Discovery and Development of Drugs Flashcards
What was the original drug called for treating the heart?
Digitalis
Where was the digitalis drug extracted from?
digitalis = for the heart ❤️
Foxglove plants
❤️❤️❤️
Where was the penicillin antibiotic extracted from?
Penicillium mould
🍄🍄🍄
Where was the pain killer aspirin extracted from?
Willow trees
🌳🌳🌳
What three things do scientists test for when they develop drugs?
- Toxicity
- Efficacy
- Dosage
What happens in the preclinical testing for drugs?
Preclinical testing of a new drug is done on cells, tissues and live animals
as it may be too toxic for humans
What happens in the clinical testing for drugs?
A low dosage of the drug is given to healthy people to see if it is safe for humans
When it is confirmed as safe, they then carry out further clinical trials to find the optimum dose for the drug
What is the meaning of optimum dose for a drug?
The best dosage to treat disease with the fewest side effects
What is a double blind trial?
When neither the doctors or the patients know which group is being given the active drug and which group is being given the placebo
What is the purpose of a double blind trial
It is to reduce bais so that the doctors don’t pay more attention to the group with the active drug
Describe what happens in a double blind trial
- The test group is given the active drug
- The control group is given the placebo
- Neither the doctors or patients know which group has the active drug and which has the placebo
What is a placebo?
A tablet or injection which has no active drug in it
Explain the placebo effect
Some people get better after having taken a placebo drug. This is because they think they are being treated so they believe they are getting better
