Anthony Harrelson: Effects of Barbiturates and Epinephrine

Anthony Harrelson points out that pharmaceuticals have had a dramatic impact on how we view the world today, and one of the things that paved the way for this field, was the development of epinephrine and norepinephrine. The drugs that have been developed in the pharmaceutical field have done many incredible things, like treat and cure once deadly diseases, as well as help improve the quality of life for people with chronic pain and other illnesses. Pharmacy has been useful for man throughout the ages, first used crudely by witch doctors and barbers in the form of herbs, to the first synthetically developed drugs like antibiotics. The modern day pharmaceutical industry has a very interesting and intricate history that involves a number of hallmark events in human history. The pharmaceutical industry has a sordid and intriguing history, one that has had a profound influence on humanity as a whole.

One distinguished event came at the end of the 1800s, when many doctors and physicians, chemists and bioengineers were studying the profound effects that adrenal extracts had on the bodies many different tissues. It was found that there were ways to manipulate the bodies systems, including raising the blood pressure and cardiovascular activity of a person using adrenal extracts. They discovered that these adrenal compounds served as a chemical signaling mechanism for the body, which would serve as a foundation for developing new and more powerful drugs. This was particularly useful to surgeons for treating patients with shock.

Anthony Harrelson also notes that one of the greatest strides made in the past, was the discovery and development of the barbiturates. In the early 1900s, a man by the name of Hermann Emil Fischer, along with his partner Joseph von Mering, would show the world their newest discovery, the diethylbarbituric acid. This acid had an interesting property that would induce a sudden drowsiness and sleep when administered to a dog. After the barbiturate became a commonly used item, chemist and pharmacists would continue to examine the chemical and push the limits on it. They would create more potent compounds with longer lasting effects. This new discovery would lead to a patent and license by Bayer pharmaceuticals, which would then use the compound as one of the very first sleep aids to ever be used. This eventually led to the discovery of phenobarbital, which was then established as the forefront of anti-epileptic treatment.

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