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58-419: A medication (also called medicament , medicine , pharmaceutical drug , medicinal drug or simply drug ) is a drug used to diagnose , cure , treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy ( pharmacotherapy ) is an important part of the medical field and relies on the science of pharmacology for continual advancement and on pharmacy for appropriate management. Drugs are classified in many ways. One of

116-572: A patch on the skin, suppository , or dissolution under the tongue . In pharmacology , a drug is a chemical substance, typically of known structure, which, when administered to a living organism, produces a biological effect. A pharmaceutical drug , also called a medication or medicine, is a chemical substance used to treat , cure, prevent , or diagnose a disease or to promote well-being . Traditionally drugs were obtained through extraction from medicinal plants , but more recently also by organic synthesis . Pharmaceutical drugs may be used for

174-468: A pharmacist without needing a doctor's prescription, and prescription only medicines , which must be prescribed by a licensed medical professional , usually a physician . In the United Kingdom, behind-the-counter medicines are called pharmacy medicines which can only be sold in registered pharmacies, by or under the supervision of a pharmacist. These medications are designated by the letter P on

232-470: A stimulant , a sedative , a euphoriant and an anesthetic . The roots of the kava plant are used to produce a drink consumed throughout the cultures of the Pacific Ocean. Some shamans from different cultures use entheogens, defined as "generating the divine within," to achieve religious ecstasy . Amazonian shamans use ayahuasca (yagé), a hallucinogenic brew, for this purpose. Mazatec shamans have

290-419: A study drug , is methylphenidate branded commonly as Ritalin and used for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy . At high doses methylphenidate can become highly addictive . Serious addiction can lead to psychosis , anxiety and heart problems, and the use of this drug is related to a rise in suicides, and overdoses. Evidence for use outside of student settings

348-435: A critical role, often then selling the rights to larger companies that have the resources to run the clinical trials. Drug discovery is different from Drug Development. Drug Discovery is often considered the process of identifying new medicine. At the same time, Drug development is delivering a new drug molecule into clinical practice. In its broad definition, this encompasses all steps from the basic research process of finding

406-432: A day). It may include event-related information (e.g., 1 hour before meals, in the morning, at bedtime), or complimentary to an interval, although equivalent expressions may have different implications (e.g., every 8 hours versus 3 times a day). In the fields of medicine, biotechnology , and pharmacology , drug discovery is the process by which new drugs are discovered. Historically, drugs were discovered by identifying

464-573: A group of 2245 elderly Americans (average age of 71) surveyed over the period 2010 – 2011, those percentages were 88%, 38%, and 64%. One of the key classifications is between traditional small molecule drugs; usually derived from chemical synthesis and biological medical products ; which include recombinant proteins , vaccines , blood products used therapeutically (such as IVIG ), gene therapy , and cell therapy (for instance, stem cell therapies). Pharmaceuticals or drugs or medicines are classified into various other groups besides their origin on

522-412: A limited duration, or on a regular basis for chronic disorders . Pharmaceutical drugs are often classified into drug classes —groups of related drugs that have similar chemical structures , the same mechanism of action (binding to the same biological target ), a related mode of action , and that are used to treat the same disease. The Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System (ATC),

580-500: A long and continuous tradition of religious use of Salvia divinorum , a psychoactive plant. Its use is to facilitate visionary states of consciousness during spiritual healing sessions. Silene undulata is regarded by the Xhosa people as a sacred plant and used as an entheogen. Its roots are traditionally used to induce vivid (and according to the Xhosa, prophetic) lucid dreams during

638-632: A particular mutation in the EGFR gene. Some drugs are specifically approved for certain genotypes. Vemurafenib is such a case which is used for melanoma patients who carry a mutation in BRAF gene. The number of people who benefit from a drug determines if drug trials are worth carrying out, given that phase III trials may cost between $ 100 million and $ 700 million per drug. This is the motivation behind personalized medicine , that is, to develop drugs that are adapted to individual patients. A medication or medicine

