Preventing and treating disease Flashcards
What are some examples of non-specific defences?
- Skin (Barrier to infection and microorganisms on the skin stop pathogens)
- Nose (Cilia and mucus trap particles in the air)
- Stomach (Produces stong acid (ph 2) that destroys pathogens
What are the two types of white blood cell?
- Phagocyte
- Lymphocyte
How does a Phagocyte work?
The Phagocyte is attracted the the pathogen and engulfes it in which the enzymes are released
How does a Lymphocite work?
- Antitoxins - Lymphocytes produce antitoxins that bind to toxins produced by pathogens
- Antibodies - Lymphocytes produce antibodies that bind to the pathogen by binding the the antigens on the surface.
How does Antibiotics work?
- Kill bacteria in the body
- Specific bacteria = Specific Antibiotics
- Bacteria can evolve to be antibiotic resistant
How do you treat Viruses?
- Antibiotics dont effect viruses
- Drugs that kill viruses often damage the bodies tissues
- Painkillers help the symptoms but do not kill the pathogen
Where does the heart drug digitalis come from?
Foxglove plants
Where does the painkiller asparin come from?
Willow trees?
How was pennecillin discorvered?
From the mould Penicillium
What are new Drugs tested for?
- Toxicity
- Efficacy
- Dose
What are the stages of clinical trials?
- Pre-clinical trials
- Clinical trials
- Peer Review
- Double-blind trials
What happens in Pre-clinical trials?
Drug is tested in cells, tissues and live animals
What happens in clinical trials?
- Healthy volunteers revieve very low doses to check drug is safe.
- Larger numbers of volunteers and patient the drug to find optimum dose
What is peer review?
Before being published the results of clinical trials will be tested and checked by other reseachers
What happens in double-blind trials?
When the trials give some of their patients placebo drugs to have a control
