3.5 pharmaceutical chemistry Flashcards
what are drugs
substances that alter the biochemical processes in the body
which drugs are used in medicines
those with benficial effects
what do medicines usually contain
the drug plus other ingredients such as fillers to add bulk or sweeteners to improve the taste
how do drugs work
by binding to the specific protein molecules. these protein molecules can be found on the surface of a cell (receptor) or can be specific enzyme molecules within a cell
how can drugs that act on receptors be classified
agonists or antagonists
what is an agonist drug
these mimic the natural compound and bind to the receptor molecules to produce a response similar to the natural active compound
what is an antagonist drug
this prevents the natural compound from binding to the receptor, and so blocks the natural response from occurring
what are many drugs that act on enzymes classified as
enzyme inhibitors
how do enzyme inhibiting drugs act
by binding to the active site on the enzyme and blocking the reaction normally catalysed there
why do drugs have certain shapes or sizes
such that they can interact with a receptor binding site or to the active site of an enzyme
what are the different interactions (forces) that could occur between a drug an the active site of an enzyme
van der waals and or ionic bonds
what does the structural fragment of a drug molecule allow
it to form interactions with a receptor binding site or to an enzyme active site
what does the structural fragment of a drug molecule normally consist of
different functional groups correctly orientated with respect to each other
how can the structural fragment that is involved in the drug action be identified
by comparing the structures of drugs that have similar effects on the body