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696-451: A process known as reverse pharmacology . Hits from these screens are then tested in cells and then in animals for efficacy . Even more recently, scientists have been able to understand the shape of biological molecules at the atomic level and to use that knowledge to design (see drug design ) drug candidates. Modern drug discovery involves the identification of screening hits, medicinal chemistry , and optimization of those hits to increase

754-411: A process of identifying a new medicine. Development: Chemicals extracted from natural products are used to make pills, capsules, or syrups for oral use. Injections for direct infusion into the blood drops for eyes or ears. Preclinical research : Drugs go under laboratory or animal testing, to ensure that they can be used on Humans. Clinical testing: The drug is used on people to confirm that it

812-461: A role in cell signaling, pigmentation and in defense against predation. Secondary metabolites are a rich source of biologically active compounds and hence are often used as research tools and leads for drug discovery. Examples of secondary metabolites include: Enzymes and receptors are often activated or inhibited by endogenous protein , but can be also inhibited by endogenous or exogenous small molecule inhibitors or activators , which can bind to

870-402: A small molecule is approximately 900 daltons, which allows for the possibility to rapidly diffuse across cell membranes so that it can reach intracellular sites of action. This molecular weight cutoff is also a necessary but insufficient condition for oral bioavailability as it allows for transcellular transport through intestinal epithelial cells. In addition to intestinal permeability,

928-497: A suitable molecular target to supporting the drug's commercial launch. Drug development is the process of bringing a new drug to the market once a lead compound has been identified through the process of drug discovery . It includes pre-clinical research (microorganisms/animals) and clinical trials (on humans) and may include the step of obtaining regulatory approval to market the drug. Drug Development Process Discovery: The Drug Development process starts with Discovery,

986-675: A unique ATC code , which is an alphanumeric code that assigns it to specific drug classes within the ATC system. Another major classification system is the Biopharmaceutics Classification System . This groups drugs according to their solubility and permeability or absorption properties. Some religions, particularly ethnic religions , are based completely on the use of certain drugs, known as entheogens , which are mostly hallucinogens ,— psychedelics , dissociatives , or deliriants . Some entheogens include kava which can act as

1044-516: A variety of analytical techniques such as surface plasmon resonance , microscale thermophoresis or dual polarisation interferometry to quantify the reaction affinities and kinetic properties and also any induced conformational changes . Small-molecule anti-genomic therapeutics , or SMAT, refers to a biodefense technology that targets DNA signatures found in many biological warfare agents. SMATs are new, broad-spectrum drugs that unify antibacterial, antiviral and anti-malarial activities into

1102-594: A vein , or by drops put into the ear or eye . A medication that does not contain an active ingredient and is used in research studies is called a placebo . In Europe, the term is "medicinal product", and it is defined by EU law as: In the US, a "drug" is: Drug use among elderly Americans has been studied; in a group of 2,377 people with an average age of 71 surveyed between 2005 and 2006, 84% took at least one prescription drug, 44% took at least one over-the-counter (OTC) drug, and 52% took at least one dietary supplement ; in

1160-487: Is a drug taken to cure or ameliorate any symptoms of an illness or medical condition. The use may also be as preventive medicine that has future benefits but does not treat any existing or pre-existing diseases or symptoms. Dispensing of medication is often regulated by governments into three categories— over-the-counter medications, which are available in pharmacies and supermarkets without special restrictions; behind-the-counter medicines, which are dispensed by

1218-492: Is a medicine or a chemical compound used to treat or cure illness. According to Encyclopædia Britannica , medication is "a substance used in treating a disease or relieving pain ". As defined by the National Cancer Institute , dosage forms of medication can include tablets , capsules , liquids, creams , and patches. Medications can be administered in different ways, such as by mouth , by infusion into

