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The drug development process is by no means easy, as it entails a complicated process, which includes three major areas—drug discovery and product development, pre-clinical research and clinical trials.

Drug Discovery

Simply put, it is the process by which drugs are discovered and/or designed. It is a big facet of the fields of biotechnology, medicine and pharmacology and quite understandably so. In order to ascertain the suitability of a compound, it is subjected to a few steps: identification of candidates, synthesis, characterization, screening and assays for therapeutic efficacy. Developments in research and advancements in technology notwithstanding, this stage of drug development is still by far, the longest and most expensive. The information required to even get this stage started requires a lot of time, effort and money.

Pre-Clinical Research

Pre-clinical studies are completed before human testing and are mainly done to determine a drug’s safety profile. This stage primes the drug for human testing, getting concerns such as toxicity and extreme adverse reactions out of the way. Pre-clinical tests are usually administered on microorganisms or animals in conditions that simulate normal human settings.

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are conducted on human test subjects to collect important safety and efficacy data. Depending on the drug, its proponents and its nature, either volunteers or patients are enrolled into the study. In order to ascertain the safety of the subjects, a study must get the necessary health committee or ethics committee approvals prior to commencement.

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UPM Pharmaceuticals provides pharmaceutical development support. It aids pharmaceutical companies each step of the drug development process. They have experience working on product development projects with multi-million dollar companies. Learn more at http://www.upm-inc.com or call 410-843-3700.

Jeff Paul is a writer and copy editor who likes to share information on many different topics.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/the-different-stages-of-the-drug-development-process-1428122.html

Diet and exercise give us all many benefits. One of the best ones is the advantage it gives over the battle of the flu bug

After a study of exercise using mice it was found that regular exercise may help fight the flu and cold infections by increasing the immune systems response to the virus.

If you are a couch potato who never exercises and does not eat healthy you are more susceptible to the flu virus than people who exercise moderately on a regular basis. Exercising long and hard to the point of exhaustion may make you more vulnerable as well. Exercise does have a lot of benefits, and helping to strengthen the immune system is just one of them.

Studies show that exercise helps boost activity in the immune system to limit viral attacks and eliminate harmful viruses from our bodies faster.

When experiments were executed with mice, it was found that mice that regularly ran on a treadmill over 3.5 months had less-severe symptoms when injected with the flu virus than mice who didn’t exercise at all.

Another interesting finding was that a mouse who exercises just before the flu injection but not regularly before hand, also showed protection against symptoms. For a mouse this means loss of weight and appetite.

The difference was these benefits lasted for a short time while long term exercise resulted in long term benefits.

These findings where reported in the Journal of Infectious Diseases and if these findings are the same for humans is not clear. Certainly they are possible and it is also clear that people who ear healthy and exercise regularly suffer less-severe respiratory infections.

Mice that exercised regularly had lower levels of inflammation in their lungs after being infected by the flu virus, compared with mice who did not exercise. Those levels stayed lower for the long term, compared to mice with only one workout whose levels were high after just a few days.

There was also a lower concentration of virus in the lungs of the healthy regular exercising mice in the early stages.

Based on these findings and experiments exercise boosts “early innate antiviral defenses” although how this actually happens still is a bit of a mystery.

Eating the right foods that will help to boost your immune system and give you more energy is just another ingredient to help fight and win the battle against the flu virus.

Diet and exercise,should be something we incorporate into our lives for the many benefits including the battle against the flu virus. If you would like to get started on your way to a healthier more energetic lifestyle just click here now http://www.loseweightgetfitforcouples.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/diet-and-exercise-help-fight-flu-1383311.html

According to researched in the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), three brain areas of a patient with panic disorder lack a key component which is a chemical messenger system that regulates emotion. Following a series of brain scans done on panic disorder patients to find anxiety disorder treatments, it is revealed that a type of serotonin receptor is reduced by nearly a third in three structures straddling the center of the brain. The finding published in January 2004 in the Journal of Neuroscience, is the first in living humans to show that the receptor, which is pivotal to the action of widely prescribed anti-anxiety medications, may be abnormal in the disorder, and may help to explain how genes might influence vulnerability. This research was conducted by Drs. Alexander Neumeister and Wayne Drevets of the NIMH Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program.

