medicinal structures Flashcards
(10 cards)
What is a substrate (or ligand)?
A compound that binds to a receptor and starts a chain reaction that produces an effect.
Ligands are crucial in biochemical signaling.
What is a lead compound?
A compound that shows promise as a treatment for a disease and may lead to the development of a new drug and used as a starting point to make a drug that has the most benefits and the least harms.
Lead compounds are essential in drug discovery.
What is an agonist?
A drug that behaves in a similar manner to an endogenous (produced by the body) substrate.
Agonists can activate receptors to produce a biological response.
What is an antagonist (blocker)?
A drug that blocks an endogenous substrate from binding to its receptor.
Antagonists are often used to inhibit unwanted biological processes.
What are tautomers?
Each of two or more isomers of a compound which exist together in equilibrium, and are readily interchanged by migration of an atom or group within the molecule.
Tautomerism plays a significant role in chemical reactivity.
What type of bonds are found in carbohydrates?
Glycosidic bonds.
Glycosidic bonds link monosaccharides to form polysaccharides.
What type of bonds are found in triacylglycerol?
Ester bonds.
Ester bonds form the backbone of fats and oils.
What type of bonds are found in proteins?
Peptide bonds.
Peptide bonds link amino acids together in a protein chain.
What type of bonds are found in DNA or RNA?
Phosphodiester bonds.
Phosphodiester bonds link nucleotides in nucleic acids.