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1276-3860: Is an ill-defined class of drugs that might be difficult to administer, require special handling during administration, require patient monitoring during and immediately after administration, have particular regulatory requirements restricting their use, and are generally expensive relative to other drugs. Drugs affecting the central nervous system include psychedelics , hypnotics , anaesthetics , antipsychotics , eugeroics , antidepressants (including tricyclic antidepressants , monoamine oxidase inhibitors , lithium salts , and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)), antiemetics , anticonvulsants /antiepileptics, anxiolytics , barbiturates , movement disorder (e.g., Parkinson's disease ) drugs, nootropics , stimulants (including amphetamines ), benzodiazepines , cyclopyrrolones , dopamine antagonists , antihistamines , cholinergics , anticholinergics , emetics , cannabinoids , and 5-HT (serotonin) antagonists . The main classes of painkillers are NSAIDs , opioids , and local anesthetics . For consciousness (anesthetic drugs) Some anesthetics include benzodiazepines and barbiturates . The main categories of drugs for musculoskeletal disorders are: NSAIDs (including COX-2 selective inhibitors ), muscle relaxants , neuromuscular drugs , and anticholinesterases . Antibiotics , sympathomimetics , antihistamines , anticholinergics , NSAIDs , corticosteroids , antiseptics , local anesthetics , antifungals , and cerumenolytics. Bronchodilators , antitussives , mucolytics , decongestants , inhaled and systemic corticosteroids , beta2-adrenergic agonists , anticholinergics , mast cell stabilizers , leukotriene antagonists . Androgens , antiandrogens , estrogens , gonadotropin , corticosteroids , human growth hormone , insulin , antidiabetics ( sulfonylureas , biguanides / metformin , thiazolidinediones , insulin ), thyroid hormones , antithyroid drugs, calcitonin , diphosphonate , vasopressin analogues . Antifungal , alkalinizing agents , quinolones , antibiotics , cholinergics , anticholinergics , antispasmodics , 5-alpha reductase inhibitor , selective alpha-1 blockers , sildenafils , fertility medications . NSAIDs , anticholinergics , haemostatic drugs , antifibrinolytics , Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), bone regulators, beta-receptor agonists , follicle stimulating hormone , luteinising hormone , LHRH , gamolenic acid , gonadotropin release inhibitor , progestogen , dopamine agonists , oestrogen , prostaglandins , gonadorelin , clomiphene , tamoxifen , diethylstilbestrol . Emollients , anti-pruritics , antifungals , antiseptics , scabicides , pediculicides , tar products, vitamin A derivatives , vitamin D analogues , keratolytics , abrasives , systemic antibiotics , topical antibiotics , hormones , desloughing agents, exudate absorbents, fibrinolytics , proteolytics , sunscreens , antiperspirants , corticosteroids , immune modulators. Antibiotics , antifungals , antileprotics , antituberculous drugs , antimalarials , anthelmintics , amoebicides , antivirals , antiprotozoals , probiotics, prebiotics, antitoxins , and antivenoms. Vaccines , immunoglobulins , immunosuppressants , interferons , and monoclonal antibodies . Anti-allergics , antihistamines , NSAIDs , corticosteroids . Tonics, electrolytes and mineral preparations (including iron preparations and magnesium preparations ), parenteral nutrition , vitamins , anti-obesity drugs , anabolic drugs , haematopoietic drugs, food product drugs. Cytotoxic drugs , therapeutic antibodies , sex hormones , aromatase inhibitors , somatostatin inhibitors, recombinant interleukins , G-CSF , erythropoietin . Contrast media . A euthanaticum

1334-533: Is kept below this limit. Most pharmaceuticals are small molecules, although some drugs can be proteins (e.g., insulin and other biologic medical products ). With the exception of therapeutic antibodies , many proteins are degraded if administered orally and most often cannot cross cell membranes . Small molecules are more likely to be absorbed, although some of them are only absorbed after oral administration if given as prodrugs . One advantage that small molecule drugs (SMDs) have over "large molecule" biologics

1392-582: Is limited but suggests that it is commonplace. Intravenous use of methylphenidate can lead to emphysematous damage to the lungs, known as Ritalin lung . Other drugs known as designer drugs are produced. An early example of what today would be labelled a 'designer drug' was LSD , which was synthesised from ergot . Other examples include analogs of performance-enhancing drugs such as designer steroids taken to improve physical capabilities; these are sometimes used (legally or not) for this purpose, often by professional athletes. Other designer drugs mimic

1450-478: Is safe to use. FDA Review: drug is sent to FDA before launching the drug into the market. FDA post-Market Review: The drug is reviewed and monitored by FDA for the safety once it is available to the public. The regulation of drugs varies by jurisdiction. In some countries, such as the United States, they are regulated at the national level by a single agency. In other jurisdictions, they are regulated at

