Backlogged post number two!
TIL: Atropine, the anticholinergic medicine used to treat COPD, is a very old drug derived from several types of plants. Also known as the active ingredient of belladonna, nightshade and mandrake among others, it has been used for thousands of years for its many medical effects (including dilating Cleopatra's eyes for cosmetic purposes). It was also smoked in various forms as recently as the 1800s. This is no longer the recommended drug delivery route.
Inhaled corticosteroids are used to treat various respiratory conditions and can cause oral thrush. This is when a white matte of yeast grows on the tongue and it's usually seen in immunocompromised patients, especially those with AIDS. So what's the connection here? Corticosteroids have many effects including bronchodilation (which is why we use them to treat asthma) and immunosuppression (which is why we use them to combat inflammatory conditions). The latter mechanism suppresses the immune system specifically in the mouth when bigger droplets in the aerosol don't make it all the way to the lungs.
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