DEAN RE
Diabetes? and the Native American.
S D J Med. 1990 Dec; 43(12): 15
BACKGROUND. This paper reports racial/ethnic differences in the use of licit and illicit drugs by high school seniors in the United States. METHODS. The study uses questionnaire data from annual, nationally representative surveys of seniors from 1976 through 1989. Combined sample sizes were 57,620 for 1976-79; 75,772 for 1980-84; and 73,527 for 1985-89. RESULTS. Native American had the highest prevalence rates for cigarettes, alcohol, and most illicit drugs; White students had the next highest rates for most drugs. Asian Americans had the lowest prevalence rates, and Black students had levels nearly as low except for marijuana. Prevalence rates for the Hispanic groups were mostly in the intermediate ranges except for relatively high cocaine use among the males. Trend patterns for most forms of drug use were similar across subgroups, although cigarette use declined more sharply for Black than White seniors, resulting in greater Black-White differences in recent years. CONCLUSIONS. This study, other school-based studies, and general population surveys all show relatively low levels of drug use by most non-White youth, especially Black Americans and Asian Americans. Multivariate analyses indicate that such subgroup differences in high school seniors' drug use are not primarily attributable to family composition, parents' education, region, or urban-rural distinctions.
FERNEX M; JAQUET C; MITTELHOLZER ML; REBER R; STURCHLER D
Neue Medikamente fur die Behandlung der Malaria tropica. [Current drugs for the treatment of tropical malaria]
Schweiz Rundsch Med Prax. 1991 Jan 22; 80(4): 67-71
The occurrence in the early 60's of stable resistance to chloroquine among Plasmodium falciparum strains in the Amazonas and on the Thai-Cambodian border has been a shock for all malariologists. This led to the search for new antimalarials without cross resistance with chloroquine. For each new drug, one of the major concerns was to define how rapidly parasites would develop resistance to this compound. Drug combinations were taken into consideration so as to achieve a delay in the appearance of resistance. The decision to test a triple combination has led to the development of Fansimef, a fixed combination with tablets containing 250 mg mefloquine, 500 mg sulfadoxine and 25 mg pyrimethamine. A very relevant delay in the development of resistance was found both in-vivo--in the P. berghei model--and in-vitro using P. falciparum. Fansimef has also been under investigations for malaria. Controlled clinical trials were performed in Africa, South America and South East Asia. The documentation for this new indication will be submitted to registration authorities in 1991. A preference alternative to continuous chemoprophylaxis is stand-by malaria treatment for travellers to regions where the malaria risk is relatively low. Stand-by treatment is under investigations in France and in Switzerland. In the search for alternative remedies against drug resistant P. falciparum malaria our attention was directed to Yingzhaosu, a new sesquiterpene peroxide of plant origin from traditional Chinese medicine. A short and convenient synthesis of this ring system gave access to a variety of structural analogues of Yingzhaosu. ...
GILLMORE MR; CATALANO RF; MORRISON DM; WELLS EA; IRITANI B; HAWKINS JD
Racial differences in acceptability and availability of drugs and early initiation of substance use.
Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 1990; 16(3-4): 185-206
This paper examines differences among three racial groups in exposure to three risk factors for drug use (availability of drugs, acceptability of drug use, and peer alcohol use), and the relationship of these factors to drug use initiation in a sample of preadolescent urban youths. Tobacco and alcohol initiation rates were highest among Whites, lower among Blacks, and lowest among Asian-Americans. Paralleling these differences, White youths reported the greatest access to marijuana, greatest parental tolerance of substance use, and greatest intentions to use drugs as adults. Blacks somewhat less, and Asian-Americans the least. No racial differences appear in the proportion who reported that their peers used alcohol. Marijuana availability and peer use predicted substance initiation for all three racial groups. However, intentions to use substances as an adult and perceived parental tolerance of substance use predicted drug use only for White and Asian-American youths, while the expectation of punishment for drug use predicted lower drug use only among Black youths. Implications for prevention are discussed.
