L2 - How Drugs Act

Question 1

what do protein drugs target

Answer 1

receptors
ion channels
enzymes
carrier molecules

Question 2

what is specificity in drugs

Answer 2

having a specific binding site

Question 3

what drug is an exception not going for the regular drug targets

Answer 3

colchicine: inhibits gouty arthritis by binding to tublin and depolymerizes it (drunken walk)

Question 4

what are receptors

Answer 4

proteins used for chemical communication *chemical messenger)

Question 5

what does an agonist do

Answer 5

activate the receptor (physiological vs. cascade)

Question 6

what does an antagonist do

Answer 6

prevent binding to receptor

Question 7

what is a ligand

Answer 7

anything that binds to the receptor

Question 8

example of receptors

Answer 8

B-adrenoreceptor (Beta blockers)

Question 9

what does Noradrenaline do to the heart

Answer 9

increase heart rate (agonist)

Question 10

what are ion channels

Answer 10

a channel opened by agonist (with binding site)

Question 10

what does propranolol do to the heart

Answer 10

it treat hypertension (relaxes it) antagonist

Question 11

what do voltage gated ions allow

Answer 11

they allow ions to flow through when open

Question 11

what is the effect of anaesthetic on ion channels

Answer 11

they bind and stop ion channel opening (no neurons firing)

Question 12

what is the effect of benzodiazepine tranqs on the ion channels

Answer 12

they bind to GABA complexes and completely open the channels

Question 13

when with enzymes drugs act like

Answer 13

a competitive inhibitor

Question 14

what does fluorouracil do

Answer 14

it replaces uracil in purine (can’t be converted to dTMP) and stops DNA synthesis

Question 15

what is enzymatic degredation

Answer 15

inactive (prodrug) to active form

Question 16

what do transporters do

Answer 16

they move ions across membranes

Question 17

drugs that act as inhibitors to transporters

Answer 17

tricyclic antidepressants/cocaine stop noradrenaline uptake (more leftover)

Question 18

drugs that act like a false substrate to transporter

Answer 18

amphetamines (meth/MDMA) competes with NA for transport leaving a bunch behind

Question 19

Amphetamines are

Answer 19

psychomotor simulants: euphoria, excitement, locomotor stimulation, high BP, sleepy, depressed, anxious, hungry

Question 20

what is a toxicant

Answer 20

harmful substance

Question 21

what is a toxin

Answer 21

naturally made toxicant

Question 22

what kind of symptoms can toxicants and toxins cause

Answer 22

primary (directly related) and secondary (indirectly related)

Question 23

enzymes in toxin are

Answer 23

reversable and irreversible

Question 24

an example of enzymes in toxins is

Answer 24

acetylcholinesterase inhibition by organophosphate insecticide

Question 25

receptors/ion channels in toxin

Answer 25

can have agonist or antagonist

Question 26

some examples of receptors/ion channels in toxin

Answer 26

receptor: nicotine (agonist) curare (antagonist)
ion channel (Na channel): tetrodotoxin, dinoflagellates

Question 27

what is special about lipid organic solvents like anesthetic

Answer 27

are lipid soluble and can change membrane integrity (toxic), affects membrane proteins

Question 28

how do the lipid organic solvents change the membrane

Answer 28

they form free radicals and attack the fatty acids

Question 29

what are toxicants that change DNA called

Answer 29

mutagens

Question 30

and example of a mutagen

Answer 30

nitrous acid: deletes base portion
deamination: remove amino groups from A/C
alkylating agents (mustard gas): adding alkyl groups