1508-521: Is still a lengthy, "expensive, difficult, and inefficient process" with a low rate of new therapeutic discovery. In 2010, the research and development cost of each new molecular entity (NME) was approximately US$ 1.8 billion. Drug discovery is done by pharmaceutical companies, sometimes with research assistance from universities. The "final product" of drug discovery is a patent on the potential drug. The drug requires very expensive Phase I, II, and III clinical trials, and most of them fail. Small companies have

1566-538: Is that many small molecules can be taken orally whereas biologics generally require injection or another parenteral administration. Small molecule drugs are also typically simpler to manufacture and cheaper for the purchaser. A downside is that not all targets are amenable to modification with small-molecule drugs; bacteria and cancers are often resistant to their effects. A variety of organisms including bacteria, fungi, and plants, produce small molecule secondary metabolites also known as natural products , which play

1624-778: Is the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System . The World Health Organization keeps a list of essential medicines . Drug discovery and drug development are complex and expensive endeavors undertaken by pharmaceutical companies , academic scientists, and governments. As a result of this complex path from discovery to commercialization, partnering has become a standard practice for advancing drug candidates through development pipelines. Governments generally regulate what drugs can be marketed, how drugs are marketed , and in some jurisdictions, drug pricing . Controversies have arisen over drug pricing and disposal of used Medicine . Medication

1682-508: Is the use of a drug (legal, controlled, or illegal) with the primary intention of altering the state of consciousness through alteration of the central nervous system in order to create positive emotions and feelings. The hallucinogen LSD is a psychoactive drug commonly used as a recreational drug. Ketamine is a drug used for anesthesia , and is also used as a recreational drug, both in powder and liquid form, for its hallucinogenic and dissociative effects . Some national laws prohibit

1740-406: Is used for euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide . Euthanasia is not permitted by law in many countries, and consequently, medicines will not be licensed for this use in those countries. A single drug may contain single or multiple active ingredients . The administration is the process by which a patient takes medicine. There are three major categories of drug administration: enteral (via

1798-415: Is usually some degree of restriction on the availability of certain therapeutic goods depending on their risk to consumers. Drug A drug is any chemical substance other than a nutrient or an essential dietary ingredient, which, when administered to a living organism, produces a biological effect. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalation , injection , smoking , ingestion , absorption via

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1856-608: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), an Indian federal law enforcement and intelligence agency under the Ministry of Home Affairs , is tasked with combating drug trafficking and assisting international use of illegal substances under the provisions of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act . Small molecule Pharmacology usually restricts the term "small molecule" to molecules that bind specific biological macromolecules and act as an effector , altering

1914-478: The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs exist for the purpose of their prohibition . In English, the noun "drug" is thought to originate from Old French " drogue ", possibly deriving from " droge ( vate )" from Middle Dutch meaning "dry (barrels)", referring to medicinal plants preserved as dry matter in barrels. In the 1990s however, Spanish lexicographer Federico Corriente Córdoba documented

1972-472: The active site or on the allosteric site . An example is the teratogen and carcinogen phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate , which is a plant terpene that activates protein kinase C , which promotes cancer, making it a useful investigative tool. There is also interest in creating small molecule artificial transcription factors to regulate gene expression , examples include wrenchnolol (a wrench shaped molecule). Binding of ligand can be characterised using

2030-506: The affinity , selectivity (to reduce the potential of side effects), efficacy/ potency , metabolic stability (to increase the half-life ), and oral bioavailability . Once a compound that fulfills all of these requirements has been identified, it will begin the process of drug development prior to clinical trials . One or more of these steps may, but not necessarily, involve computer-aided drug design . Despite advances in technology and understanding of biological systems, drug discovery

2088-409: The human gastrointestinal tract ), injection into the body, and by other routes ( dermal , nasal , ophthalmic , otologic , and urogenital ). Oral administration , the most common form of enteral administration, can be performed using various dosage forms including tablets or capsules and liquid such as syrup or suspension. Other ways to take the medication include buccally (placed inside