HEIM R, HOFMANN A
Isolement de las Psilocybine a partir du Stropharia cubensis Earle et d'autres especes de champignons hallucinogenes mexicains appertenant su genre Psilocybe. (Isolation of Psilocybin from Stropharia cubensis Earle and other species hallucinogenic fungus f
Compt.rend.Acad.sc., Paris 247:557, 1958
Psilocybin was first isolated from Psilocybe mexicana Heim. The same method of extraction has since been employed to isolate Psilocybin from the dried carpophores of the following fungi: Psilocybe caerulescens Murr. var Mazatecorum Heim, Psilocybe Zapotecorum Heim, Psilocybe Aztecorum Heim, Psilocybe semperviva Heim and Cailleux; Stropharia cubensis Earle, of Mexican, Siamese and Cambodian origin. Thus, Psilocybin has been found not only in all Mexican species of Psilocybe studied but also in Stropharia cubensis from Mexico and South-East Asia. The hallucinogenic effect of Stropharia cubensis has been previously reported.
Heine-Geldern, Robert von & Ekholm, Gordon F.
Significant Parallels in the Symbolic Arts of Southern Asia and Middle America.
29th ICA 2:299-309. (1944)
Heine-Geldern, Robert von.
Cultural Connections between Asia and pre-Columbian America.
Anthropos 45:350-2. (1950)
Heine-Geldern, Robert von.
Representations of the Asiatic Tiger in the Art of the Chavin Culture: A Proof of Early Contacts Between China and Peru.
33rd ICA 1:321-326. (1958)
Heine-Geldern, Robert von.
Traces of Indian and Southeast Asiatic Hindu-Buddhist Influences in Mesoamerica.
35th ICA 1:47-54. (1964)
Hodgin, Deanna
Seeking cures in the jungle. (rain forests as sources of medicinal plants for the pharmaceutical industry)
Insight. v7 Oct 7 '91 p30(2)
Shaman Pharmaceuticals focuses its biotechnological research on developing drugs from medicinal plants found in rain forests in South America, Asia and Africa. Company president Lisa Conte advocates the role ethnobotany in the pharmaceutical industry.
Jairazbhoy, R. A.
Asians in Pre-Columbian Mexico.
Northwood, UK: privately published, 1976. (1976)
JUNIPER; ROBBINS; JOEL
The Carnivorous Plants. Part IV: Phytochemical Aspects
The Carnivorous Plants; 1989 Academic Press, ISBN 0-12-392170-8
NEPENTHES: Linnaeus gave the plant it's present name in 1753, in allusion to the story in Homer's Odyssey where Helen mixed wine with the drug 'Nepenthe' (Greek. literally 'No Mind') so that by drinking it man might be freed from care and grief. The shape of the pitchers in some species resembles the Greek rhincton or drinking horn. [Genera & distribution of pitcher plants] Heliamphora: British Guiana, Venezuela, Brazil. Darlingtonia: Northern California, Southern Oregon. Sarracenia: North America. Cephalotus: Western Australia. Nepenthes: Madagascar, Borneo, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Queensland Australia, Malaysia. AMINES: Histamine has been detected in the leaf tissues of a number of genera (Werle 1955). In both Nepenthes and Drosera the level appears to be higher in those parts of the leaf associated with the traps, though the level is variable. In these cases, as well as in Sarracenia and Pinguicula, the concentration is in the range 2-13 ug/g fresh weight. Acetylcholine-like compounds were also detected in Nepenthes (Morrisey 1963)... ALKALOIDS: Alkaloids, while not unknown, are relatively uncommon amongst the carnivorous plants. In view of their requirements for nitrogen in the molecules it is perhaps not suprising that these plants, living in nitrogen-limited environments, use other types of compounds as protective agents. Porcher (1849) was unable to detect morphine, nicotine or quinine in either Sarracenia flava or S. minor although Shepard (in Porcher 1849) reported a new alkaloid, possibly related to chinchonine. Sarracenia purpurea plants yielded veratrine (Hetet 1879), which possibly was Sheperd's alkaloid. Bjorklund (1864) isolated coniine from roots of S. purpurea but not leaves, though Lambert(1902) subsequently identified coniine as a volatile base produced by fresh leaves of this species. Romeo et al. (1977) could not, however isolate any alkaloid from all 10 species of Sarracenia but Mody et al. (1976) using large amounts of S. flava leaves (4.5 kg), showed that the unknown (1.9% total oil) C8H17N extracted by Miles et al.(1975) is again coniine. The other unknown C5H11NO (0.5%) may also be an alkaloid, but awaits identification. Recent work has not been able to confirm the presence of veratrine in Sarracenia. The variability in these reports may indicate seasonal and/or regional differences in alkaloid production, possibly related to carnivorous activity. Pinguicula vulgaris does not appear to contain any alkaloids (Christen 1961): nor does Nepenthes rafflesiana (Cannon et al. 1980).
