Biochemicals

Progesterone is a C-21 steroid hormone involved in the female menstrual cycle, pregnancy and embryogenesis of humans and other species. Progesterone belongs to a class of hormones called progestogens, and is the major naturally occurring human progestogen. Progesterone is commonly manufactured from the yam family, Dioscorea. Dioscorea produces large amounts of a steroid called diosgenin, which is converted into progesterone in the laboratory.

Phenytoin (phenytoin sodium) is a commonly used antiepileptic. Phenytoin stabilizes the inactive state of voltage-gated sodium channels, resulting in a reduced electrical current in brain cells involved in seizure. Aside from seizures, it is an option in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (facial nerve pain) in the event that carbamazepine is ineffective.

Phenobarbital, a barbiturate, is the most widely used anticonvulsant worldwide and the oldest still commonly used. It also has sedative and hypnotic properties but, as with other barbiturates, has been superseded by the benzodiazepines for these indications. The World Health Organization recommends its use as first-line for partial and generalized tonic-clonic seizures (those formerly known as Grand Mal) in developing countries.

Phencyclidine (PCP or “angel dust”) was initially developed as an anesthetic agent, although it has been mostly used as a recreational drug. PCP works as an NMDA receptor antogonist, producing hallucinogenic and neurotoxic effects. PCP works primarily as an NMDA receptor antagonist, which blocks the activity of the NMDA receptor and, like most antiglutamatergic hallucinogens, is significantly more dangerous than other categories of hallucinogens.

Phencyclidine (PCP or “angel dust”) was initially developed as an anesthetic agent, although it has been mostly used as a recreational drug. PCP works as an NMDA receptor antogonist, producing hallucinogenic and neurotoxic effects. PCP works primarily as an NMDA receptor antagonist, which blocks the activity of the NMDA receptor and, like most antiglutamatergic hallucinogens, is significantly more dangerous than other categories of hallucinogens.