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Drug Chemistry
Chapter 19
In this unit…
Curative Drugs
 Regulatory Drugs
 Preventative Drugs
 Analgesic and Anesthetic Drugs
 “Recreational” Drugs

Curative Drugs

Drugs that treat disease

Infectious disease: external organisms
 Viral
 Bacterial
 Fungi
 Yeast

Life disease: illness from how we live
 Environmental
pollutants
 Diet and exercise
 Consumption of “recreational” substances
Curative Drugs

Infectious Disease

Penicillin: antibiotic
 Discovered
accidentally in 1928 by Alexander
Fleming
 Benefits



Kills bacteria by inhibiting enzymes needed to build cell
walls
Does not affect our cells: no cell walls
Multiple types are effective
 Problems


Allergies
Drug resistance
Source: http://www.medicaltox.com/images/mycoto1.jpg
Curative Drugs

Life Disease

Cancer: our own cells mutate, grow out of
control
 Alkylating
agents: transfer foreign alkyl groups to
molecules, block usual modes of action

Nitrogen mustards (similar to mustard gas chemical warfare)
 Anti-metabolites:

inhibit nucleic acid synthesis
Cisplatin binds to DNA and blocks replication
Regulatory Drugs
Regulate physical systems
 Endocrine system: hormones


Chemical messenger produced
in a gland that effects changes
in other parts of the body
 Brain
 Adrenals
 Sex
organs
Source: http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/endocrine/images/major-endo.gif
Regulatory Drugs

Hormones produced in the brain

Oxytocin: smooth muscle contraction, milk
secretion
 Labor

inducer
Human growth hormone (HGH): general body
and bone growth
 Children
 Fountain
of youth?
Source: http://opbs.okstate.edu/~petracek/CHAPTER%2029%20FIGS/Fig%2029-24.JPG
Regulatory Drugs

Hormones produced in the
adrenals

Cortisol: conversion of proteins 
carbohydrates




Immunosuppressant: anaphylactic
shock & severe allergies
(hydrocortisone can counter)
Fight-or-flight responses: increased
blood pressure, increased glucose
production
Weight loss miracle?
Adrenaline: prepare body for
emergency

Fight-or-flight responses
Source: http://clinical.medicalengineer.co.uk/cortisol.jpg
Regulatory Drugs

Hormones produced in the
sex organs: steroids

All synthesized from
cholesterol
 Estrogen:
stimulates female
characteristics

Regulates menstrual cycle
 Testosterone:
stimulates male
characteristics


Presence determines sex of a
fetus
Misuse
Source: http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/BIOBK/steroid_3.gif
Preventative Drugs

Prevent certain conditions
Mental illness
 Heart attack
 Pregnancy

Source: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/images/health/photos/book051028.jpg
Source: http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/photos_images/news_images/09-2005/brain_lg.jpg
Source: http://www.pregnancy.mb.ca/cpc-adr.htm
The Brain
1
Neuron
1.
•
•
•
2.
3.
4.
5.
Axon
Cell body
Dendrite
2
Neurotransmitter
Vessicle
Synaptic Gap
Neurotransmitter
Dendrite
receptor
3
4
Source: http://assets.families.com/Encyclopedias/dat_01_img0042.jpg
5
The Brain: Neurotransmitters

Serotonin
Made from amino acid tryptophan
 Roles

 Mood

regulation
Mental illness
 Sleep
 Emesis
(vomiting)
 Sexuality
 Appetite
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Serotonin&printable=yes
The Brain: Neurotransmitters

Norepinephrine (also called
noradrenaline)
Made from amino acid tyrosine
 Roles

 Attention
 Impulsivity
 Fight-or-Flight



responses
Heart rate
Energy
Muscle readiness
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Norepinephrine&printable=yes
The Brain: Neurotransmitters

Dopamine
Made from amino acid tyrosine
 Roles

 Sympathetic
nervous system
(heart rate, blood pressure)
 Movement

Parkinson’s disease
 Cognitive
functions: memory,
attention, problem-solving
 Pleasure
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine
The Brain: Neurotransmitters

Acetylcholine
Made from vitamin choline
 Roles

 Excitatory


Stress
Muscle contraction
 Brain

actions
function
Alzheimer’s Disease
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylcholine
Preventative Drugs

Preventing symptoms of mental
illness

Neurotransmitter imbalance: levels
too high or low
 Norepinephrine:
manic (too high),
depression (too low), bipolar disorder
 Serotonin: depression, lack of pleasure
and sensory perception (too low)

Drugs can:
mimic or enhance actions of
neurotransmitters
 control message delivery