KINGSBURG
Peganum harmala
Poisonous Plants of the United States and Canada
Peganum harmala L., African rue. DESCRIPTION: Bright green, succulent, much-branched perennial herb bushy in habitat, about 1 ft tall when fully grown. Leaves alternate, pinnate or twice pinnately divided; ultimate segments linear, fleshy, glabrous. Flowers single, white, consipicuous; petals 5. Fruit a 2- to 4- cavitied many-seeded leathery capsule, about 3/8 inch in diameter. DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT: This species is native to the deserts of Africa and southern Asia. It was first recognized in the United States on a section of land near Deming, New Mexico in 1935 and has since spread on dry range land into Arizona and western Texas. POISONOUS PRINCIPLE: Alkaloids extracted from African rue have proven toxic to laboratory animals, producing the same symptoms as observed when the whole seed was fed. The seeds of the plant have been shown to contain at least 4 alkaloids, of which three have the indole configuration. TOXICITY, SYMPTOMS AND LESIONS: Cattle loss on the range where this plant was first recognized prompted its investigation as a poisonous plant. Experimental studies have been performed at the Texas and New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Stations and by the United States Department of Agriculture. The ground seed is almost always lethal to guinea pigs at 0.15 percent of the animal's weight. young leaves were toxic at 1 per cent, dry-weight basis, but older leaves seemed to lack toxicity. In guinea pigs the symptoms consisted of posterior paralysis and weakness of back muscles, appearing within half an hour of feeding, and lasting for several hours. No lesions of significance were found. African rue is highly unpalatable to cattle, but if force-fed, it is lethal. Sheep have been observed to eat the plant after it had dried under range conditions, but experimentally they could not be forced voluntarily to consume hay made from it.
Li, Hui-Lin.
The Origin and Use of Cannabis in Eastern Asia: Linguistic-Cultural Implications.
Economic Botany 28:293-301. (1974)
MAHYAR UW; BURLEY JS; GYLLENHAAL C; SOEJARTO DD
Medicinal plants of Seberida (Riau Province, Sumatra, Indonesia).
J Ethnopharmacol. 1991 Feb; 31(2): 217-37
Field enquiries on the plants used to treat diseases in villages of Seberida Municipality indicated that a large number of plant species (at least 100) are being used in therapy. Many of the uses, however, are magical in nature. Those in which a cause-effect relationship may be established (56) are presented in this paper. A review of the ethnomedical and experimental literature showed that medicinal plant uses in Seberida fall into three categories: those for which uses are corroborated by similar medicinal uses for the same plant or different species of the same genus in other cultures, those for which uses of the plant or species of the same genus are corroborated by evidence of relevant pharmacological activity in the experimental literature and those for which the medicinal uses are not corroborated. A discussion of these categories is presented. Taken as a whole, the medicinal uses of plants in Seberida are characterized by a remarkably high proportion of plants used to treat fevers and malaria and by a high proportion of species of which the leaves are used (externally or internally) for medicinal purposes. Comparison with other studies reported in the literature seems to indicate that a high frequency of the use of leaves in therapy may be a part of a larger cultural phenomenon among the tropical forest tribes of Southeast Asia and the southern Pacific Islands. Possible rationales for this type of use are offered.
