Disease Dilemmas SG5 Flashcards
Define Alkaloid
Naturally occurring chemical compound. The active ingredient in many medicinal drugs e.g. morphine
Define Glycosides
A compound made from sugar and another compound. Many medicinal drugs are glycosides derived from plants
Define Morphine
A narcotic pain reliever used to treat moderate to severe pain
What is morphine’s source in nature?
Derived from alkaloids contained in the milky latex sap of opium poppy
Define Digitalis
A purified cardiac glycoside used to treat a variety of heart conditions
What is digitalis’ source in nature?
Foxgloves - the plant is rich in glycosides which contain digoxin (a steroid bonded to sugar)
Define Quinine
A medication used to treat malaria
What is quinine’s source in nature?
The bark is stripped from the cinchonas tree, dried and ground into a powder
Define Caffeine
A central nervous system stimulant which is the main ingredient in many over-the-counter medications which can help treat migraine headaches
What is caffeine’s source in nature?
Occurs naturally in >600 plants including coffee beans, tea leaves and coca
Define Salicin
A medicine closely related in chemical make-up to aspirin and has a very similar action in the human body (it is an anti-inflammatory agent)
What is salicin’s source in nature?
Produced in willow bark
How and when were the medicinal properties of willow trees first discovered?
400 BC - Hippocrates advised people to chew on the bark for pain relief and to make willow tea to ease the pain of childbirth
How was willow bark used traditionally?
First used by Sumerians (a civilisation of ancient Egypt) 4,000 years ago to ease pain
When was aspirin formed?
1853 - Charles Gerhardt was able to chemically synthesise the compound creating a substance called acetylsalicylic acid
When was Aspirin first marketed and sold as a pain reliever?
1897 - the pharmaceutical company Bayer found a new method and began marketing the pain relief as a compound called Aspirin
Define Prunus Africana
A tree from mountainous areas of tropical Africa and Madagascar which is harvested for its bark which has medicinal properties
What is Prunus Africa used for?
To treat a number of health conditions including Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Define Biopiracy
The exploitation of medicinal drugs from wild environments by pharmaceutical companies with little or no benefit to indigenous people
Define Intellectual Property
Creations of the mind e.g. ideas or designs which is protected by law e.g. by patent, copyright or trademark which enable people to earn recognition or financial benefit from what they invent or create
What groups of people first discovered the medical uses of Prunus Africana?
Traditional indigenous tribes in Africa, used by traditional healers
Who holds the intellectual property right for the knowledge about the medicinal use of Prunus Africana?
French entrepreneur Jacques Debat
Which country has overharvested Prunus Africana?
Cameroon
What legislation was introduced to prevent the unsustainable harvest of Prunus Africana?
In 2007, the EU banned the import of bark from Cameroon
Why was the 2007 legislation on Prunus bark imports lifted in 2011?
Private sector pressure plus Cameroon Government
What was the 2007 legislation on Prunus bark imports replaced with?
Quotas for bark harvesting from major export producing countries of bark, plus sustainable harvesting plan
How are Prunus Africana trees now being grown to meet demand?
Cultivation of trees in tree nurseries - farmers are trained in how to do this
What % of the population in the developing world (5 billion people) rely on traditional medicines?
80%
Define Wild Crops
Harvesting plants from their natural habitat
Define Cultivated Crops
The growing of plants/trees in nurseries or fields specifically for cultivation
What are three advantages of wild crops?
Provides an income and medicines to local indigenous populations, It is cheaper, Some pharmaceutical companies work with local people and give profits to fund local community projects
What are three disadvantages of wild crops?
Species are being over harvested which could lead to extinction, Hard to access wild plants makes it difficult to monitor their sustainable harvest, Slow growing plants with a specialised niche are particularly vulnerable to over harvesting
What are three advantages of cultivated crops?
Can reduce pressure on wild populations, Offers opportunities for economic development, Genetic selection, cloning and breeding can improve quantity and quality of harvest
What are three disadvantages of cultivated crops?
Reintroducing plants to wild can lead to genetic pollution of wild populations, Some species are not suitable for cultivation, Cultivation of plants is expensive
How many medicinal plants are threatened and endangered by deforestation?
4,000 threatened, 14 acutely endangered
What plants bark does prostratin come from?
Mamala tree
What is prostratin used for?
It has medicinal properties which can be used to treat cancer, hepatitis and HIV
What % of royalties from the sale of a gene-derived drug is shared with the people of Samoa?
50%
What is the average cost and length of time taken to produce a drug?
$3.5 billion and 18 years
Define TNC
A company that operates in at least 2 countries
Why do TNCs patent drugs preventing generic copies being made for 20 years?
Pharmaceutical companies spend a lot of time and money developing new drugs. It enables them to charge high prices for 20 years and pay back the cost of R&D
What is GSK?
Science led global health care company, with 3 world leading businesses that research, develop and manufacture pharmaceutical medicines, vaccines and consumer health care products
What is GSKs turnover?
£23 billion
How many manufacturing sites does GSK have?
84 in 36 different countries
What are the five points on GSKs ethical policy?
A commitment to a smaller profit on each sale, Discounted prices have been agreed with some nations, Granting licenses for cheap generic versions of its patented drugs, Capping the price of some patented drugs to 25% of the UK price, Investing 20% of profits from a developing nation back into that countries health infrastructure
Define Eradication
The permanent reduction to zero of its incidence worldwide
Define Elimination
The reduction to zero of its incidence in a define geographical area
What is the only disease that has ever been permanently eradicated from the world?
Smallpox in 1980
What are five advantages of top-down strategies?
National governments or international organisations in control of disease, Has a large scale impact, More funding available, Large network of specialists to research and develop new treatments, Co-ordinate a multi-agency response
What are five disadvantages of top-down strategies?
More expensive strategy, May lead to dependency on government strategies, May exclude some groups of people, Ineffective if no trust in government/organisation, Lack of understanding of cultural norms meaning message is ignored
What are five advantages of bottom-up strategies?
Often favoured by NGOs e.g. Oxfam, Empowers local communities as involved in decision making, Affordable - low cost measures e.g. health education, Appropriate technology - simple materials not complicated machines and treatments, Sustainable approach
How many cases of Guinea worm was there in 1980s?
3.5 million
How many cases of Guinea worm was there in 2018?
28
What is the WHO focused eradication program for Guinea worm?
Focused on 3 final countries which still have the disease - Chad, Angola and South Sudan
What does the Carter Centre do to try and eradicate Guinea worm?
Works with international organisations to assist governments in Guinea worm eradication programmes, Health education and teaching how to use specific interventions to prevent the disease
Why has the eradication of Guinea worm been successful to date?
A balance of both top down and bottom up strategies
