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Molecular Pharmacology & Toxicology > Important Concepts > Flashcards

Important Concepts Flashcards

1
Q

What is a drug?

A

A chemical substance of known structure, other than a nutrient or a essential dietary ingredient which when administered to a living organism produces a biological effect

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2
Q

What is a medicine?

A

A chemical preparation, which usually contains one or more drugs, administered with the intention of producing a therapeutic effect.

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3
Q

What do medicines contain aside from the active drug and why ?

A

Medicines usually contain other substances e.g. stabilisers solvents to make them more convenient to use.

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4
Q

Classification of drugs

A

Synthetic
Natural
Biotechnology

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5
Q

Example of synthetic drugs

A

Paracetamol
Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin)

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6
Q

Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin)

Type of drugs
Use
Mode of action

A

NSAID used to reduce pain, fever and inflammation.
It acts by inhibiting COX-1 and COX-2
and, therefore, reducing the production of prostaglandins.
Due to its impact on COX-1, aspirin reduces the levels of thromboxane and is used as an anti-platelet drug.

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7
Q

Paracetamol

Type of drug
Use
Mode of action
What do high doses lead to?

A

Analgesic and anti-pyretic used to treat mild pain and fever.
There is still some uncertainty about its mode of action, but it is believed that it can act by inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX) and reducing the production of prostaglandins, as well as by activating the serotoninergic pathway.
Unlike other COX inhibitors (NSAID), paracetamol does not reduce inflammation.
In high doses it can lead to liver toxicity and renal damage

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8
Q

What are the two forms of natural drugs and give an example for each.

A

Plants (salicylic acid - willow bark)
Animals (heparin - cattle)

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9
Q

Example of a biopharmaceutical drug

A

BCG vaccine

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10
Q

Are Insulin and Thyroxin drugs and why?

A

No, drugs must be administered and not produced by the organism

Insulin – peptide hormone secreted by the β cells ofthe pancreatic islets of Langerhans in humans.

Thyroxine (T4) – one of the main hormones produced by the thyroid gland

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11
Q

What is pharmacology?

A

The study of how chemical agents (natural and synthetic) affect biological systems

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12
Q

Define pharmacokinetics

A

What the body does to the drug

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13
Q

Define pharmacodynamics

A

What the drug does to the body

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14
Q

What is pharmacology crucial for?

A
  • Discovering new medicines to help fight diseases
  • Improve effectiveness of existing medicines
  • Reduce negative side effects of medicines
  • Understanding the differing responses to certain drugs
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15
Q

What is resolution pharmacology?

A
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16
Q

What was toxicology traditionally?

A

The science of poisons

17
Q

What is toxicology now?

A

The study of adverse effects of chemical, physical and biological agents on living organisms and the ecosystem, including the prevention and improvement of adverse effects

18
Q

What do toxicologists deal with?

A

Nature of the toxic effect
Mechanism behind the toxic effect
Quantitative assessment of the adverse effect
Assessment of risk to living organisms
Regulation of chemicals

19
Q

What stressors (toxins) does toxicology deal with?

A

Radiations
Poisons
Air particulate and gaseous air pollutants (e.g. carbon monoxide)
Pesticides
Industrial chemicals (e.g. PCBs, dioxins)
Personal care poisons
Food toxins
Pharmaceuticals - mainly what we will focus on
Recreational drugs
Venoms
Any environmental chemical

20
Q

What are adverse effects and what can it result in?

A

Damage to normal function or survival
- death
- cancer
- impaired organ function

21
Q

What are some ways in which damage/impairment of normal function can occur?

A

-Premature or accelerated death of cells in tissues
-Allergic reaction to a chemical
-Damage to DNA, RNA proteins
-Depletion of cellular protective abilities

22
Q

What determines the extent of damage?

A

Toxicant’s properties
Individual factors (e.g. genetics, age, overall health)
Route of exposure
Duration of exposure
Toxicokinetics/toxicodynamics
Dose of toxicant

23
Q

What are toxicant properties?

