If you’re an asthma sufferer, you likely need at least one inhaler to keep your symptoms in check – or maybe even two different types. Commonly, those afflicted with asthma will have both a blue and a brown inhaler. Whilst the colours can vary, the purpose of the chemical compounds contained therein differ dependent on the particular inhaler.
The current ebola virus epidemic in West Africa has dominated the news in recent months, and in the past week, several medical organisations have announced their intention to commence trials with possible treatments for the virus in the coming months. Two of these treatments are the anti-viral drugs brincidofovir and favipiravir, chosen due to some promising data on their potential efficacy against the virus, as well as their non-prohibitive costs. Here, we take a look at them in a little more detail.
If you’ve ever needed a tooth out, or had surgery of any kind, chances are you’ll have experienced use of an inhalational anaesthetic. All of the compounds shown above can induce general anaesthesia, and a range have been utilised since the initial discovery of nitrous oxide in the mid-1800s. Often, intravenous drugs will be used for induction of anaesthesia, but inhalational agents may then be used to maintain this – this graphic looks at how the drugs in use for this purpose have varied over the years.
![Brief Guide to Common Painkillers [2018]](https://i0.wp.com/www.compoundchem.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Brief-Guide-to-Common-Painkillers-2018.png?resize=370%2C208&ssl=1)
![Brief Guide to Common Painkillers [2018]](https://i0.wp.com/www.compoundchem.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Brief-Guide-to-Common-Painkillers-2018.png?ssl=1)
When we’re suffering from a bacterial infection, a trip to the doctors to be prescribed antibiotics is commonplace. However, there are a wide range of antibiotics available, and they vary both in their usage and their mechanism of action. This graphic summarises the major classes, and also gives a brief insight into the manner in which they combat bacterial infections; we’ll also consider each of the groups in turn, as well as bacterial resistance to each.
Cloves are a spice that you may well have stowed away somewhere in the kitchen; originally from the Maluku Islands in Indonesia, the spice itself comes from the flower buds of the clove tree. It is used to flavour food, imparting a sweet, aromatic flavour, and also one of the common spices used in the making of mulled wine. As well as this, the oil of cloves is commonly recommended as a traditional remedy for relieving toothache, amongst other conditions. So, what are the chemicals that make this use possible?
