Option D7 Flashcards
How do chiral drugs exist?
They exist in 2 forms with different activities
How do enantiomers react in a chemical environment
Regardless of their similar chemical properties, they act in different ways
What does in vivo synthesis yield?
Biological synthesis reactions within cells (in vivo) produce only one enantiomeric
form.
What does in vitro fertilization yield
A mixture of enantiomers,
known as a racemate
What challenges do pharmaceutical companies face in this context?
Determining the effects of each enantiomer, in order to check whether to market the drug as racemate or single enantiomer
What was the reason for scientists to make these differentiation
Thalidomide incidence
Why was the thalidomide mixture a starting point for the scientists’ research?
It was sold in a racemic mixture form, however only the (R) isomer showed the effect of inducing sleep in women, while the (S) isomer was teratogenic
What are examples of racemic mixtures that are marketed as drugs
Ibuprofen and Prozac
What is chemotherapy
The treatment or control
of disease by chemical
agents. It is generally
used in the context of
cancer treatment.
What is Taxol
It is a powerful anti-cancer drug
What is Taxol known as and to what group does it belong?
Taxol is also known as Paclitaxel, and is part of taxoid group
How is Taxol used?
It is used
primarily in the treatment
of breast and ovarian
cancers.
How do the anti cancer properties of Taxol arise?
Due to its ability to bind to a protein known as tubulin
What is tubulin?
It is the main component of microtubules that makes up spindles during cell division
How does Taxol stop growth of tumor?
As Taxol binds to the tubulin, the microtubules will breakdown and halt the cell division therefore preventing the spread of tumor
