The Ponderables of Biochemistry

An intriguing aspect was supplied by the once-famous roving correspondent Ernie Pyle in his book Home Country. A visit to Hawaii s Molokai leper colony is described in his chapter The Leper Colony. There were a few patients who had a reaction, in which a high fever occurs and the patient comes out of it clean (Pyle, Home Country, p. 242). Evidently, the patient s immune system rose to the occasion and destroyed the organism, in the same way it attacks other diseases. There was talk at the time of developing a machine to artificially induce fever in 

Among the most important neurotransmitters are acetylcholine (ACh), amino acids and their derivatives, and certain polypeptides known as neuropeptides. In fact, the mammalian nervous system is said to employ over 30 different substances as neurotransmitters. For the record, among the amino acids and their derivatives (called biogenic amines) are many that are also hormonally active in the bloodstream, and include the catecholamines dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, as derived sequentially from tyrosine, whereas y-aminobutyric acid (GABA), histamine, and serotonin are derived from glutamate, histidine, and tryptophan, respectively. The subject interfaces with the biochemical aspects of psychology, which may also be referred to as the mind-body connection, or psychosomatics. 

Interestingly, the class of biochemically active substances called alkaloids, which are often toxic (sometimes extremely so) can act as neurotransmitters. Also relevant is the subject of enzymes and enzyme inhibitors, for alkaloids are also known enzyme inhibitors and may act against cancer cell metabolism. Enzymes are the catalytic agents for the various body processes, and along with catalysis, there are electrochemical phenomena involved — a manifestation somewhat similar to neurotransmission. 

Colloidal silver, available in health stores and of historical use, is occasionally touted as an anticancer, antifungal, and antibiotic agent. The arguments seesaw back and forth (on the Internet), with the admonition that much of the silver present may be ionic silver which can cause argyria, a graying of the skin. The antibiotic action is sometimes thought of in terms of a disablement of oxygen metabohc enzymes. (Bacterial or prokaryotic metabolism is extremely varied, however.) On the other hand, it could be a catalytic effect, even a consequence of oxidation-rednction reactions between metallic silver and its ions. 

To continue, an electrochemical- or polarity-induced condition of dissociation for the reactants can be inferred, followed by a reassociation into the products. With organic catalysts, snch as enzymes, a condition of polarity is indicated in that one part of an organic molecnle will appear positive relative to another, with the latter part having a negative connotation. This in turn may be inferred to confer a dissociation of the reactant or reactants, followed by a reassociation into the product or products. 

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