Levothyroxine (T4) is a synthetically prepared levo isomer of thyroxine, the major hormone secreted from the thyroid gland. Thyroxine is released from thyroglobulin by proteolysis and secreted into the blood. Thyroxine is peripherally deiodinated to form triiodothyronine (T3) which exerts a broad spectrum of stimulatory effects on cell metabolism. Thyroid hormone increases the metabolic rate of cells of all tissues in the body. In the fetus and newborn, thyroid hormone is important for the growth and development of all tissues including bones and the brain. In adults, thyroid hormone helps to maintain brain function, food metabolism, and body temperature, among other effects. The symptoms of thyroid deficiency relieved by levothyroxine include slow speech, lack of energy, weight gain, hair loss, dry thick skin and unusual sensitivity to cold. Levothyroxine acts like the endogenous thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4, a tetra-iodinated tyrosine derivative). In the liver and kidney, T4 is converted to T3, the active metabolite. In order to increase solubility, the thyroid hormones attach to thyroid hormone binding proteins, thyroxin-binding globulin, and thyroxin-binding prealbumin (transthyretin). Transport and binding to thyroid hormone receptors in the cytoplasm and nucleus then takes place. Thus by acting as a replacement for natural thyroxine, symptoms of thyroxine deficiency are relieved. Levothyroxine is used for use alone or in combination with antithyroid agents to treat hypothyroidism, goiter, chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, myxedema coma, and stupor.

Edetic acid (EDTA) is a chelating agent. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved edetic acid chelation therapy as a treatment for lead and heavy metal poisoning. Edetic acid in form of disodium salt was withdrawn from the market due to death resulting from hypocalcemia during chelation.

Mercaptopurine, marketed under the brand name Purinethol among others, is a medication used for cancer and autoimmune diseases. Mercaptopurine competes with hypoxanthine and guanine for the enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRTase) and is itself converted to thioinosinic acid (TIMP). This intracellular nucleotide inhibits several reactions involving inosinic acid (IMP), including the conversion of IMP to xanthylic acid (XMP) and the conversion of IMP to adenylic acid (AMP) via adenylosuccinate (SAMP). In addition, 6-methylthioinosinate (MTIMP) is formed by the methylation of TIMP. Both TIMP and MTIMP have been reported to inhibit glutamine-5-phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase, the first enzyme unique to the de novo pathway for purine ribonucleotide synthesis. Experiments indicate that radiolabeled mercaptopurine may be recovered from the DNA in the form of deoxythioguanosine. Some mercaptopurine is converted to nucleotide derivatives of 6-thioguanine (6-TG) by the sequential actions of inosinate (IMP) dehydrogenase and xanthylate (XMP) aminase, converting TIMP to thioguanylic acid (TGMP). PURINETHOL (mercaptopurine) is indicated for maintenance therapy of acute lymphatic (lymphocytic, lymphoblastic) leukemia as part of a combination regimen. The response to this agent depends upon the particular subclassification of acute lymphatic leukemia and the age of the patient (pediatric or adult).

Edetic acid (EDTA) is a chelating agent. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved edetic acid chelation therapy as a treatment for lead and heavy metal poisoning. Edetic acid in form of disodium salt was withdrawn from the market due to death resulting from hypocalcemia during chelation.

Hydralazine is a direct-acting vasodilator that is used as an antihypertensive agent. Hydralazine works by relaxing blood vessels (arterioles more than venules) and increasing the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart while reducing its workload. It also functions as an antioxidant. It inhibits membrane-bound enzymes that form reactive oxygen species, such as superoxides. Excessive superoxide counteracts NO-induced vasodilation. Hydralazine is used for the treatment of essential hypertension, alone or as an adjunct. Also for the management of severe hypertension when the drug cannot be given orally or when blood pressure must be lowered immediately, congestive heart failure (in combination with cardiac glycosides and diuretics and/or with isosorbide dinitrate), and hypertension secondary to pre-eclampsia/eclampsia.

Leucovorin is a compound similar to folic acid, which is a necessary vitamin. It has been around and in use for many decades. Leucovorin is a medication frequently used in combination with the chemotherapy drugs fluoruracil and methotrexate. Leucovorin is not a chemotherapy drug itself, however it is used in addition to these chemotherapy drugs to enhance anticancer effects (with fluorouracil) or to help prevent or lessen side effects (with methotrexate). Leucovorin is also used by itself to treat certain anemia problems when folic acid deficiency is present.

