PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY Flashcards
What are drugs?
Substances that alter the biochemical processes in the body.
What is the purpose of a medicine?
To provide beneficial effects using drugs along with other ingredients.
What additional ingredients are commonly found in medicines?
Fillers to add bulk or sweeteners to improve taste.
How do drugs generally work in the body?
By binding to specific protein molecules.
Where can protein molecules that drugs bind to be found?
On the surface of a cell (receptor) or as specific enzyme molecules within a cell.
What are the two classifications of drugs that act on receptors?
Agonists and antagonists.
What is the function of an agonist?
Mimics the natural compound and binds to receptor molecules to produce a response.
What does an antagonist do?
Prevents the natural compound from binding to the receptor, blocking the natural response.
What are drugs that act on enzymes typically classified as?
Enzyme inhibitors.
How do enzyme inhibitors function?
By binding to the active site of the enzyme and blocking the reaction.
What determines the overall shape and size of a drug?
Its ability to interact with a receptor binding site or the active site of an enzyme.
What types of interactions can occur between drugs and their targets?
Van der Waals forces and/or ionic bonds.
What is the structural fragment of a drug molecule responsible for interactions made of?
Different functional groups correctly oriented with respect to each other.
How can the structural fragment involved in drug action be identified?
By comparing the structures of drugs with similar effects on the body.
