Drug Examples

Question 1

Gabapentin

Answer 1

Used in the treatment of epilepsy
Blocks presynaptic Ca2+ channels - decreasing release of glutamate - decreases excitation

Question 2

Carbamazepine

Answer 2

Used in treatment of epilepsy - decreases excitation
Blocks postsynaptic Na+ channels - preventing AP generation

Question 3

What are Benzodiazepines & Barbiturates examples of?

Answer 3

CNS depressants

Question 4

Ketamine & PCP are…

Answer 4

Dissociative anaesthetics

Question 5

Opium, heroin, fentanyl & oxyContin are…

Answer 5

Narcotic analgesics

Question 6

LSD, mescaline, DMT, psilocybin, MDMA are…

Answer 6

Hallucinogens

Question 7

Nitrous oxide, amyl nitrite, lighter gas & household aerosols are…

Answer 7

Inhalants

Question 8

Cocaine, amphetamine, nicotine, MDMA are…

Answer 8

CNS stimulants

Question 9

3 examples of NDC neuromuscular blockers

Answer 9

Tubocurarine
Pancuronium
Gallamine
Alcuronium
Atracurium
Vecuronium

Question 10

2 examples of DNC neuromuscular blockers

Answer 10

Suxamethonium
Decamethonium

Question 11

Suxamethonium

Answer 11

DNC neuromuscular blocker

Used in intubation

Scoline apnoea - individuals with mutant esterases which cannot metabolise suxamethonium

Question 12

EDTA (chelating agent)

Answer 12

Used in treating lead poisoning - binds to lead and forms a less toxic chelate

Example of chemical antagonism

Question 13

Salbutamol

Answer 13

Used in the treatment of asthma

Artificial adrenoceptor agonist - activates adrenoceptors in the lungs, causes the relaxation of bronchial smooth muscle

Targets b2 adrenoceptors found in the lungs rather than b1 adrenoceptors found in the heart - so the heart doesn’t race

Question 14

Sulfonamides & sulfones

Answer 14

Antimalarial drugs which inhibit dihydropteroate synthase

Question 15

Proguanil & pyrimethamine

Answer 15

Anti-malarial drugs which inhibit dihydrofolate reductase

Question 16

Chloroquine, quinine, mefloquine

Answer 16

Antimalarial drugs
Inhibit haem polymerase - therefore preventing parasites from polymerising (toxic) haem to insoluble hemozoin

Question 17

Artemisinin (usually used in combination therapy, e.g. Artesunate & mefloquine)

Answer 17

Anti-malarial drug
Treats malaria with highly drug-resistant strains
Believed to work through a redox mechanism

Question 18

AZT, Lamivudine, Abacavir

Answer 18

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTs)
Anti-HIV drugs

Question 19

Nevirapine, efavirenz, delavirdine

Answer 19

Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTs)
Non-competitive, bind to allosteric site - induces conformational change to active site - preventing activity of RT

Question 20

Saquinavir, ritonavir, indinavir

Answer 20

Anti-HIV drugs
Protease inhibitors
Prevent cleavage of propeptide into structural proteins

Question 21

Varenicline

Answer 21

Smoking cessation therapy

Partial agonist of alpha-4, beta-2 nAChRs - causes a moderate & sustained increase in mesolimbic dopamine levels

Competitive binding with nicotine may reduce rewarding properties of nicotine during a relapse

Question 22

Disulfiram

Answer 22

Medication used to treat chronic alcoholism

Creates an unpleasant reaction when alcohol is consumed

Inhibits aldehyde dehydrogenase (which breaks down acetaldehyde —> acetic acid) in the liver
Causing a build-up of acetaldehyde, a toxic substance that causes symptoms such as flushing, nausea & vomiting

Question 23

Statins

Answer 23

Given to many patients to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease

*statin-induced myopathy (muscle pain)

Question 24

Suxamethonium, Decamethonium, suxethonium

Answer 24

DNC neuromuscular blockers

Question 25

Streptomycin, neomycin, kanamycin

Answer 25

Aminoglycoside antibiotics

Question 26

Tetraethylammonium (TEA) 4-aminopyridine

Answer 26

K+ channel blockers

Question 27

Lecanemab (antibody therapy)

Answer 27

Recently developed treatment for AD Targets amyloid accumulation directly - decreases amyloid plaques Thus slowing onset / progression of symptoms of cognitive decline

Question 28

Carbidopa

Answer 28

AADC inhibitor Used in combination with L-DOPA precursor in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease Prevents the conversion of L-DOPA to dopamine in the periphery so that it can cross the blood-brain barrier

Question 29

Pramipexole, ropinirole, bromocriptine

Answer 29

Used in treatment of Parkinson’s disease D2 receptor agonists - mimic the effects of dopamine in the brain by binding to dopamine receptors

Question 30

Tolcapone

Answer 30

Used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease (Central) COMT inhibitor Decreases metabolism of dopamine

Question 31

Tiagabine

Answer 31

Used in the treatment of epilepsy Blocks GABA re-uptake - increasing inhibition

Question 32

Chlorpromazine

Answer 32

Used in the treatment of schizophrenia D2 (metabotrophic, postsynaptic) receptor antagonist - decreases effects of excess dopamine signalling

Question 33

Clozapine

Answer 33

Example of ‘atypical antipsychotics used in the treatment of schizophrenia Antagonise D2 & 5-HT2A receptors (Also work on negative symptoms)