Succinylcholine also known as suxamethonium is a quaternary skeletal muscle relaxant usually used in the form of its halogen salt. It is is indicated under brand name anectine as an adjunct to general anesthesia, to facilitate tracheal intubation, and to provide skeletal muscle relaxation during surgery or mechanical ventilation. Succinylcholine activates the muscle-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptor followed by desensitization. Succinylcholine does not inhibit the presynaptic alpha3beta2 autoreceptor at clinically relevant concentrations, that provides a possible mechanistic explanation for the typical lack of tetanic fade in succinylcholine-induced neuromuscular blockade. Finally, was explored, that cardiovascular side effects (e.g., tachyarrhythmias) of succinylcholine were not mediated via direct activation of the autonomic ganglionic alpha3beta4 subtype because succinylcholine didn’t not activate the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes.

Erythromycin cyclocarbonate (Davercin) is a first generation semi-synthetic erythromycin. It is active against Gram-positive and some Gram-negative microorganisms. Davercin shows comparable or better in vitro potency, low host toxicity and improved pharmacokinetics compared with erythromycin. It is approved for the treatment of acne, atypical pneumonia (caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila), whooping cough (treatment and prevention), urethritis (caused by Ureaplasma urealyticum and Chlamydia trachomatis), gastrointestinal infection caused by Campylobacter spp., short-term infections of the skin and soft tissues (e.g. acne, staphylococcal dermatitis). In streptococcal infections, diphtheria, gonorrhea, early syphilis in patients who are allergic to penicillin, and in the prevention of bacterial endocarditis before the planned dental procedures. Adverse effects are: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, skin allergic reactions.

Primaquine is a oral medication used to treat and prevent malaria and to treat Pneumocystis pneumonia. Specifically it is used for malaria due to Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium ovale along with other medications and for prevention if other options cannot be used. Primaquine is an alternative treatment for Pneumocystis pneumonia together with clindamycin. Primaquine is lethal to P. vivax and P. ovale in the liver stage, and also to P. vivax in the blood stage through its ability to do oxidative damage to the cell. However, the exact mechanism of action is not fully understood. Primaquine is well-absorbed in the gut and extensively distributed in the body without accumulating in red blood cells. Administration of primaquine with food or grapefruit juice increases its oral bioavailibity. In blood, about 20% of circulating primaquine is protein-bound, with preferential binding to the acute phase protein orosomucoid. With a half-life on the order of 6 hours, it is quickly metabolized by liver enzymes to carboxyprimaquine, which does not have anti-malarial activity. Common side effects of primaquine administration include nausea, vomiting, and stomach cramps. Primaquine phosphate is recommended only for the radical cure of vivax malaria, the prevention of relapse in vivax malaria, or following the termination of chloroquine phosphate suppressive therapy in an area where vivax malaria is endemic. Patients suffering from an attack of vivax malaria or having parasitized red blood cells should receive a course of chloroquine phosphate, which quickly destroys the erythrocytic parasites and terminates the paroxysm. Primaquine phosphate should be administered concurrently in order to eradicate the exoerythrocytic parasites in a dosage of 1 tablet (equivalent to 15 mg base) daily for 14 days.

Erythromycin cyclocarbonate (Davercin) is a first generation semi-synthetic erythromycin. It is active against Gram-positive and some Gram-negative microorganisms. Davercin shows comparable or better in vitro potency, low host toxicity and improved pharmacokinetics compared with erythromycin. It is approved for the treatment of acne, atypical pneumonia (caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila), whooping cough (treatment and prevention), urethritis (caused by Ureaplasma urealyticum and Chlamydia trachomatis), gastrointestinal infection caused by Campylobacter spp., short-term infections of the skin and soft tissues (e.g. acne, staphylococcal dermatitis). In streptococcal infections, diphtheria, gonorrhea, early syphilis in patients who are allergic to penicillin, and in the prevention of bacterial endocarditis before the planned dental procedures. Adverse effects are: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, skin allergic reactions.