Panzyga – One of the FDA-approved drugs to treat Autoimmune diseases
PANZYGA (Immune Globulin Intravenous (IGIV)) is used for the treatment of chronic immune thrombocytopenia (cITP) in adults to increase platelet counts to control and prevent bleeding; primary humoral immunodeficiency (PI) in patients 2 years of age and older (this includes common variable immunodeficiency Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, congenital agammaglobulinemia, X-linked agammaglobulinemia, and several other combined immunodeficiencies); and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) in adults to improve neuromuscular disability and impairment. What should I know before I receive Panzyga? Thrombosis (clotting of the blood) may occur with immune globulin intravenous (IGIV) products, including PANZYGA. Risk factors may include prolonged immobilization, advanced age history of venous or arterial thrombosis, indwelling central vascular catheters use…
Bupleurum Falcatum Extract for skin and body
Bupleurum falcatum is also known as sickle-leaved hare’s ear. It is a species in the Apiaceae family. B. falcatum and has been used in Chinese medicine as a “liver tonic” for over 2000 years. It is commonly prescribed by Chinese and Japanese traditional medicine doctors for inflammatory and infectious diseases. B. falcatum has been found to possess anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. It was reported that several major triterpenoid saponins were found in B. falcatum extract, including saikosaponin A (SSA) and saikosaponin D (SSD). These components are reported to have immunomodulatory, antiproliferative, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anticancer effects. Many studies have focused on the use of Chinese herbal medicines to treat or prevent PCV2-induced health disorders. How does it work?…
Amyris essential oil – Is it better than Sandalwood oil?
Amyris essential oil (Amyris balsamifera) or West Indian Sandalwood is produced from the heartwood of a small tree in the Rutaceae. Amyris has so many different names in different countries ( bois chandelle in Haiti, torchwood in Jamaica, tigua in Venezuela), but in the United States it is referred to as Amyris, balsam amyris, or West Indian sandalwood. Another interesting fact is that this species is not related to the other sandalwood i.e. the Indian or Australian sandalwood (which are more expensive and wood-scented). Benefits of using Amyris essential oil: We couldn’t find much data and the only benefits we found was that it had anti-microbial properties, can help ease…
Agastache Mexicana Flower for skin
Agastache mexicana is a flower in Mexico that inhibits pharmacological properties such as anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, and antioxidant properties. Agastache mexicana has two subspecies i.e. mexicana and xolocotziana. Both of them are different in their own way. Now let’s take a look at the benefits of using Agastache Mexicana. Benefits of using Agastache Mexicana Flower: Anti-inflammatory: It may soothe or calm the redness on the skin. Anti-oxidant: Agastache mexicana can as an antioxidant and can help to scavenge free radicals that destroy our skin. Spasmolytic activity: Agastache Mexicana displays spasmolytic activity that can relieve spasms of smooth muscle. Anxiolytic: it is an anxiolytic meaning that it can reduce stress and anxiety.…
RITUXAN (rituximab) – Complete Information
What is RITUXAN and what is it used for? RITUXAN is a CD20-directed cytolytic antibody indicated for the treatment of: Adult patients with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL): refractory or relapsed, low grade or follicular, CD20-positive B-cell NHL as a single agent. Previously untreated follicular, CD20-positive, B-cell NHL in combination with first-line chemotherapy and, in patients achieving a complete or partial response to a rituximab product in combination with chemotherapy, as single-agent maintenance therapy. Non-progressing, low-grade, CD20- positive, B-cell NHL as a single agent after first-line vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and prednisone chemotherapy. Previously untreated diffuse large B-cell, CD20-positive NHL in combination with (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and prednisone) (CHOP) or other anthracycline-based chemotherapy regimens.…
What is the best type of conditioner for your hair?
A conditioner mainly consists of a mixture of water and oil with two types of conditioning ingredients: Cationic surfactants (behentrominium/centrimonium chloride), and Fatty alcohols (cetearly/cetyl/stearyl alcohol). Why do you need these 2 types of conditioning ingredients? These two types form a lamellar phase. Lamellar phases lead to a great deposition of ingredients into the hair and the main goal of a conditioner is to deposit the conditioning ingredients into the hair. Not every lamellar phase gives the same deposition and the optimal performance of a lamellar depends on the exact ratio of the ingredients. Two products can contain the same ingredients but, if the ratio is different, it will not…
Do you need Hyaluronic acid in hair products?
Hyaluronic acid is an overrated ingredient in the skincare industry and it can hold up to 1000 times its own weight. In addition to that, it also hydrates the skin. Promoting HA for haircare just because it can hold so much water doesn’t make sense. Haircare products are not about hydrating or adding water to the hair. The hair needs to be conditioned i.e. conditioning agents form a film around the hair to smoothen it. When searching for hair care ingredients, we are looking for ingredients that can coat the hair and smoothen it. HA has lubricating properties, but the ingredient needs to be able to bind to the hair.…
What does a protein treatment do for your hair?
This is concerning the protein treatments like masks/deep conditioners. As you already know, our hair consists of proteins, especially keratin, and keratin treatments are seen as the holy grail of hair care. Although there is a similarity, this doesn’t mean that it works better than other conditioning agents. If an ingredient wants to bind to the hair, it needs to have an affinity with the hair. For example, in electrostatic interactions, the hair is negatively charged so it needs to bind to something which is positively charged or by a similar chemical structure like protein. Hair can be damaged in two ways: The surface of the hair can be easily…
Does protein overload exist and when does your hair need protein?
Our hair consists of protein which is the most essential thing needed in our hair but, due to heat styling, bleaching, etc, the protein in your hair gets damaged. So you would think that if my hair is damaged it needs more protein. But, it is very difficult to replace the damaged protein in your hair with a protein, because your hair has a very unique composition and that’s why most conditioning products contain ingredients that attach to the hair by another mechanism. Silicones attach to the hair because they are hydrophobic. Cationic ingredients are positively charged and they bind by electrostatic interactions. The hair is negatively charged, so it…
How often should you wash your hair?
There is really no right answer to this. It really depends on the individual, their hair type (curly hair does not become greasy quick), grooming habits, and natural oil production. What are the pros and cons of washing hair? Pros: You must wash your scalp to avoid scalp health issues and irritations such as dandruff. People with oily scalps should wash their hair more often like 2-3 times a week. We should wash our hair because of the styling products we use. Cons: The surfactants or the cleaning agents present in the shampoo can really damage the hair lengths. The roots of your hair near the scalp are coated with…