Unit 1: Basics Flashcards
Pharmacology
Study of substances that interact with living systems via chemical processes
Medical pharmacology
Science of substances used to — Prevent — Diagnose — Treat disease
Pharmacogenomics
Relation of individual’s genetic makeup to his/her response to specific drugs
Drug
Any substance that brings about change in biologic function through its actions
Agonist
Drug that activates a target molecule by binding to a receptor
Antagonist
Drug that inhibits a target molecule by binding to a receptor
Receptor
Molecule on a cell that is a target for drugs
Osmotic agents
Interact almost exclusively with water molecules
Hormones
Dugs synthesized within the body
xenobiotics
Drugs synthesized not in the body
Toxins
Poisons of biologic origin
Chiral molecules
Mirror images
Pharmacodynamics
Actions of drug on body
Pharmacokinetic
Actions of body on drug
4 Types of drug interactions with receptors
- Agonist
- Competitive inhibitor
- Allosteric activator
- Allosteric inhibitor
Allosteric
Separate site from receptor site
Full agonist
Can activate receptor-effector systems to maximum extent
Partial agonist
No matter how high the concentration, does not evoke the same response
Neutral antagonist
Drug that binds to receptor and appears to have no effect
HOWEVER, presence of antagonist at receptor will block access for agonists, preventing usual agonist effect
Ligand
Drug molecule
Prodrug
Inactive precursor chemical
Readily absorbed
Biologic processes in body convert prodrug to active drug
ADME
— Absorption
— Distribution
— Metabolism
— Excretion
A pair of CHIRAL molecules is called ________
Enantiomeric
Rational Drug Design
Ability to predict structure of a drug based on what is known about its receptor
What properties determine how a drug is classified?
Pharmacodynamic
Inverse agonists prefer which receptors?
R sub i (the inactive receptor)
As opposed to R sub a, the active receptor
What effect does an inverse agonist have?
An opposite effect than what an agonist has
Characteristics of a Receptor
Must be selective regarding ligands and must alter biologic system
Competitive inhibitor
blocks agonist
Allosteric activator
increases binding of agonist
OR
increases its efficacy
Allosteric inhibitor
decreases response to agonist
