Human health and medicine

Punarnavadi Mandira

Punarnavadi Mandira, also spelled Punarnavadi Mandura, is an Ayurvedic herbo-mineral iron tablet (mandura bhasma with punarnava and spices, bound with cow urine) used mainly for iron deficiency anemia (Pandu).

Punarnavadyarista

Punarnavadyarista (Punarnavadyarishta) is an official Ayurvedic fermented liquid preparation (arishta) led by Boerhavia punarnava roots, with 5-10% self-generated alcohol, traditionally used for kidney, urinary, and liver complaints; human trial evidence remains limited.

Punarnavasava

Punarnavāsava (AFI000342) is a fermented Ayurvedic liquid medicine (asava) built on punarnava (Boerhavia diffusa) root, with 5–10% self-generated alcohol, used traditionally for swelling, liver and spleen disorders, and fever; dose 12–24 ml.

Punarnavastaka kvatha cirna

Punarnavastaka kvatha cirna (Punarnavāṣṭaka kvātha cūrṇa), also sold as Punarnavadi kvatha, is a classical Ayurvedic decoction powder of eight drugs, led by punarnava, prescribed for generalized edema, abdominal disorders, cough, dyspnea, and pain.

Punarnavastaka kvatha curna (afi afi-punarnavastakakvatacurna)

Punarnavastaka kvatha curna (Punarnavashtaka Kwath), an eight-ingredient Ayurvedic decoction powder from Bhaishajya Ratnavali and AFI Part I 4:22, led by Boerhavia diffusa; used for edema, abdominal disorders, cough, dyspnea, and pain, with studied hepatoprotective activity.

Punch biopsy

Punch biopsy is a skin biopsy technique in which a rotating hollow blade removes a small cylindrical core of skin, from epidermis to subcutaneous fat, for diagnosis.

Punctal Plugs

Punctal plugs, also called punctal occlusion devices, are tiny implants placed in the eyelid's tear drainage openings to treat dry eye by slowing tear drainage; evidence of benefit is mixed, with epiphora and plug loss the main adverse effects.

Oct 20, 2026

Punctal stenosis

Punctal stenosis, or acquired lacrimal punctum stenosis, is narrowing or occlusion of the tear-drainage opening on the eyelid margin, causing epiphora. Defined as punctum under 0.3 mm; main causes are chronic blepharitis, ectropion, and medications; treated by punctoplasty or stenting.

Punctate inner choroidopathy

Punctate inner choroidopathy (PIC), also called punctate inner choroiditis, is a rare idiopathic inflammatory eye disease of the inner choroid and retina, affecting young myopic women, often complicated by choroidal neovascularization and vision loss.

Punctate palmoplantar keratoderma type 2

Punctate palmoplantar keratoderma type 2 (PPKP2, spiny keratoderma, porokeratotic type, OMIM 175860): rare autosomal dominant PPK with 1–2 mm spiny palmoplantar lesions from puberty, unknown gene, cornoid lamella-like histology.

Punctures

Punctures (MeSH D011677), needle incisions of tissue for diagnostic or therapeutic procedures, including vascular access, micropuncture, lumbar puncture, and biopsy; Seldinger technique and ultrasound guidance.

Pupil

Pupil (pupilla): the central aperture of the iris through which light enters the eye. Size is set by parasympathetic sphincter pupillae constriction and sympathetic dilator pupillae dilation; measured by pupillometry.

Pupillary light reflex

Pupillary light reflex (PLR): involuntary pupil constriction to light via retina, optic nerve (CN II), pretectal area, Edinger-Westphal nucleus, CN III, ciliary ganglion; tested by swinging flashlight test for RAPD.

Pupillometry

Pupillometry, also called quantitative pupillometry, is a diagnostic method that measures pupil size and light reflex dynamics with handheld infrared devices, used to assess neurological status and intracranial pressure in critically ill patients.