Statistics show that about 2.4 million Americans have panic attack strikes suddenly, and experience feelings of intense fear and physical symptoms sometimes confused with a heart attack. If these symptoms go unchecked, the disorder often sets in motion an unbearable psychological syndrome of agoraphobia, which is avoiding public places. Researches have long suspected that panic disorders are genetic components since it runs in families but the new finding suggests that genes might increase the risk of disorder by coding for decreased expression of the receptors. These findings have evidence in recent animal testing. In 2002, Dr. Rene Hen and her colleagues from Columbia University reported that a strain of gene “knockout” mice, engineered to lack the receptor during a critical period in early development, exhibit anxiety traits in adulthood, such as a reluctance to begin eating in an unfamiliar environment.

Various researches with successful results have enabled the scientists in overcoming panic disorder. Most of the anxiety disorder treatments are concerned with controlling the symptoms panic attacks, reduce their number and severity, and reduce the anxiety and fear associated with having another attack. The effect is doubled if the medication if it is combined with some natural methods of treatments; for example counseling and home treatment, therapy and relaxation courses. Medication choices to treat panic disorder come in the form of SSRIs which are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil. Benzodiapines such as Xanax, Valium,
Ativan and Klonopin are also prescribed besides SSRIs. Along with the above mentioned, antidepressants with mixed neurotransmitter effects, such as venlafaxine but this type of medication is only given in later stages. Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), such as Tofranil, Norpramin, or Anafranil and Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), such as Marplan, Nardil, or Parnate are also given at a certain level to treat panic attacks.

Most of the medical professionals would prefer a combination of medicine and other approaches. However the best medication for panic disorder is considered to be cognitive-behavioral therapy, which focuses on the way a person thinks and altering certain behavior patterns. It allows the person to build an optimistic approach and would tell the about some efficient ways to handle a panicky situation. Combining these two therapies results in less frequent panic attacks. A combination of anxiety attack medication would make the symptoms disappear in some time. The dosage of medicine and the therapy sessions are generally increased if the patient does not see the results within 6-8 weeks.

Overcoming panic disorder takes quite awhile as it depends on the severity of the case. Normally, medication is continues for a year or longer and then decreased gradually over several weeks. In some cases, panic attacks tend to occur after medication is stopped; hence doctors will continue the medication for a few more months for you just so that you can keep the symptoms under control. Most medical practitioners would advice and recommend patients to seek for therapy and self-relaxation techniques before administering medication to them. This is because once medication is given; the patient might be depended on the drug. Self relaxation methods come in the form of yoga and pilates. A walk on the beach and even jogging can help cope with panic attack and stress. Apart from that, patients are advised to join a group therapy in order to talk their feelings out and share with one another as well as help other people overcome their problems.

As a leading expert in the field of treating anxiety disorder, Beth Kaminski is always on the lookout for ways to treat panic attacks. Visit her site for more information on heranxiety treatment center and much more.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/key-areas-that-cause-anxiety-disorder-1321526.html

Women are naturally the caregivers. This happens to a woman by instinct, and this role usually allows them to slip into personal neglect. It so happens that women are the stronger of the two sexes when it comes to health and capacity of bearing pain both mentally and physically. It is a matter of debate whether this is the reason why they ignore their own health in the process or not.

Are The Existing Women’s Health Services Adequate For Women?

The question might be wrong, if you look at the general trends of real life. It should have read, “Are women responding or enjoying the facilities provided by the women’s health services?” Let us analyze this topic a little. There are certain health concerns and facts that every girl and boy should know right from the time of puberty. Actually the best time for the child to find out about the ‘birds and the bees’ is just around this time.

If the foundation is strong, there would be a habit formation that in turn will bring the woman for regular check-ups and enjoy the women’s health services offered in the area they live in. By default a woman tends to look beyond herself to take care of others. It is not uncommon to have women that have sold their entire house and every valuable thing they have to treat a member of their family.

However, when it comes to their own health, they tend to ignore it, even if they have access to the best of best women’s health services. Women need to give themselves more importance. The funny part is, that she has the knowledge and experience to take care of everyone, but she never applies it to herself.

