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Questions and Answers
What determines whether a compound acts as a medicine or a poison?
What determines whether a compound acts as a medicine or a poison?
All drugs are completely safe and have no side effects.
All drugs are completely safe and have no side effects.
False
What is the therapeutic index of a drug?
What is the therapeutic index of a drug?
A measure of a drug's beneficial effects at a low dose versus its harmful effects at a higher dose.
The idea that 'everything is a poison, nothing is a poison' is based on the concept that ______________________.
The idea that 'everything is a poison, nothing is a poison' is based on the concept that ______________________.
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Match the following terms with their definitions:
Match the following terms with their definitions:
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What is the principle of selective toxicity?
What is the principle of selective toxicity?
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The cell membrane is composed only of phospholipids.
The cell membrane is composed only of phospholipids.
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What is the role of the hydrophobic tails in the cell membrane?
What is the role of the hydrophobic tails in the cell membrane?
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The cell membrane is made up of a variety of proteins situated in the ______________________.
The cell membrane is made up of a variety of proteins situated in the ______________________.
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Match the following components of the cell membrane with their descriptions:
Match the following components of the cell membrane with their descriptions:
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Study Notes
Drugs and Poisons
- All medicines have the potential to become poisonous if taken in excess, making it essential to treat them with respect.
- The therapeutic index measures a drug's beneficial effects at a low dose versus its harmful effects at a high dose, indicating its safety.
Definition of Drugs
- Drugs are compounds that interact with biological systems to produce a biological response.
- The concept of poisons acting as drugs is exemplified by penicillin, which interacts with bacteria to produce a biological response, but has no effect on human cells.
Selective Toxicity
- Many drugs are effective because they are toxic to problematic cells, such as microbial cells, rather than healthy or normal cells.
- Antiprotozoal drugs are useful in medicine because they show selective toxicity to microbial cells rather than mammalian cells.
- Clinically effective anticancer agents show selective toxicity for cancer cells over normal cells, and effective antiviral agents are toxic to viruses rather than normal cells.
Safety of Drugs
- No drug is entirely safe, and they vary in the side effects they may have.
- The dose level of a compound determines whether it will act as a medicine or poison.
- A high therapeutic index indicates a large safety margin between beneficial and toxic doses.
Chemical Structure and Human Body
- The human body operates at a molecular level, with many chemical reactions taking place to keep it healthy and functioning.
- Drugs interact with the body's chemical reactions and can affect cell structure.
Cell Structure and Function
- The cell membrane is a boundary wall that encloses the cell's contents, the cytoplasm.
- The cell membrane is composed of phospholipids, with a specific arrangement of hydrophobic tails and ionic head-groups.
- This structure results in a fatty layer between the cell and its surroundings, allowing the cell to regulate its interactions with the environment.
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Description
Learn about the therapeutic index, a measure of a drug's safety, and the importance of treating all medicines with respect due to their potential to become poisonous at high doses.