OKTEN A; MOCAN H; KOKSAL I; YAZICI A
Karadeniz'de sporadik Kala-azar yoresi. [Sporadic kala-azar in the Black Sea region]
Mikrobiyol Bul. 1990 Oct; 24(4): 361-7
Visceral leishmaniasis is a disease, also called kala-azar, caused by species of Leishmania, which is known as intracellular parasite. Disease show a broad spectrum on the clinical symptoms. This infection is seen classically in Mediterranean countries, in same Asian countries between 30th-48th north parallels and in South America. In Mediterranean countries the parasite causing the visceral Leishmaniasis is Leishmania donovani. Turkey is also a Mediterranean country taking place between 36th-42nd north parallels.
SCIULLI PW; SCHNEIDER KN; MAHANEY MC
Stature estimation in prehistoric Native Americans of Ohio.
Am J Phys Anthropol. 1990 Nov; 83(3): 275-80
In the present report we investigate stature estimation techniques in a sample of 64 (35 male, 29 female) prehistoric Native Americans from Ohio. Because living stature is unknown for these 64 individuals, we use Fully's (1956) anatomical method to provide the best estimates of living stature. In this method all osseous components of skeletal height are measured and soft tissue correction is added. Comparisons of regression equations commonly used for stature estimation in prehistoric Eastern Woodland Native American populations, but developed for East Asian and East Asian-derived populations (using lower extremity components), show that these commonly used equations consistently yield stature estimates 2 to 8 cm in excess of the best estimates from Fully's method. Based on the skeletal height measures of the 64 individuals in the present sample, we develop regression equations for the estimation of stature. These equations yield stature estimates virtually identical to estimates from Fully's method and may prove useful for stature reconstruction in other prehistoric Eastern Woodland Native American populations.
SENAY EC
Drug abuse and public health. A global perspective.
Drug Saf. 1991; 6 Suppl 1: 1-65
During the past 20 years there has been a substantial increase in the data available on the prevalence and consequences of the use of drugs which are liable to abuse. The body of data is sufficiently scientific, comprehensive and global in scope to enable an overall profile of the use patterns of these drugs to be drawn in this review. The studies evaluated include those which surveyed populations of hundreds, thousands, or even more, covering a range of common drugs of abuse and using specified research methods. The data are summarised for North America, Europe, Asia and the West Pacific, Africa and South America. A complex picture has emerged, confounded by an array of factors, which this review does not address in detail, such as youth alienation, the changing role of women and the increasing sophistication of criminal networks. From a global perspective, the evidence reviewed from the various regions indicates that the use of drugs with liability for abuse is widespread and associated with public health and social problems of great magnitude. The major set of problems appears to be related to primary pattern drugs such as alcohol, nicotine, cannabis and the opioids. Cocaine may also be a worldwide threat in view of the problems it has created in some regions. Drug abuse usually starts in adolescence, and both sexes now appear to be involved where in the recent past it was predominantly men who were affected. The concurrent use of multiple substances is now becoming the modal pattern, and drug-related problems correlate with one another and with somatic, psychiatric and social pathology. Opioid use now tends to be via intravenous administration, and the doses of cannabis and cocaine base which are used are increasing. Substances with therapeutic effects on DSM-III-R diagnosable disorders, such as antidepressants and benzodiazepines, require careful consideration by policymakers because the risk:benefit ratio is different to that of primary-pattern intoxicants, especially taking into consideration the broad and proven therapeutic use of these substances and the need for their availability for patients and physicians. In conclusion, the data presented in this review indicate that the scientific description of trends and consequences of drug abuse is an indispensable first step in rational policy making. The review also identifies areas for further study and research.
SPECIOSA FROM THAILAND.
The Mitragyna Species of Asia Part Xxxi. the Alkaloids of Mitragyna
Shellard,ej: Houghton,pj: Resha,m Planta Med 34:26- (1978)
SUTARJADI,ZNC: HARDJOPRANOTO,H
A Preliminary Report on Fraxinus Griffithii Clarke.
