Priyanka Panmand

Terminal lucidity, the unexpected return of mental clarity and memory shortly before death in patients with severe psychiatric and neurological disorders, has been documented in medical literature for over 250 years but remains largely overlooked. In this review, we examine a variety of terminal lucidity cases to encourage further investigation into the underlying mechanisms and their potential implications for understanding memory and cognition at the end of life, as well as for advancing treatments for terminal illnesses. Reported cases include patients affected by brain abscesses, tumors, strokes, meningitis, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and mood disorders. Notably, several accounts suggest that during episodes of terminal lucidity, cognitive and memory functions may operate through neurological processes distinct from those of the typical brain. We propose that in-depth study of terminal lucidity could yield valuable insights into memory and cognitive processing and inform the development of new therapeutic approaches. Additionally, greater awareness of these unusual end-of-life experiences may better equip physicians, caregivers, and bereaved families to recognize and cope with such events.

Taxol, also known as paclitaxel, is a common chemotherapy medication utilised for treating a number of cancers. Since its anticancer efficacy was found, over 1 million patients have been treated with taxol, one of the most widely used antitumor drugs. First, a Taxus brevifolia plant was used to extract taxol. The Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, in the United States has approved it as one of the most valuable natural chemicals for the treatment of many types of cancer. The diterpene alkaloid taxol, which was extracted through the bark of the Taxus brevifolia plant, functions in a special way. One of the most often used antitumoural medications, taxol has been utilised to treat more than a million patients. The primary mode of action of taxol, the first filament targeting drug reported in the literature, is an interruption of microtubule dynamics, which results in mitotic arrest and cell death. Nevertheless, it has also been shown that secondary pathways can potentially induce apoptosis. The key features of this significant medication, from its invention to the present, are briefly described in this review. We point out the primary obstacles that need to be overcome in the upcoming years to improve Taxol's efficacy as an anticancer medication.