History of Drug Use and Development

History of Drug Use and Development

• Humans have used drugs since before recorded history; evidence exists in early written records from China and Egypt.
• While some useful drugs like opium were discovered over 2000 years ago, the majority of clinically useful drugs have been developed over the last 250 years with the advent of the experimental biological sciences.

Ancient Civilizations & Pharmacology

• Theophrastus, a student of Aristotle, wrote a textbook on therapeutics in 380 B.C.E. that included opium, obtained from the Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum).
• In 1803, Serturner, a German pharmacist, isolated morphine crystals from opium, testing the pure substance on himself and colleagues, discovering its pain-relieving properties.
• Opium contains two primary substances: morphine (approximately 10%) and codeine (0.5%).
• Morphine was named after Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams, and is highly effective in relieving intense pain.
• Codeine is a constituent of Tylenol-3®, a prescription drug in Canada.
• The Ebers Papyrus, dating back to 1550 B.C.E., was an Egyptian textbook on drug use for medical students. It contains many accurate observations about drug use, particularly on purgatives, drugs that cause bowel movements.
• Senna, a drug recommended in the Ebers Papyrus, is still used today.
• The earliest documented drug experiments date back to 2700 B.C.E. in China.
• Emperor Shen Nung classified drugs according to taste. For example, Ma Huang, a drug used in Chinese medicine for coughs, influenza, and fevers, was classified as a "medium drug."
• Ephedrine, isolated from Ma Huang, is used today to treat asthma. A derivative of ephedrine is also used as a decongestant.

The Influence of Poisons

• Paracelsus, a 16th-century Swiss physician, stated, "All substances are poisons. There is none which is not a poison. The right dose differentiates a poison and a remedy."
• Curare, a plant-derived drug, was used historically by Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon as a poison for hunting. It causes paralysis by acting on voluntary muscles, eventually leading to respiratory paralysis and death.
• Curare is now used by anesthesiologists during surgery to induce muscle relaxation, making surgery easier for the surgeon.
• Ergot is a poisonous fungus that grows on rye grain, particularly during wet seasons. It was often ground with rye and consumed in bread, leading to outbreaks of poisoning.
• Ergot poisoning can affect the nervous, cardiovascular, and reproductive systems.
• Ergot poisoning symptoms include mental frenzy, hallucinations, convulsions, constriction of blood vessels, burning sensations in limbs, blackening and death of limbs, and violent uterine contractions.
• Small amounts of ergot have been found to be useful in hastening labor and are used by physicians for this purpose.

Drug Discovery

• A drug is any substance received by a living organism that is not for nutritional purposes and influences biological functions.
• About 25% of drugs used today are derived from plant sources.
• The 19th Century saw the rise of chemical synthesis in laboratories, leading to the discovery and introduction of many new drugs.

Drug Categories

• Drugs that act on the brain alter normal chemical signaling in the brain.
• LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) acts on the brain and is one of the most potent hallucinogenic drugs discovered.
• Albert Hofmann, a Swiss pharmaceutical researcher, synthesized LSD in 1943, seeking to improve pharmaceutical products based on ergot components.
• The psychedelic effects of LSD supported the theory that certain mental illnesses might be due to potent substances produced by the brain.
• Research on LSD’s therapeutic potential stopped around the 1970s due to its classification as a controlled substance.
• Recently, some evidence suggests that LSD derivatives might be effective in treating certain mental illnesses, like depression, anxiety, and addiction.
• Drugs acting against infectious diseases are a major milestone in drug development.
• Infections diseases are caused by microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites.
• Examples of drugs used to combat infectious diseases include penicillin and sulfa drugs.

Definitions

• Drugs: Any substance received by a biological system that is not received for nutritive purposes, and which influences the biological function of the organism. This broad definition means that chemicals, biological agents, and herbal products are all considered drugs.
• Pharmacology: The science of drugs, including their uses, effects, and mechanisms of action.
• B.C.E: Before Common Era
• LSD: Lysergic acid diethylamide. A potent hallucinogenic drug that acts on the brain.
• Syphilis: A bacterial infection transmitted sexually through direct contact with a syphilis sore. Syphilis is easy to cure when diagnosed and treated in its earlier stages.
• Gram-positive: Bacteria with thick cell walls and no outer membrane.
• Gram-negative: Bacteria with thin cell walls and an outer membrane.

Explore the fascinating journey of drug use and pharmacology through ancient civilizations. From opium's introduction in ancient China and Egypt to the clinical advancements in drug development, this quiz delves into the critical discoveries in pharmaceutical history. Test your knowledge on the key figures and substances that shaped modern medicine.