Lecture 19 - Toxicology Flashcards
What is drug absorption?
The passage of drugs through a tissue barrier by diffusion to the bloodstream
What is drug distribution?
The movement of a drug to the tissues and organs
What is drug metabolism?
The process where a drug is removed from the body through urination, respiration and perspiration
What is the difference between a agonist and antagonist drug?
An agonist drug binds to a receptor and causes it to exert its function on the cell. An antagonist drug binds to a receptor and blocks the action of an agonist drug
What does synergism say about the effect of a combination of drugs?
The combination effect is greater than the sum of the individual drugs alone
How are drugs extracted from liquid samples in blood?
The pH of the blood is altered to reduce the solubility of the drug. The insoluble drug layer is then centrifuged
How are drugs extracted using solid phase extraction?
The sample is passed through a column of silica particles where the drugs bind
What is an immunoassay screening test?
It relies on the reaction between antigens and antibodies to detect small quanitities
What is an enzyme multiplied immunoassay screening test?
Involves injecting a rabbit with the questioned drug and extracting the antibodies produced. These antibodies are added to the human sample and if the drug is present, it will bind to the antibody
What is the difference between a pharmacologist and an analytical toxicologist?
Pharmacologist offers opinions on drug effects and interactions while an analytical toxicologist offers a general drug interpretation
What analytical tools are used to confirm the presence of drugs?
Liquid or gas chromatography with mass spectrometry
What factors may alter the concentration of drugs postmortem?
Post mortem drug redistribution, bacterial and chemical degradation, drug-drug interaction and prior drug use history
What does alcohol breath testing measure?
Number of grams of alcohol in 210L of alveolar air
What does alcohol blood testing measure?
Number of grams of alcohol in 100ml of blood
What alters the absorption of alcohol?
Drink concentration, speed of consumption and how much food is in the stomach