Source: http://www.about-depression.com/symptoms-of-depression/images/img02-01.jpg
Preventative Drugs

Preventing heart attack

Hypertension: blood pressure above 140/90
 Diuretics:

reduce blood volume
Coronary artery disease: blocked arteries
 Nitrogylcerin:
dilate blood vessels to increase blood
flow and decrease heart workload
Source: www1.accsnet.ne.jp
Preventative Drugs

Preventing pregnancy

“The Pill”: progestins
 Send
a false signal of
pregnancy: no ovulation, no
chance of conception

DES and RU-486
 Induce
abortion by causing
sloughing of the uterine lining
and fertilized egg

Moral and ethical implications
Source: http://www.bible.ca/s-premarital-sex.htm
Analgesic and Anesthetic
Drugs

Analgesics: pain relieving

NSAIDS: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
 Aspirin,

ibuprofen, acetaminophen, naproxen
Anesthetics: physical depressant

Unconsciousness and general insensitivity to
pain
Analgesic and Anesthetic
Drugs

Analgesics

Aspirin: acetylsalicylic acid
 First
found in willow bark as
early as 5th Century B.C.
 Actions


Reduce pain and inflammation by
inhibiting chemical messengers
(prostaglandins)
Reduce fever by inhibiting same
chemical messengers
 Affect
blood platelets, kidneys,
GI tract, liver, allergy
Source: http://www.greatbigstuff.com/prodpics/aspirin-blank.jpg
Analgesic and Anesthetic
Drugs

Anesthetics

General: depress conductivity of neurons
 Early:

chloroform, ether
Many side-effects and narrow safety margins
 Modern:

fluorine-containing alkanes
Local: blocks areas of the body from sending
pain messages to the brain
 Lidocaine,
novocaine: based on structure of cocaine
Source: http://www.fluoridealert.org/health/kidney/anesthetic.jpg
“Recreational” Drugs

Produce or enhance multiple sensations
Depressants
 Narcotics
 Stimulants
 Psychedelics

All are addictive
 Many are fatal when abused

“Recreational” Drugs

Depressants

Alcohol: slow down physical and mental activity
 When
metabolized, acts on opiate receptors
 Drunk driving
 Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Source: http://home.egge.net/~savory/carcrash.jpg
Source: http://www.niichro.com/FHealing%20Hearts/heal_4.html
“Recreational” Drugs

Narcotics: produce narcosis (stupor or
general anesthesia) and analgesia (pain
relief)

Morphine: isolated from opium
 Acts
on opiate receptors in brain
 Natural opiates: endorphins

Heroin: derived from morphine
 Stronger
feelings of euphoria than morphine
 More addictive than morphine
Source: http://www.espace-sciences.org/science/images/images-maj/Perso/question_OF/morphine.jpg
“Recreational” Drugs

Stimulants: mimic actions of adrenaline
and norepinephrine

Methamphetamines: fight-or-flight



Increases dopamine levels (“high”, addiction)
Has been used in weight loss, depression &
narcolepsy
Caffeine: blocks brain’s sleep receptors




Also stimulates fight-or-flight responses (increased
heartbeat & respiration, increased blood glucose,
adrenaline production, blood flow decreases to
extremities and increases to muscles & vital organs)
Increases dopamine levels (addiction)
Body in state of high alert = jumpy, irritable, headache
Large doses  chromosome damage
Source: http://images.animationfactory.com/imagedir/animations/web_text_h_o/misc_text/caffeine_jitters/caffeine_jitters_lg_nwm.gif
“Recreational” Drugs

Psychedelics: change brain’s perception of
reality

Marijuana: tetranydrocannabinol (cannabis)
 Mimics
a natural substance in the brain that activates
brain’s reward system: euphoria
 Legitimate uses: glaucoma (reduces eye pressure)
and chemotherapy (relieves nausea)

PCP
 Similar
to substance made naturally in our bodies
only in extreme circumstances

Near-death experiences, hallucinations, schizophrenics
 Stored
in fat cells: flashbacks when metabolized
Final Thoughts

Are drugs good?
Relieve pain, prevent and cure disease
 Prolong and improve quality of life
 Plants: put on earth for our use


Are drugs bad?
Abuse and dependency
 Can bring pain, suffering and death if misused

Final Thoughts
“Teach your sons and daughters to avoid
illegal drugs as they would the plague. They
cannot so abuse their bodies, they cannot so
build within themselves vicious and enslaving
appetites without doing incalculable damage.
Build within them an utter abhorrence of
such.”
 “We should not use drugs except when they
are necessary as medicine.”

Discourses of President Gordon B. Hinkley, p. 32
Gospel Principles, Chapter 29