Week 1- Introduction to Pharmacology of the Nervous System Flashcards
Define pharmacology
The study of how chemical substances can influence the function of living systems// a chemical substance that interacts with a specific target within a biological system to produce a physiological effect (better definition)
What are the effects, target and response produced by the drug heroin?
Effects include analgesia, euphoria and cough suppression in different parts of the brain. It targets opioid receptors in different parts of the brain, the response would be similar to the effects
What are the 3 questions to ask about how a drug works?
- Where are its effects produced?
- What is the target site?
- What is the response produced after interaction with the target site?
What are the 4 main drug targets?
Receptors, enzymes, transport proteins, ion channels
What is the target of atorvastatin?
Enzyme (blocks HMG coA reductase, lowering blood cholestrol)
What is the target of amlodipine?
Ion channel (calcium channel blocker, stops contraction in blood vessels, lowering blood pressure)
What is the target of salbutamol?
Receptor (binds to beta 2 adrene receptor, dilating the airway)
What is the target of citalopram?
Transport protein (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, serotonin is not removed from the synapse)
What are the 2 main drug mechanisms?
Enhance activation (stimulate an effect) or prevent activation (block an effect from being produced)
What is drug selectivity?
How specifically drugs fit into its target (lock and key hypothesis)
Why is selectivity for drugs more important than for endogenous compounds e.g. dopamine?
Endogenous substances are delivered directly for the target whereas for drugs, the effect may not be localised if it can fit into receptors all over the body
What is a side effect?
An effect thats secondary to the intended effect (can be due to effects on the same target)
Why may excess dosage be detrimental?
The drugs starts to work on other target sites that it wasn’t intended to effect
What are different ways side effects may arise?
Due to drug action on other targets in the same tissue or another tissue, on the same target in other tissues, and due to dosage administered
What may be characteristics of a good drug
A drug that has a large difference between dose required to produce the therapeutic effect vs side effects
