Drug Targets

Question 1

What are 2 examples of extracts from plants and herbs?

Answer 1

• Morphine from opium poppies => pain killer, induces euphoria
• Digitalis/Digoxin from foxglove => reversible inhibitor of Na/K ATPase, treats congestive heart failure

Question 2

Digoxin

Answer 2

Reversible inhibitor of Na/K ATPase

Treats congestive heart failure

Question 3

Penicillin

Answer 3

B-lactam antibiotic

Interferes with bacterial wall synthesis

Question 4

What are 3 examples of endogenous drugs?

Answer 4

Insulin
Thyroxine
Growth hormone

Question 5

What are some examples of endogenous compounds that have been chemically modified?

Answer 5

HORMONAL
Ethinyl estradiol - more stable form of oestrogen
Prednisolone - synthetic steroid, glucocorticoid-like action

ANTI-CANCER
6-mercaptopurine
6-thioguanine
(alternate base pairs, effect cancer cells most due to rapid repliction)

Question 6

What are 4 examples of chemically synthesised drugs?

Answer 6

Indomethacin, celecoxib - COX inhibitors (NSAIDs)
Cimetidine - histamine reseptor modulator
Simvastatin - HMG-CoA reductase inhibtor

Question 7

Some drugs discovered by chance are…

Answer 7

Viagra
Antidepressants monoamine oxidases (Tb) and tricyclic (pre-anaesthetic agents)
Cisplatin - effects of electrical fields on bacterial growth