Pharmacodynamics

Question 1

What do drugs target? What is this the same way as?

Answer 1

They target cellular proteins, in the same way as normal bodily messengers (endogenous ligands)

Question 2

What are drugs made to be?

Answer 2

Synthetic versions of bodily chemical signals which exert effect on cells and systems

Question 3

To exert an effect what must drugs do?

Answer 3

Reach their target sites

Question 4

What happens when the intended action occurs in a number of cells in a body tissue?

Answer 4

This will create a physiological response (or agonist effect) in a body system

Question 5

However, what may happen with the agonist effect?

Answer 5

Can be caused at another site

Question 6

What happens if a target site is already occupied or saturated?

Answer 6

A drug can act on a target site it is less specific for

Question 7

What will drugs have for its target site?

Answer 7

A higher specificity for its intended site

Question 8

Partial agonist

Answer 8

A partial agonist is a substance that binds to and activates a receptor, but produces a smaller effect than a full agonist, even when it occupies all available receptors. In other words, while a partial agonist can stimulate the receptor, it cannot produce the maximum possible effect that a full agonist can, even at high concentrations.

Question 9

Antagonists

Answer 9

Medication can be used to occupy or block receptors and stop endogenous ligands, or other drugs, from exerting an effect

Question 10

What happens to the receptor on, or in the cell membrane?

Answer 10

Are bound to by the drug (or natural body) molecules to create or block the action of the cells

Question 11

What are the 4 receptor super families?

Answer 11

1. G protein coupled receptors
2. Ligand gated ion channels
3. Tyrosine kinase receptors
4. Nuclear receptors

Question 12

In a G protein coupled receptor what does the drug bind to? What does this create?

Answer 12

Binds to the receptor which is linked to a cellular protein which it uses to create a downstream response - or occupy the receptor to inhibit a normal physiological response

Question 13

In a ligand gated ion channel what does the drug bind to and what does this do? What does this replace?

Answer 13

Drug binds to the receptors which stimulate the opening or closing of the ion channels - this is in place of endogenous ligand which does it normally

Question 14

In tyrosine kinase receptors what does stimulating these receptors do?

Answer 14

Creates or inhibits enzymatic activity inside the cell- to regulate growth/ function of the cell itself (the receptor acts like an on or off switch)