rights. Louis Braille was born in Coupvray, a town about twenty miles to the east of Paris. (3) A Frenchman by...Continue Reading
Etodolac is a non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), used to provide pain relief in health conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. (1) It is a medication to relieve acute pain. It functions by reducing the hormones responsible for inflammation in the body. How it works Etodolac is a monocarboxylic acetic acid in which one of the methyl...Continue Reading
Belonging to the genus Cassia, the Cassia occidentalis or Coffee Senna is a herb with medicinal properties. In Hindi, it is commonly referred to as Kasundi. (2) It is a perennial plant that grows in tropical and temperate climates. Extracts of the Cassia herb have purgative, cathartic and antibiotic properties. Its role in traditional medicine...Continue Reading
