Epinephrine Antioxidant Formulations
Epinephrine (INN) is another term for adrenaline (BAN), which is a hormone and a neurotransmitter. As a neurotransmitter, epinephrine is released by neurons to regulate activity of target tissues, such as brain cells, muscle cells, and the like. Chemically speaking though, epinephrine is a catecholamine hormone, a sypathomimetic monoamine derived from the amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine.
First isolated and identified in 1895 by Napoleon Cybulski, epinephrine was again “discovered in 1897 and in 1901 where two scientists, John Jacob Abel and Jokichi Takamine were not aware that it was the same hormone, and instead named it adrenaline. Epinephrine was first artificially synthesized in 1904 by Friedrich Stolz.
Epinephrine plays a central role in the short-term stress reaction. Such reaction is the physiological response of the body to threatening or exciting conditions. Thus, when you are excited or afraid, you feel that “adrenaline rush” in the body.
Epinephrine is often combined with antioxidant formulations for best results. Antioxidant formulations are, as you might already know, act primarily on neutralizing free radicals – oxygen byproducts that cause damages to cells. Epinephrine and antioxidant formulations are often injected into the human body to narrow blood vessels and open airways in the lungs. The epinephrine counteracts severe low blood pressure and wheezing while the antioxidant formulation contained help repair damages that might have already been incurred. Epinephrine and antioxidant formulations also help relieve itching and hives.
Injections of epinephrine and antioxidant formulations are used to treat severe allergic reactions, a condition called anaphylaxis. Such may be caused by anything from insect stings or bites, foods, drugs, and other allergens as well as exercise-induced (idiopathic) anaphylaxis. Epinephrine and antioxidant formulation auto-injectors such as EpiPen and EpiPen Jr. are intended for immediate self-administration by a person with a history of anaphylactic reaction.
Things to Consider before Using Epinephrine and Antioxidant Formulations
Before any emergency occurs, talk to your doctor about using epinephrine and antioxidant formulations for injection. This holds especially true only in the case of the conditions highlighted in the following:
Heart disease or high blood pressure;
Medicines to treat a heart condition;
Diabetes; or
Thyroid problems
If you have any of the conditions listed above, you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment with epinephrine and antioxidant formulations.
Epinephrine and antioxidant formulations are in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether epinephrine and antioxidant formulations will be harmful to the unborn baby. Before you take the injection during an emergency, talk to your doctor about its use and its possible effects on the baby. Also, before any emergency occurs, talk to your doctor about using epinephrine and antioxidant formulations if you are breast-feeding a baby.
How EpiPen Injection is used
Use EpiPen injection exactly as your doctor advised. Instructions will be given and if you do not understand them, ask your doctor, pharmacist, nurse to explain them to you. If any severe allergic reaction occurs, seek emergency medical attention. Generally, the effects of EpiPen and antioxidant formulations wear off after 10 to 20 minutes but it is always better to be safe, than sorry.
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