Digestive system, effect

Exposure to excessive amounts of lead over a long period of time (chronic exposure) increases the risk of developing certain diseases. The parts of the body which may be affected include the blood, nervous system, digestive system, reproductive system, and kidneys. These effects include anemia, muscular weakness, kidney damage, and reproductive effects, such as reduced fertiHty in both men and women, and damage to the fetus of exposed pregnant women. 

The administration of drugs to ease disease and chronic, severe pain or to provide benefits such as hormone replacement therapy is difficult because drugs taken orally may lose much of their potency in the harsh conditions of the digestive system. In addition, they are distributed throughout the entire body, not just where they are needed, and side effects can be significant. Recently, however, techniques have been developed to deliver drugs gradually over time, to the exact location in the body where they are needed, and even at the time when they are needed. 

Symptoms of intoxication in humans caused by accidental ingestion of Kou-Wen plants have been described as follows. The effect on the digestive system starts with loss of appetite and turn of the stomach, and continues to severe abdominal pain and intestinal bleeding. The effect on the respiratory system presents as breathing difficulties which finally lead to death by respiratory failure. The effect on muscle innervation usually results in generalized muscular weakness and paralysis of the limbs. The effect on the circulatory system starts with heartbeat disorders and a drop in blood pressure, but heart failure is not a common cause of death. In addition to dilation of pupils, a drop in body temperature and proliferation of white blood cells have also been obseryed (70). 

Pharmacy application effects of anticholinergic drugs on the digestive system... 

Acute physiological responses to opiate administration occur rapidly and include constricted pupils, decreased pulse rate, reduced body temperature, slowed respiration rate and impaired reflexes. In addition, there is a marked slowing of the digestive system through an altering of the tonus and motility of the stomach and intestines, allowing for greater water absorption. This last effect is not subject to tolerance, and constipation is a common side effect even for chronic users. Indeed, some report that this is the worst side effect of opiate use. 

Herbivores that commonly feed on tannin-rich plants have evolved interesting methods to lessen the effect of ingested tannins on their digestive systems. For example, the salivary proteins of rabbits and other rodents are high in the amino acid proline, which has a very high affinity for tannins. Eating food high in tannins stimulates the secretion of these proteins and diminishes the toxic effect of the tannins. 

Sastry, K.V. and P.V. Malik. 1982. Acute and chronic effects of diazinon on the activities of three dehydrogenases in the digestive system of a freshwater teleost fish Channa punctatus. Toxicol. Lett. 10 55-59. 

When starting a SSRI, the abrupt increase in serotonin may cause side effects. In the brain, the short-term effects include headache, sleep disturbance, nervousness, anxiety, and tremulousness. The digestive system effects include nausea, loose stools, decreased appetite, and indigestion. Most of these effects are mild and shortlived or can be managed with over-the-counter remedies. Nausea, for example, can be minimized by taking a SSRI after meals. These effects are also commonly seen with venlafaxine and duloxetine, atypical antidepressants that block serotonin reuptake like the SSRIs. 

The effects of feedstock cellulose content on cellulase enzyme activities in the digester system were examined in multiple laboratory-scale CSTR digesters operated under similar conditions with identical levels of feedstock organic loading (g VS/reactor d) but different levels of cellulose (Solka Floe). In general, all celli se enzyme... 

Information concerning the effects of system operation parameters, such as temperature and pH and their effects on the optimum activity of digester-resident hydrolytic enzyme systems, may provide for the development of strategies for increased process rates. 

Later it was observed that butyric acid is a naturally occurring dietary HD AC inhibitor. It is formed upon dietary fiber fermentation within our digestive system. Although butyrate does not normally reach high enough levels for cancer treatment, it has been proposed that daily consumption over an individual s lifetime may provide chemoprevenfive effects. ... 

Chemotherapy—Cancer treatment using drugs that are cell poisons, somewhat more lethal to cancer cells than to normal cells. Because some normal cells are also damaged, such as those in hair follicles, digestive system lining, and bone marrow, side effects of chemotherapy include nausea, hair loss, and a weakened immune system. 

Muscarinic antagonists have numerous effects on the digestive system (see Chapter 40). The inhibition of salivation by low doses of atropine results in a dry mouth and difficulty in swallowing. Antimuscarinic... 

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