Proc Third Asian Symposium on Medicinal Plants and Spices Colombo Sri Lanka February 1977 1977 : 20-21 (1977) English
Tohhara S; Kato A; Tsuji M; Nakajima T; Kato N
[A case of traveller who showed heroin withdrawal after returning from abroad]
Arukoru-Kenkyuto-Yakubutsu-Ison; 1991 Oct; 26(5); P 391-400
A 28-year old Japanese man with heroin abuse was reported. He is an ex-beautician and has abused a variety of substances such as toluene, marihuana, methamphetamine, LSD, and so on since he was in a junior high school in Japan. He experienced an intravenous injection of heroin for five days on his first trip to Thailand in 1989. Soon after he returned home, he went back there to use heroin again. He also experienced tearing and running nose as withdrawal at the end of his ten-day trip. During his third stay there he got a job as a wholesale dealer of heroin under a illegal drug organization in the northern part of Thailand. Before he returned home in Japan, he managed to withdraw from heroin by reducing the dose and replacing it with opium smoking. On his fourth trip he failed to withdraw from heroin and injected the drug intravenously at Chiang Mai Airport before leaving Thailand. He began to show acute heroin withdrawal just after he arrived in Osaka, Japan and sought treatment without telling heroin abuse. He was hospitalized next day and soon showed more severe withdrawal and delirium for next ten days. The delirium was thought to be due to not only heroin but the other drugs which he used. Recently heroin abuse, once prevalent during the latter half of 1950s in Japan, has been hardly seen owing to changing the law to severe punishment in 1963. To avoid strict regulations in home some of young Japanese seem to travel abroad and abuse drugs in Asian countries where the drugs are easily available.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
TSENG WS; ASAI M; LIU JQ; WIBULSWASDI P; SURYANI LK; WEN JK; BRENNAN J; HEIBY E
Multi-cultural study of minor psychiatric disorders in Asia: symptom manifestations.
Int J Soc Psychiatry. 1990 Winter; 36(4): 252-64
Patients with minor psychiatric disorders, including neuroses, situational adjustment reaction or acute emotional reaction, were investigated using symptom questionnaires at five research sites in Asia including: Chiang-Mai, Thailand; Bali, Indonesia; Kao-Hsiung, Taiwan, China; Shanghai, China; and Tokyo, Japan. The results revealed that the symptom profiles differ significantly among groups of different settings indicating that sociocultural background does contribute to the manifestation of neurotic symptomatology. It was also found that numerous and various subtypes of somatic scales were identified through factor analysis of symptoms for these Asian populations. It demonstrates that the spectrum of neurotic symptoms has a different focus for subjects in different sociocultural settings.
Vacek J
[Irrationality in psychiatry. I. Irrationality in analytical psychology]
Cesk-Psychiatr; 1991 Feb; 87(1); P 12-6
In the author's opinion the contemporary western world is experiencing an offensive of irrationality which affects also psychiatry. When psychiatry got rid of irrational illusions of preceding centuries, analytical psychology contributed to the introduction of irrationality into psychiatry. In the first part of his paper he maintains that Freud's share was not substantial in this respect and that in particular Jung contributed towards the development of irrational trends in psychiatry by this concept of collective unconscious. In the second part of his paper the author deals with so-called transpersonal, psychology, in particular the contribution made by the Czech psychiatrist Grof who, based on his experiments with LSD, created the theory of three levels of experience from unconscious (psychodynamic, perinatal, and transpersonal). His interpretation is a relapse of neoplatonism and represents antirational agnostic spiritualism with utopic antipsychiatric elements. In the third part of his paper the author deals with Capro's ideology of the New Age Movement to the establishment of which Ghof contributed in an important way. The New Age ideology is an irrational conglomeration of anti-civilization trends which negate modern thinking. The chances of manking are fallaciously seen in alienation from science and an approach to mysticism and irrational Asian traditions. Contemporary popularity of irrational trends, incl. transpersonal psychology, is a reaction of the overationalized society. Consequential enforcement of transpersonal psychology would imply a negation of the entire arsenal of thinking in psychiatry as a medial discipline.
Wasson, R. Gordon.
Mushrooms and Japanese Culture.
The Asiatic Society of Japan, Transactions, 3rd Series, 2:5-25. (1973)
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