By: Joo Hee Kwon, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – There are 3 antigenic types of influenza: A, B, and C. Influenza C causes mild illness and therefore does not cause epidemics.  In contrast, influenza A and B are capable of causing mild to severe flu and in some cases death.  An epidemic can occur depending…

By: Neal Shah, Co-Editor-in-Chief – Xerostomia, commonly known as dry mouth, is an anti-muscarinic side effect of numerous medications.  Antidepressants, analgesics, diuretics, and antihistamines have a high propensity to cause xerostomia.1  Xerostomia may also result from Sjogren’s syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, and various chemotherapy agents.2  Traditionally, muscarinic agonists like pilocarpine have been used to reverse xerostomia.…

By: Kathlynn Ferrer, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – Nabiximols (Sativex®) is a buccal spray that has been approved for use in the UK, Spain, Germany, Denmark, New Zealand, and Canada. The active ingredients in this product are Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol, two kinds of cannabinoids1. Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that stimulate cannabinoid receptors and are the…