Pharmaceutical Chemsitry Flashcards
What are drugs
Drugs are substances that alter the biochemical processes in the body
What are drugs that have beneficial effects
Drugs that have beneficial effects are used in medicine
What does a medicine usually contain
A medicine usually contains the drug plus other ingredients such as fillers to add bulk or sweeteners to improve the taste
How do drugs generally work
Drugs generally work by binding to specific protein molecules
Where can the protein molecules a drug binds to be found
These protein molecules can be found on the surface of a cell (receptor) or can be specific enzyme molecules within a cell
Agonist
An agonist mimics the natural compound and binds to the receptor molecules to produce a response similar to the natural active compound
Antagonist
An antagonist prevents the natural compound from binding to the receptor and so blocks the natural response from occuring
How are many drugs that act on enzymes classified
Many drugs that act on enzymes are classified as enzyme inhibitors and act by binding to the active site of the enzyme and blocking the reaction normally catalysed there
What is the overall shape and size of a drug
The overall shape and size of a drug is such that it interacts with a receptor binding site or to the active site of an enzyme
What type of interactions are formed
The types of interactions formed can include Van der waals forces and / or ionic bonds
What does the structural fragment that allows a drug to form interactions with a binding site consist of
The structural fragment of a drug molecules that allows it to form interactions with a receptor binding site or to an enzyme active site normally consists of different functional groups correctly orientated with respect to each other
How can you identify the structural fragment involved in the drug action
By comparing the structures of drugs that have similar effects on the body, the structural fragment that is involved in drugged action can be identified
Pharmacophore
Structural fragments
Where does the pharmacophore fit
The pharmacophore fits exactly with the shape of a receptor and produces pharmacological activity
