Drug Toxicity / Adverse Effects

Question 1

What is the classic example of hepatotoxicity resulting from formation of harmful drug metabolites?

Answer 1

acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity

Question 2

What is the most common reason for withdrawal of drugs from the market?

Answer 2

liver toxicity (due to extensive drug metabolism that occurs in the liver)

Question 3

What is meant by an adverse effect being a “class effect”?

Answer 3

the effect is shared by all members of the drug class (refers to on target effects caused by the drugs’ desired mechanism of action)

Question 4

What is an example of a drug we talked about that has off-target adverse effects?

Answer 4

chlorprozamine, an antipsychotic that works by blocking dopamine D2 receptors but also affects many other receptors (ex: serotonin, H1, alpha adrenergic, muscarinic) to cause a wide range of adverse effects

Question 5

True or false: Drug receptors are exquisitely sensitive to a drug’s 3D structure and can distinguish b/t the different enantiomers.

Answer 5

True!

Question 6

Which drug is considered the classic example of adverse effects caused by drug enantiomers?

Answer 6

thalidomide (R-thalidomide causes sedation to treat morning sickness; S-thalidomide causes birth defects)

Question 7

What is an example of a drug that causes direct cardiac toxicity?

Answer 7

doxorubicin (used in chemotherapy); results in highly reactive superoxide radical capable of direct damage to cardiomyocytes