2146-574: The United States . Where it is legislated against, the degree of prohibition also varies. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States is a federal agency responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety , tobacco products , dietary supplements , prescription and over-the-counter medications , vaccines , biopharmaceuticals , blood transfusions , medical devices , electromagnetic radiation emitting devices, cosmetics , animal foods and veterinary drugs . In India,

2204-643: The active ingredient from traditional remedies or by serendipitous discovery. Later chemical libraries of synthetic small molecules , natural products , or extracts were screened in intact cells or whole organisms to identify substances that have a desirable therapeutic effect in a process known as classical pharmacology . Since sequencing of the human genome which allowed rapid cloning and synthesis of large quantities of purified proteins, it has become common practice to use high throughput screening of large compound libraries against isolated biological targets which are hypothesized to be disease-modifying in

2262-512: The activity or function of the target . Small molecules can have a variety of biological functions or applications, serving as cell signaling molecules, drugs in medicine , pesticides in farming, and in many other roles. These compounds can be natural (such as secondary metabolites ) or artificial (such as antiviral drugs ); they may have a beneficial effect against a disease (such as drugs ) or may be detrimental (such as teratogens and carcinogens ). The upper molecular-weight limit for

2320-577: The basis of pharmacological properties like mode of action and their pharmacological action or activity, such as by chemical properties , mode or route of administration , biological system affected, or therapeutic effects . An elaborate and widely used classification system is the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System (ATC system). The World Health Organization keeps a list of essential medicines . A sampling of classes of medicine includes: Pharmaceuticals may also be described as "specialty", independent of other classifications, which

2378-432: The cheek), sublingually (placed underneath the tongue), eye and ear drops (dropped into the eye or ear), and transdermally (applied to the skin). They can be administered in one dose, as a bolus . Administration frequencies are often abbreviated from Latin, such as every 8 hours reading Q8H from Quaque VIII Hora . The drug frequencies are often expressed as the number of times a drug is used per day (e.g., four times

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2436-444: The effects of psychoactive drugs. Since the late 1990s there has been the identification of many of these synthesised drugs. In Japan and the United Kingdom this has spurred the addition of many designer drugs into a newer class of controlled substances known as a temporary class drug . Synthetic cannabinoids have been produced for a longer period of time and are used in the designer drug synthetic cannabis . Recreational drug use

2494-423: The function of the central nervous system , altering perception , mood or consciousness . These drugs are divided into different groups like: stimulants , depressants , antidepressants , anxiolytics , antipsychotics , and hallucinogens . These psychoactive drugs have been proven useful in treating wide range of medical conditions including mental disorders around the world. The most widely used drugs in

2552-438: The initiation process of shamans , classifying it a naturally occurring oneirogen similar to the more well-known dream herb Calea ternifolia . Peyote , a small spineless cactus , has been a major source of psychedelic mescaline and has probably been used by Native Americans for at least five thousand years. Most mescaline is now obtained from a few species of columnar cacti in particular from San Pedro and not from

2610-815: The key divisions is by level of control , which distinguishes prescription drugs (those that a pharmacist dispenses only on the order of a physician, physician assistant , or qualified nurse ) from over-the-counter drugs (those that consumers can order for themselves). Another key distinction is between traditional small molecule drugs, usually derived from chemical synthesis , and biopharmaceuticals , which include recombinant proteins , vaccines , blood products used therapeutically (such as IVIG ), gene therapy , monoclonal antibodies and cell therapy (for instance, stem cell therapies). Other ways to classify medicines are by mode of action, route of administration , biological system affected, or therapeutic effects . An elaborate and widely used classification system

2668-410: The label. The range of medicines available without a prescription varies from country to country. Medications are typically produced by pharmaceutical companies and are often patented to give the developer exclusive rights to produce them. Those that are not patented (or with expired patents) are called generic drugs since they can be produced by other companies without restrictions or licenses from

2726-415: The molecule must also possess a reasonably rapid rate of dissolution into water and adequate water solubility and moderate to low first pass metabolism . A somewhat lower molecular weight cutoff of 500 daltons (as part of the " rule of five ") has been recommended for oral small molecule drug candidates based on the observation that clinical attrition rates are significantly reduced if the molecular weight

