Pharmacy tutorial 1

Question 1

Apply the definition of a drug to heroin

Answer 1

• A drug is a chemical substance that interacts with a biological system to produce a physiological effect.
• Heroin acts on the nucleus accumbens in the brain, which causes an effect of euphoria

Question 2

What is the target site of heroin?

Answer 2

m Opiod receptors (GPCR)

Question 3

How does heroin get to its target site?

Answer 3

It is lipid soluble so it can cross the blood-brain barrier

Question 4

What is pharmacokinetic antagonism?

Answer 4

One drug causes a process from ADME to happen causing removal of another drug

Question 5

How can bupranorphine be used to treat addiction?

Answer 5

• It is in the therapeutic window, where it will give a high but will not cause overdose
• Lower max than heroin or fentanyl, but higher EC50 than heroin
• Bupranorphine is a partial agonist

Question 6

What are the questions you need to consider with all drugs?

Answer 6

• What is the drug target
• Where is the drug target
• What is the end result of interaction