Purdue Pharma

Purdue Pharma L.P., Sackler-family-owned maker of OxyContin (extended-release oxycodone, FDA-approved 1995). Pleaded guilty in 2007 and 2020 over deceptive opioid marketing; bankruptcy, 2024 Supreme Court ruling, $7.4B settlement, dissolved into Knoa Pharma.

Pure autonomic failure

Pure autonomic failure (Bradbury-Eggleston syndrome, PAF) is a rare sporadic alpha-synucleinopathy causing neurogenic orthostatic hypotension from postganglionic sympathetic degeneration, with low supine norepinephrine and about 5% yearly phenoconversion to Parkinson's, MSA, or Lewy body dementia.

Oct 20, 2026

Pure hair and nail ectodermal dysplasia

Pure hair and nail ectodermal dysplasia (PHNED) is a rare congenital disorder marked by dystrophic nails and severe scalp hypotrichosis, with known causative genes KRT85, KRT74, and HOXC13.

PURE study

PURE (Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology) study: international McMaster/PHRI prospective cohort of ~225,000 adults aged 35–70 in 27 countries, studying societal and behavioral determinants of cardiovascular disease, diet, and mortality, with noted dietary and sodium methodology criticisms.

Pure tone audiometry

Pure tone audiometry is a behavioral hearing test that measures the softest pure tones a person detects at standard frequencies, plotted as an audiogram to determine the type, degree, and configuration of hearing loss.

PURE-01 trial

PURE-01 (NCT02736266) is a single-arm phase 2 trial of neoadjuvant pembrolizumab before radical cystectomy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (San Raffaele, Milan); 155 patients, 42% pT0, 5-year EFS 68% and OS 77%.

PuReCOVID study

PuRe-COVID (PuReCOVID): a Belgian pragmatic randomized trial of 12-week primary care pulmonary rehabilitation in long COVID (76 patients, +39 m 6MWD), distinct from a University of Parma observational registry, NCT07046442.

Purification Rundown

Purification Rundown, also called Purif or Hubbard Method: a Scientology detox regimen of exercise, sauna, niacin, and supplements introduced by L. Ron Hubbard on December 4, 1979, used in Narconon and as an auditing prerequisite; scientific evidence is limited.

Purkinje cell

Purkinje cell: large GABAergic neuron of the cerebellar cortex, discovered by Jan Evangelista Purkyně in 1837; sole output of cerebellar cortex, inhibiting deep cerebellar nuclei and mediating motor learning plasticity.

Purkinje fibers

Purkinje fibers: specialized glycogen-rich cardiac muscle cells forming the terminal subendocardial network of the heart's conduction system, discovered by Jan Evangelista Purkinje in 1839 in sheep, conducting at 2–3 m/s and acting as backup ventricular pacemaker.

Purpura

Purpura is a skin and mucous-membrane sign of purple spots that do not blanch when pressed, classified by platelet count and sometimes signaling urgent conditions like meningococcal sepsis.

Purpura fulminans

Purpura fulminans: life-threatening skin microvascular thrombosis with hemorrhagic necrosis and DIC, in neonatal (protein C/S deficiency), acute infectious (meningococcal), and post-infectious forms; 16–41% mortality.

Pursed lip breathing

Pursed lip breathing is a breathing technique of inhaling through the nose and exhaling slowly through puckered lips, used mainly to ease breathlessness in COPD.

Puspadhanva rasa

Puspadhanva rasa (Puṣpadhanvā Rasa) is a classical Ayurvedic herbo-mineral aphrodisiac formulation for infertility, containing calcined lead, mercury cinnabar, Datura metel, and Cannabis sativa; documented lead poisoning cases led to a 2008 Health Canada advisory.

Pustular psoriasis

Pustular psoriasis, including generalized pustular psoriasis (von Zumbusch), palmoplantar pustulosis, and acrodermatitis continua of Hallopeau, is a psoriasis form with sterile neutrophilic pustules, IL36RN/CARD14/AP1S3 genetics, and spesolimab as the only FDA-approved GPP drug.