musings on medicines from the Earth
Abel Pharmboy is the nom de plume of an academic researcher and educator who holds a PhD in Pharmacology. He writes on natural product drugs and dietary supplements, academic career development, medical journalism and, occasionally, making and listening to music and wine appreciation for the monetarily-challenged.
You can learn quickly the distinction between the fields of Pharmacology, Pharmacognosy, Pharmacy, the Pharmaceutical Sciences by clicking on the hyperlinks. You can learn more about the author here.
"Why Terra Sigillata?" will tell you about the origin of the blog name.
Please feel free to contact me off-blog by e-mail to abelpharmboy (at) gmail (dot) com.
Please read the DISCLAIMER for details on the blog's intended audience, advertising and comment policy, and how not to use the information presented herein.
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April 29, 2007
Category: Pharmacy
This sad story harkens back to my days as a pharmacy prof when students would argue for points on an incorrect pharmaceutical calculations exam by saying, "well, only the decimal point was off." A pharmacy erroneously made a drug 10...
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 7:36 PM • 7 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 26, 2007
Category: Scientific publishing
If publishing is not meant to disseminate scientific findings, then what is its purpose?
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 8:47 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 25, 2007
Category: Botanical/Herbal Medicines
How can an herbal extract proven ineffective for menopausal symptoms still reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence?
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 9:02 AM • 2 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 23, 2007
Category: Alternative medicine
From the Canadian National Review of Medicine: Quacks pervert U of A doc's discovery - Desperate cancer patients clamour for untested DCA "cure"
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 10:02 AM • 12 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 20, 2007
Category: The Friday Fermentable
If you've been to Aspen, Colorado, for a scientific conference you have no doubt made the bike ride down valley to the venerable Woody Creek Tavern for margaritas and such. (The ride back to town is a wee bit more...
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 11:58 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Non-herbal supplements
In the comment thread of my recent post about Herbalife, the multilevel supplement marketing company, I brought up the company's association with Dr Louis Ignarro who shared the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of nitric...
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 2:02 PM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 19, 2007
Category: Non-herbal supplements
Nobel laureates and multi-level dietary supplement marketing: some play, some object.
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 8:40 PM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 16, 2007
Category: Toxicology
EPA agrees to cut lead in kids' products The lawsuit also followed the death of 4-year-old Jarnell Brown of Minneapolis, who died last year from acute lead poisoning by swallowing part of a heart-shaped charm bracelet distributed by Reebok International...
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 12:13 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 15, 2007
Category: Books
The weekend version of the Wall Street Journal (sorry, sub reqd) included John Gribbins' list of influential science books that also make for good literature. Gribbin trained originally as an astrophysicist and recently finished writing his 100th book. The list:...
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 6:02 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 13, 2007
Category: Politics
Despite living in a state with a heavy military economy, the closest I've come to knowing the sacrifices of Iraq War service personnel is through my ScienceBlogs colleague, Mike Dunford, of The Questionable Authority. While his wife is delpoyed in...
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 8:44 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 12, 2007
Category: Medical education
Links to a superb and concise essay on why academic medical centers often fail in their teaching mission.
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 5:02 PM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Pharmaceuticals
Over the last year or so, the US FDA has grown tougher on withdrawing prescription and over-the-counter drugs that have not met the modern burden of proof for safety and efficacy that was officially required by the 1962 passage of...
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 11:02 AM • 5 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 11, 2007
Category: Non-herbal supplements
A featured NCI trial of a mitochondrial enzyme co-factor to treat chemotherapy side effects raises typical questions of any cytoprotective agent: Do such treatments interfere with the desired anticancer effects of chemotherapy?
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 2:02 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Florida
The natural resources of Florida are unique in North America, among them the sea mammal called the manatee or sea cow. Boating restrictions have allowed their endangered populations to recover but boating is still responsible for 80% of annual manatee deaths. The move to reclassify manatees from "endangered" to "threatened" is certain to reverse the gains made over the last 15 years.
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 7:28 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 9, 2007
Category: Blogging community
The relatively recent addition to ScienceBlogs, first-year medical resident, Signout, very generously tagged me with recognition as a "Thinking Blogger" on her list of "Five Blogs that Make Me Think." This meme was started in early February by Ilker Yoldas...
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 3:02 AM • 7 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 7, 2007
Category: Botanical/Herbal Medicines
A supplement for "vital living and well-being" causes a case of poisoning, with eight of nine kelp products tested having unsafe levels of arsenic.
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 6:18 AM • 8 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 6, 2007
Category: Alternative medicine
The NYT publishes an op-ed from "cancer industry" conspiracy theorist Ralph Moss on unpatentable anticancer compounds not being developed by drug companies. Surprisingly, I agree with his main premise but hold that he selected poor examples to support his case.
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 9:16 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 4, 2007
Category: Pharmaceuticals
Some drugs for Parkinson's disease are safer than others because of "off-target" effects brought to light several years ago by the Fen-Phen diet drug disaster.
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 8:02 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 2, 2007
Category: Pharmaceuticals
Inheriting the sins of an acquired company and the need for a refresher on "informed consent."
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 9:06 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
April 1, 2007
Category: Medicine
An early pioneer of medical parody takes the route backwards: print journal, e-newsletter, and now...a blog!!!
Posted by Abel Pharmboy at 3:02 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
