Pharmacology Flashcards
What is the process of drug development?
Lead compound identification Pre-clinical research in lab Filing for regulatory status Clinical trials on humans Marketing the drug Lecture 16/11/17
What is druggability?
The ability of a protein to bind small molecules with high affinity.
lecture 16/11/17
Give 4 examples of sources of drugs and an example from each.
Organic chemistry eg paracetamol
Plants eg opiates, vincristine for cancer
Elements eg platinum (cancer).
Animals, eg insulin
How do ‘magic bullets’ work?
Selective poisoning of microbes through a metabolic pathway that is absent in humans.
Give an example of a magic bullet and what it is used for.
Sulphanilamide for streptococcal infections.
Give an example of stereoisomers in pharmacology.
Levo- and dextro- amphetamine for ADHD.
What is a polyclonal antibody? Give an example.
Polyclonal antibodies are produced from a large number of B cell clones and respond to multiple epitopes. Rozrolimupab is a PAB used for ITP and Rhesus negative pregnant women.
What is a monoclonal antibody? Give an example.
Monoclonal antibodies are produced from one B cell clone and only respond to a specific epitope. Infliximab is a MAB used for inflammatory bowel disease.
Give 3 approaches to TNF-a neutralisation and an example of a drug for each.
- Chimeric antibody, eg infliximab
- fusion protein, eg etanercept
- Human antibody, eg adalimumab.
How does Infliximab work?
RA - chemical inhibition by extracellular neutralisation of TNF-a
How does Etanercept work?
Fuses to the TNF-a receptor, forming a ligand that antagonises the receptor.
How can shorter and longer acting insulin be produced?
Insulin is extracted from pig or cow pancreas. The amino acids are arranged differently in short and long acting insulin. Lecture 16/11/17
Give 3 examples of recombinant proteins as drugs.
Insulin
Erythropoietin
Growth hormone
What are glucocorticoids used for?
They are steroids used for a range of inflammatory conditions -
Ezcema, Asthma, IBD, arthritis, MS, acute vasculitis, autoimmune thrombocytopaenia.
Give 3 side-effects of glucocorticoids.
Diabetes, muscle wasting, osteoporosis.
Give 3 side effects of mineralocorticoids.
Hypertension, fluid retention, K/Ca loss.
How does methotrexate reduce cancer growth?
It interferes with DNA synthesis.
How does azothiaprine reduce cancer growth?
It interferes with DNA incorporation.
How does cyclophosphamide reduce cancer growth?
Interfered with DNA replication.
How do protein kinase inhibitors treat cancer?
Vemurafinib is an example. They inhibit formation of MAP kinase which normally increases proliferation and angiogenesis and decreases apoptosis, so it does the opposite.
How can gene therapy be used to treat pancreatitis caused by lipoprotein lipase deficiency?
Aliopgene Tiparvovec / glybera can be used to deliver an intact lipoprotein lipase gene. This is the most expensive.
If you wanted to get a drug into someone’s circulation quickly in hospital, what route of administration could you use?
IV.
Lecture 17/11/18
Where can you give medication to a fitting child who cannot take medication by mouth or IV?
Rectal - absorption of rectal veins is good
How is lithium absorbed into cells?
Facilitated diffusion through pores or ion channels. This is for small, lipid soluble molecules.