Gymnema

Synonym:

Gudmar, Madhunashini.

Biological Source:

Consists of the leaves of a perennial woody climber plant known as Gymnema sylvestre R. Br. Family Ascelpiadaceae.

Vasaka

Synonym: 

Adhatoda, Adulsa, Malabar nut.

 

Biological Source: 

It consists of dried, as well as, fresh leaves of the plant Adhatoda vasica Nees Syn. Justicia   belonging to family Acanthaceae. 

 

Cultivation and Collection:

The uses of vasaka have been known since old times and it is included in different formulations of ayurveda. The plant is not cultivated on commercial scale. It is obtained from garden plants or wild sources.

Taxus

Synonym:

Yew, Talispatra, Himalayan yew.

 

Biological Source: 

Taxol is a naturally occurring diterpenoid belonging to taxane group of compounds present in genus Taxus under family Taxaceae. This genus also called as the Yews consists of various species out of which four are of medicinal importance viz. Taxus baccata (English or European yew), Taxus cuspidata (Japanese Yew), Taxus brevifolia (Pacific yew) and Taxus canadensis (Ground hemlock, Canadian or American yew). 

Benzodiazepine Poisoning and Treatment

Benzodiazepines taken alone rarely cause severe complications or fatality in overdose, and deaths after hospital admission are rare.However, combinations of benzodiazepines with these drugs, alcohol, barbiturates, opiates or tricyclic antidepressants is particularly dangerous, and may lead to coma and death. In the case of alcohol and barbiturates not only do they have an additive effect, they also increase the binding affinity of benzodiazepines to the benzodiazepine binding site which results in a very significant potentiation of the CNS and respiratory depressant effects.

Arsenic Poisoning

Arsenic poisoning kills by allosteric inhibition of essential metabolic enzymes, leading to death from multi-system organ failure. It primarily inhibits enzymes that require lipoic acid as a cofactor, such as pyruvate and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. Because of this, substrates before the dehydrogenase steps accumulate, such as pyruvate (and lactate). It particularly affects the brain, causing neurological disturbances and death.