2784-408: The most widely used drug classification system, assigns drugs a unique ATC code, which is an alphanumeric code that assigns it to specific drug classes within the ATC system. Another major classification system is the Biopharmaceutics Classification System . This classifies drugs according to their solubility and permeability or absorption properties. Psychoactive drugs are substances that affect

2842-402: The patent holder. Pharmaceutical drugs are usually categorised into drug classes . A group of drugs will share a similar chemical structure , or have the same mechanism of action , the same related mode of action or target the same illness or related illnesses. The Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System (ATC), the most widely used drug classification system, assigns drugs

2900-459: The possible origin of the word in {ḥṭr} an early romanized form of Al-Andalus language from Northwestern part of the Iberian peninsula . The term could approximately be transcribed as حطروكة or hatruka . The term "drug" has become a skunked term with negative connotation, being used as a synonym for illegal substances like cocaine or heroin or for drugs used recreationally . In other contexts

2958-456: The proviso that it can only be used for personal use. It can be used in the leaf form of marijuana (grass) , or in the resin form of hashish . Marijuana is a more mild form of cannabis than hashish. There may be an age restriction on the consumption and purchase of legal recreational drugs. Some recreational drugs that are legal and accepted in many places include alcohol , tobacco , betel nut , and caffeine products, and in some areas of

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3016-677: The route of administration Numerous governmental offices in many countries deal with the control and supervision of drug manufacture and use, and the implementation of various drug laws. The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs is an international treaty brought about in 1961 to prohibit the use of narcotics save for those used in medical research and treatment. In 1971, a second treaty the Convention on Psychotropic Substances had to be introduced to deal with newer recreational psychoactive and psychedelic drugs. The legal status of Salvia divinorum varies in many countries and even in states within

3074-516: The state level, or at both state and national levels by various bodies, as is the case in Australia. The role of therapeutic goods regulation is designed mainly to protect the health and safety of the population. Regulation is aimed at ensuring the safety, quality, and efficacy of the therapeutic goods which are covered under the scope of the regulation. In most jurisdictions, therapeutic goods must be registered before they are allowed to be marketed. There

3132-419: The terms "drug" and "medicine" are used interchangeably. Drug action is highly specific and their effects may only be detected in certain individuals. For instance, the 10 highest-grossing drugs in the US may help only 4-25% of people. Often, the activity of a drug depends on the genotype of a patient. For example, Erbitux ( cetuximab ) increases the survival rate of colorectal cancer patients if they carry

3190-435: The use of different recreational drugs; medicinal drugs that have the potential for recreational use are often heavily regulated. However, there are many recreational drugs that are legal in many jurisdictions and widely culturally accepted. Cannabis is the most commonly consumed controlled recreational drug in the world (as of 2012). Its use in many countries is illegal but is legally used in several countries usually with

3248-601: The vulnerable peyote. The entheogenic use of cannabis has also been widely practised for centuries. Rastafari use marijuana (ganja) as a sacrament in their religious ceremonies . Psychedelic mushrooms ( psilocybin mushrooms ), commonly called magic mushrooms or shrooms have also long been used as entheogens. Nootropics , also commonly referred to as "smart drugs", are drugs that are claimed to improve human cognitive abilities . Nootropics are used to improve memory, concentration, thought, mood, and learning. An increasingly used nootropic among students, also known as

3306-438: The world include caffeine , nicotine and alcohol , which are also considered recreational drugs , since they are used for pleasure rather than medicinal purposes. All drugs can have potential side effects . Abuse of several psychoactive drugs can cause addiction and/or physical dependence . Excessive use of stimulants can promote stimulant psychosis . Many recreational drugs are illicit ; international treaties such as

3364-467: The world the legal use of drugs such as khat is common. There are a number of legal intoxicants commonly called legal highs that are used recreationally. The most widely used of these is alcohol. All drugs have a route of administration , and many can be administered by more than one. A bolus is the administration of a medication, drug or other compound that is given to raise its concentration in blood rapdily to an effective level, regardless of

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