Development of drugs

Question 1

Where did drugs orginate from

Answer 1

originally drugs were extracted from plants and micro organisms. For example, the heart drug digitalis originates from foxglove and penicillin, originates from penicillin mould


Question 2

Antibiotics

Answer 2

antibiotics are used to cure bacterial disease. An example of an antibiotic is penicillin. Antibiotics cannot kill viruses only bacteria

Question 3

Painkillers

Answer 3

painkillers relieve symptoms whilst the immune system kills the virus. 

Question 4

3 things drugs are tested for

Answer 4

toxicity- if it is poisonous
efficacy- if it had the intended effect
dose- checking the amount of the drug that needs to be taken

Question 5

Testing stages

Answer 5

preclinical- done in the lab, using cells, tissues, whole organs and live animals
clinical- testing on healthy volunteers than patients then larger trials to find optimum dosage