B6 - Preventing and treating disease Flashcards
(36 cards)
What are the proteins on the surface of a cell called
antigens
How do antibodies kill pathogens
white blood cells make antibodies that join to antigens and inactivate them
What is the process of immunisation
a vaccine containing dead or inactive form of disease is injected
- immune system is stimulated and produces antibodies
- these are stored by memory cells
What is the function of memory cells
remember the antibodies for a particular pathogen sp they can be produced quickly
What does the MMR vaccine protect against
measles, mumps, rubella
What is herd immunity
the idea that if a large proportion of the population is immune, then the pathogen will rarely spread even if some people aren’t immune
What are the function of painkillers
- what are two common examples
relieve pain
- aspirin and paracetamol
What are some drugs that kill bacteria outside the body
- why can’t we use them
antiseptics and disinfectants
- they are too poisonous in the body
What drugs are used to kill bacteria in the body
antibiotics
how to antibiotics work
damage bacterial cells without damaging human cells
How can antibiotics be effective really fast
direct injection into bloodstream
Why are antibiotics not effective against viruses
viruses live and reproduce inside other cells. It is hard to develop drugs that kill onlythe virus
Why are some bacteria not able to be killed by antobiotics
they have mutated to become resistant
What were drugs traditionally extracted from
- what is used now
plants or microorganisms e.g. moulds
- adapted chemicals from plants, microorganisms and animals
What are two common drugs extracted from foxgloves
- what impact do they have on the body
digitalis and digoxin
- helps strengthen the heartbeat
what is the issue with lots of traditional medicine
they are actually poisonous
What does aspirin originate from
a compound in the bark of willow trees
How was penicillin discovered
- Fleming left the lid off of one of his moulds of bacteria.
- a clear ring had formed in the jelly
- he realised something killed the bacteria
- he called that substance penicillin
- 10 years later Chain and Florey extracted penicillin
who discovered penicillin
alexander fleming
What mould is penicillin from
penicillium
How are most drugs made nowadays
synthesised in the pharmaceutical industry
What are the three things that must be measured for in new drugs
- toxicity
- efficacy
- dosage
What are the stages of trials for new medicine
preclinical - animals, tissues, cells
clinical - on healthy people, infected, volunteers
What are the stages of a double blind trial
some people are given a placebo, some have the actual drug. Neither the patient nor the doctor knows which is which. health is monitored carefully