Testing Medicines Flashcards
Which plant was the heart drug ‘ digitalis ‘ extracted from?
Foxgloves.
From which plant was the painkiller ‘ aspirin ’ extracted from?
Willow ( bark ).
What drug was extracted from the microorganism in the mould ‘ penicillium ‘ ?
Penicillin.
What is the function of painkillers?
Painkillers relieve symptoms, but do not help to cure the disease or kill pathogens.
What is the function of antibiotics?
Antibiotics directly kill, or prevent the growth of, pathogens.
Different antibiotics kill different types of bacteria.
What are the disadvantages of antibiotics?
Recently, strains of bacteria have mutated to become resistant to antibiotics.
So, doctors avoid over-prescribing antibiotics and patients must finish the whole course.
Also, antibiotics cannot kill viruses, as they hide within body cells.
What 3 factors are tested during drug development?
Efficacy - whether the drug produces the desired effect.
Toxicity - how harmful the drug is and whether there are side effects.
Dosage - finding the optimum amount of drug to be taken.
What are the 3 main stages of drug development?
- In preclinical testing, the drug is tested on human cells and tissues - but this doesn’t show the effects on whole organs or organ systems.
- Then, the drug is tested on live animals, such as mammals like mice, to test for its efficacy.
- Finally, the clinical trial begins on healthy human volunteers with a low dosage - to check for any harmful side effects. Next, the drug is tested on patients suffering from the targeted illness to find the optimum dosage.
What is a placebo?
A substance that contains no active drug.
What is a double-blind trial?
Neither the patients, nor the doctors, know who is receiving the active drug and who is receiving the placebo.
This is to avoid bias ; if patients are aware they are taking the active drug, they are more likely to report side effects, and the doctors are more likely to notice them.
Why are the results from clinical trials peer-reviewed?
To prevent false claims.
