KA 5: pharmaceutical chemistry

Question 1

what are drugs?

Answer 1

substances that alter the biochemical processes in the body

Question 2

drugs that have beneficial effects are used in….

Answer 2

…medicines

Question 3

what do medicines usually contain?

Answer 3

the drug plus other ingredients such as filters to add bullk or sweetners to improve the taste

Question 4

how do drugs generally work?

Answer 4

by binding to specific protein molecule

these protein molecules can be found on the surface of a cell (receptor) or can be specific enzyme molecules within a cell

Question 5

how can drugs be classified?

Answer 5

agonists or antagonists

Question 6

what is an agonist?

Answer 6

mimics the natural compound

binds to the receptor molecules to produce a response similar to the natural active compound

Question 7

what is an antagonist?

Answer 7

it prevents the natural compound from binding to the receptor, and so blocks the natural response from occuring

Question 8

what are drugs that act on enzymes classified as? and how do they act?

Answer 8

enzyme inhibitors

by binding to the active site of the enzyme and blocking the reaction normally catalysed there

Question 9

the overall shape and size of a drug is such that…

Answer 9

it interacts with a receptor binding site or to the active site of an enzyme

Question 10

the types of interactions formed can include:

Answer 10

-van der Waals froces and/or ionic bonds

Question 11

what does the structural fragment of a drug molecule that allows it to from interactions with a receptor binding site or to an enzyme actie site normally consist of?

Answer 11

different functional groups correctly orientated with respect to each other

Question 12

how can the structural fragment that is involved in the drug action can be indentified?

Answer 12

by comparing the structures of drugs that have similar effects on the body