It is imperative that women learn to pay attention to their own needs, too. Neglecting one’s health does not profit anybody, in anyway. Actually one should visit the women’s health services to make them laugh. All you have to do is to have one check-up once in two years, at least. This is sufficient to diagnose any life threatening diseases in time for curing; otherwise you will have to face the dire consequences.

The lives of many women have been lost for mere negligence. Hence, it is advisable to have a full-check up every two-three years once you are in the 30-40s. Some diseases are totally silent, and unless they are caught and cured in the earliest stages, these are the ones who can prove fatal.

You should already know that nutrition is very important to your quality of life. If you want to have a healthy life and lifestyle, you will need to have a healthy diet with proper nutrition. You might hear all the time that your nutrition greatly affects the way you live and your quality of life but have you ever really thought about why? Do you really understand why it is so important? 

If you really want to take the steps to live the long life that you deserve and to be as healthy as possible and enjoy those years, than you need to learn all you can about the importance of optimal nutrition.  What you eat really affects your body and health.

1. What is optimal nutrition?
2. What nutrients do you need to be healthy?
3. What foods give you these nutrients?

Importance of Optimal Nutrition

Optimal nutrition is very important to your overall health and fitness. Studies have shown that people can actually live longer if they have healthy nutrition. It is proven that there is a link between optimal nutrition and long life and long term health.

If you take a look at society, you will notice an increasingly large number of people that are overweight and obese. You will also see problems such as poor teeth and acne, dry, brittle skin, dry hair and other problems. You will find many people on medications for headache, stomach problems, acid reflux, constipation, heart disease, high blood pressure and more. What may be more alarming than the high amount of medications is the fact that most people receive very little information about what is actually causing their disease or condition. Instead, they get a pill.

What many people never know is that what they are eating (or not eating) can be causing these health problems.  You also need to understand that you will have to make changes and adjustments to your intake over the years and stages of your life. Just like toddlers need a different diet from teenagers, you also need to alter your diet as you continue through all of life’s stages. Understanding what is best for you through each stage of your life is the best way to remain in optimal health.

Micro and Macronutrients

Many people hear that they need proper nutrition but just what does that mean exactly? What nutrients do you need to be healthy? Optimal nutrition will include a variety of different micronutrients and macronutrients. Micronutrients include certain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Macronutrients include carbohydrates, proteins and fats that make up the foods you eat.

There is too often a lot of myth surrounding the nutrients, our bodies and how we use these nutrients. This is why it is very important that you get all the facts when planning to change your lifestyle and diet. Many people are suffering from malnutrition and may not even know it. Many overweight individuals may be suffering from malnutrition. Just because you are eating does not mean you are eating the right things.

Micronutrients are the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that your body needs to be healthy. The specific ones and amounts of each will depend on your body, sex, age and other factors. Every person is different so there is not one set plan that works for everyone. You need to learn what works for you. As you change, grow older, etc. this will change again and you will continue to have to adjust this.

Macronutrients are the carbs, proteins and fats that you get from foods. The amounts of these that you need will vary as well. This is where many myths come in about what you should or should not eat. The facts are that too much of anyone can be bad and not enough can be bad. It’s all about finding a balance. This means those “All-Carb” or “No Carb” diets that are so popular on the market are really not the best thing for you.

What you choose to ingest in your body has a big impact on your overall health and your general well-being. People now eat more fast foods and frozen dinners and other quick meals that are not very nutritious at all. Some of these foods even have additives in them that can make them addictive so that you want more and more. People typically eat out of hunger and many of these foods do not work to satisfy your hunger leaving you wanting more or something else. Yet, they still have many calories and fat and other things that your body does not need.

Make the Committment

If you are serious in obtaining optimal health to the best of your ability, then take a look at your lifestyle in general. Are you eating the right foods? Are you exercising? Are you getting plenty of fresh air on a daily basis? Do you have positive relationships? If you find yourself answering “no” to these questions, then make the commitment to change. Talk with your family, friends, or a nutritionist. Check to see if there are support groups in your area related to health and lifestyle changes. Look into joining your local gym. Do your research and then purchase the right nutritional supplements that will help you achieve your goals.
 
If you at least try to make a change in one area, more are sure to follow! You are now on your way to optimal health.