Neuroprotection: By Beta Blockers

Beta Blockers can potentially serve as Neuroprotectors. In neurodegenerative disorders of eye there is progressive apoptosis going on, ultimately leading to the blindness. A proposed mechanism of action in this regard is illustrated in the diagram, moreover how beta blockers (TOPICAL: e.g., Timolol) help to prevent it, is also shown in figure. Actually the receptors here are type of GPCRs (Serpentine receptors), present on the membrane of the cell, and provoke a cascade of reactions leading to the activation of Protein kinase A, ultimately phosphorylating a specific domain of the CaCns and causing influx of the Calcium, resulting in the loading of the cell with cations. This triggers the activation of NMDA receptors, causing a heavy loading of the cell with cations of Calcium and magnesium via CaCns and MgCns, consequently causing excitotoxicty in the cell. This whole anarchy in the cell is then responsible of the activation of what we call as Programmed Cell Death, or Apoptosis. The inhibition of this apoptotic pathway is done by timolol, hence preventing the neurodegeneration and promoting the neuroprotecction.

Be Mine-- Forever ; A Hormonal Approach

A handful study conducted by the department of Psychoneuroendocrinology shows that a hormone named oxytocin plays an important role in this regard. Everybody knows that pulses of oxytocin are seen when the lady is pregnant, and its major role in females is in uterine contractions and milk let-out and ejaculation in males. Its released from a special portion in brain called hypothalamus.
But now they say that oxytocin is in heavy amounts in lovers as compared to pregnant females. Astonishing!!
They concluded that, more is the oxytocin more is the duration of relationship. How did they know ??
They injected oxytocin in rats "Mus Musculus", both male and female. and what they concluded that more is the amount of the oxytocin injected to the rat couples, more they stay loyal to their partners. Afterwards, the researchers took many couples and conducted a random survey and found that the couples which had higher amount of oxytocin in their blood, stayed longer together.
So, now, oxytocin is the key to love or "The Lock of Love". More is the oxytocin, more is the love.
Researchers now are thinking to use it as a drug to increase the loyalty between the couples and keeping them together.

Oxytocin-- The Lock of Love

We Need Drugs-- Better Drugs Now.

A question arises in the readers mind that what are drugs. The simplest answer to this question is "It is a molecule consisting of Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Sulfur and few other atoms combined in a specific way in a particular geometry to lock up a certain pathological phenomenon." The subject here is we  need drugs=, but why.???

Almost more than 100z and 1000z of diseases are known to man since its origin, but you will be surprised to know that only 4000 diseases are know to mankind with exact molecular mechanisms. Moreover, another scary fact is that just 250 diseases with appropriate treatment are known to us. There is a long leap to make. The future thus belongs to two basic fields, genetics and molecular sciences. So that more and more molecular mechanisms can be validated and drugs against them can be made.
Apart from it, there is another tragedy going on in the society, specifically in the third world countries, i.e., Irrational approach to use the drugs. Prescribers are using broad spectrum antibiotics against even minor diseases, resulting in the formation of resistant strains of microbes, causing millions of deaths per annum. They do not even give a second thought to it while playing with the life of a patient. What if such a strain is produced, which can defeat all the known antibiotics, even the broadest spectrum ones ????

THINK!!!!
Follow Rational Approach--Consult Pharmacologists.
                                                                                                               
                                                                                  

Rosemary: For a better memory

It is known from the ancient times that the herb rosemary has something special in it that helps in improving the memory. The herb has a magical fragrance, each whiff can help you build a better memory.
A research has shown that a compound called, 1,8-cineole, has the ability to improve long term memory. Moreover, it can also help you to do mental calculations. 
                                           
Recently a new research has shown that it also has the ability to improve your prospective memory. Prospective memory means the ability to remember events that will happen in future, as well as to complete the tasks that will happen in your near future. The proposed mechanism underlying here is said to be that the active ingredient in rosemary via our olfaction leads to the most dynamic part of our brain, called cerebrum, causing stimulations in a way to improve the efficiency of the cerebrum. The neurotransmitters, Glutamate and N-methyle D-Aspartate (NMDA) are said to be the main players responsible for this delicate game play.

Talking about Yourself....!!

In a survey, around the globe, by anonymous, it was inferred that people around us can be divided into various groups or ethnics depending upon the conversations they have, in their daily lives. The conclusions of this research were quite interesting. They found that , in a nut shell, the first group of these people are those who love to talk about themselves. And surprisingly, this was the group contributing the major portion of their classification. Almost, 55-60 % were such people around the world. They say, these people love to talk about it as it give them a feeling of esteem and being high. When they talk  about it, they feel good doing it. Its a dope to them. Technically and scientifically and more specifically speaking, doing this activates a special portion in their brain, called the mesolimbic part. This part is very exciting. It gives you pleasure to do anything you want to do, hence also called as the reward and motivation system. Dopamine being the major player here. So, it means that if they are talking about themselves all the time to their friends, actually dopamine is been in excess in their synapses of mesolimbic system, pushing them in a direction to praise themselves and feel excited

about it. 

Street and Designer Drugs

There are basically two types of drugs. One is called the "Street Drugs" and the other is called "Designer Drugs". Street Drugs are those that, pharmacologically speaking, do not attack a particular site, but bring about a macro action. Such kind of drugs have a bundle of side effects linked to them. On the other hand, the Designer Drugs are devoid of this discrepancy. Such drugs hit only the desired target, causing minimum side effects. The reason behind their specificity is their making. Because, they are designed in a way that stereochemically binds to their target--consequently called the Designer Drugs.

The Death Receptor Pathway

The death receptor pathway is activated when death receptors such as members of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) family are stimulated by specific death ligands. This recruits adapter proteins that activate initiator caspases , which in turn activate effector caspases such as caspase 3. The mitochondrial pathway is activated by diverse signals, one being DNA damage. In the presence of DNA damage that cannot be repaired, the p53 protein activates a subpathway that results in release of cytochrome c from the mitochondrion, with subsequent involvement of the apoptosome and activation of an initiator caspase, caspase 9. The apoptosome is a complex of procaspase 9, cytochrome c and apoptotic-activating protease factor-1 (Apaf-1). Both these pathways converge on the effector caspase (e.g. caspase 3), which brings about the demise of the cell. The survival factor subpathway (shown here faded) normally holds apoptosis at bay by inhibiting the mitochondrion pathway through activation of the antiapoptotic factor Bcl-2. The receptor labelled 'R' represents the respective receptors for trophic factors, growth factors, cell-to-cell contact factors (adhesion molecules, integrins), etc. Continuous stimulation of these receptors is necessary for cell survival/proliferation. If this pathway is non-functional , this antiapoptotic drive is withdrawn. IAP, inhibitor of apoptosis.

Death- By Neglect or by Design

There are basically two types of cell death. One is called as the death by neglect, while the other is called as the death by design. The former one is the death that happens less often. The underlying mechanism here is that the cell, if mistakenly, is dislodged from a particular location where its survival signals lie in its paracrine. As soon as it will not be receiving its survival signals, it will be impossible for the cell to maintain its integrity, and hence the result will be obvious, death by neglect. The other phenomenon, death by design, happens very commonly in the cell. It leads towards the programmed cell death, more technically called as the apoptosis. It can be commonly seen, during the embryological development, specifically when the finishing of the organs takes place.