24. Pharmacological basics of chemotherapy Flashcards
Chemotherapeutic drugs -?
Target of this drug does not belong to the body (cancer or infectious agent)
Classification of chemotherapeutics:
- Antimicrobial
- Antineoplastic (anti-cancer)
- Antiparasitic
What drugs are included in antimicrobial group of chemotherapeutics?
- Antibacterial
- Antifungal (limited significance in vet med)
- Antiviral (limited significance in vet med)
What is the difference between antibacterial and antibiotics?
Antibiotics are naturally occuring and antibacterial drugs not neccessary
What drugs are included into antiparasitic group of chemotherapeutics?
- Antiprotozoal
- Endoparasiticidal drugs
- Ectoparasiticidal drugs
What is the concept of selective toxicity?
The goal is to destroy the target without harming the organism
Types of targets in regard of selective toxicity:
- Unique targets
- Similar targets
- Common targets
Unique targets - ?
Target that exists in pathogen but is not present in the host (e.g. cell wall - penicillin)
Similar targets - ?
Affinity to target is much higher than to the host
Examples of unique targets?
- cell wall
- ergosterol (fungal cell membrane component)
- folic acid synthesis (one of the steps)
Examples of drugs having unique target: cell wall
- beta-lactams (penicillins, cephalosporins)
- glycopeptides (vancomycin)
- bacitracin
Examples of drugs having unique target: ergosterol
- ergosterol-synthesis inhibitors (azoles: itraconazole, ketoconazole)
- ergosterol-complex formers (polienes: nystatine, amphothericin B) - form a channel by binding ergosterol -> leakage -> destruction
Examples of drugs having unique target: folic acid synthesis
Bacterias are producing folic acid but animals receive it with food -> unique agent
PABA (paraaminobenzoic acid) -> dihydro-folic acid reaction requires enzyme: dihydropteroate-synthetase. This enzyme can be inhibited by sulphonamides (because they are structural analogues of PABA)
Why are sulphonamides very safe? What do they act on?
Sulphonamides act on unique target: dihydropteroate synthetase enzyme that participates in conversion of PABA to dihydrofolic acid. Mammals don’t have this reaction in their body, they receive dihydro-folic acid from food
Sulphonamides and ________ often applied together. Why?
Trimethoprim. Acts on similar target: dihydrofolate reductase (converting non-active dihydro-folic acid to active tetrahydro-folic acid). So sulphonamides and trimethoprim potentiate each other because act on 2 different steps of the same reaction