A

Chemical properties - shape, stricture solubility, stability etc
How it enters the body - how easily
How it is distributed in the body
Rate of excretion from the body

24
Q

Individual factors - Age

A

Vulnerability windows
Young - incomplete BBB, higher gastrointestinal absorption rate
Old - bioaccumulation of xenobiotics, lower detoxification and excretion

25
Q

Is the reproductive system distinguishable between the two sexes initially?

A

In mammals the reproductive system is initially indistinguishable between the 2 sexes – initially female.

26
Q

What is masculination driven by?

A

Hormones produced by the foetal testis.
Foetal androgen production during gestation is essential for normal male sexual differentiation.

27
Q

What hormones are essential for the correct development of a male foetus?

A

Testosterone (T): Produced in humans from 8-37 weeks gestation. Important in the development of the testis and differentiation of the Wolffian ducts into the epididymis, vas deferens and seminal vesicles

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT): Stimulates normal differentiation and development of the prostate and external genitalia.

28
Q

What happens of the synthesis/effect of testosterone is disrupted during 8-37 weeks gestation in males? And do similar issues occur in female foetus as well?

A

If, during this critical period, the synthesis/effect of testosterone is disrupted, it can lead to the abnormal
development of the male foetus, particularly, their reproductive system.
Similar issues do not occur in female foetus, as
their develop is not governed by testosterone.

29
Q

Individual factors - sex

A

Pregnancy alters immune system and liver function - foetus can also act as a toxicant
Differences in enzyme activity, hormonal factors, excretion.

30
Q

Individual factors - weight

A

individuals with more adipose tissue can retain more lipophilic chemicals

31
Q

Individual factors - obesity

A

Obesity involves pathophysiological modifications such as an increased blood flow and gastrointestinal transit, body composition changes, hepatomegaly, liver and kidney impairments.
These physiological differences lead to pharmacokinetic changes of drugs which can significantly impact the doses, the clinical tolerance, and its efficacy.

32
Q

Individual factors - genetic factors - example Alcohol flushing response or the ‘asian flush’

A

Japanese, Chinese, and Koreans
Results from a genetic deficiency in gene ADH1B which codes for ADH and gene ALDH2 which codes for enzyme ALDH which are responsible for the metabolism of ethanol

In the first stage of
alcohol metabolism, ethanol is metabolised into acetaldehyde by ADH. Acetaldehyde is a toxic
compound, responsible for the ‘drunk’ and hangover response upon alcohol consumption. It causes DNA damage, tachycardia, nausea, fatigue and headaches. The organism detoxifies by metabolising
acetaldehyde into a non-toxic molecule(aceticacid) which is then eliminated from the body. This process is catalysed by ALDH.

increased levels of ADH and a deficiency in ALDH which results in an accumulation of acetaldehyde with slow elimination – responsible for the alcohol flushing response.

  • therefore can’t break down ethanol - build up of toxin - have the toxic effects of alcohol much quicker
33
Q

Routes of exposure

A

Inhalation
Ingestion
Absorption
Injection

34
Q

What is duration of exposure

A

the length of the time of exposure to the toxicant

35
Q

What are the types of exposure?

A

Acute and chronic

36
Q

Define acute exposure

A

Short period of time–usually to high doses
Leads to acute health effects(clearly observable, developing shortly after or during exposure
– can be very severe but often reversible).

37
Q

Describe chronic exposure

A

Over a long period of time, often to lower doses
Leads to chronic health effects(can develop after a long period of time, often not easily identified and often irreversible).

38
Q

Acute toxicity

A

Adverse effects of finite duration occurring within a short time (14 days) usually develops within 24h of starting point
e.g. narcotic

39
Q

Chronic toxicity

A

Adverse effects following chronic exposure.
Effects which persist over a long period of
time whether or not they occur immediately upon exposure or are delayed.
e.g. leukaemia

Molecular Pharmacology & Toxicology (11 decks)

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