Introduction

Question 1

What are the three ways of classifying drugs?

Answer 1

Therapeutic use
Chemical structure
Mechanism of action

Question 2

What is selective toxicity of a drug?

Answer 2

Drug binds to other sites in addition to main site of action - causes toxic/unwanted effect

Question 3

Selective drugs usually work at roughly which concentrations?

Answer 3

Micromolar to nanomolar

Question 4

What is Ehrlich’s original therapeutic index and what are its 2 problems?

Answer 4

Max. non-toxic dose/min. effective dose

Does not account for individual metabolic variations or drug sensitivities

Question 5

What is the improved therapeutic index formula, which uses doses that produce effects in 50% of subjects?

Answer 5

TD50 (toxic dose)/ED50 (effective dose)

Question 6

What is the therapeutic index formula used in animal studies?

Answer 6

LD50 (lethal dose)/ED50 (effective dose)

Question 7

What is pharmacodynamics?

Answer 7

How drug exerts its effect - what drug does to body

Question 8

What is pharmacokinetics?

Answer 8

How drug concentration changes as it moves through body - what body does to drug