Detoxification, Toxicology, and Cancer Pharmacology

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering cellular detoxification mechanisms, mechanisms of toxicology, teratogens, pediatric and geriatric pharmacology, and cancer treatment strategies.

Glutathione Peroxidase (GPX)

Enzymes that catalyze the interconversion of GSH and GSSG during the detoxification of hydrogen peroxide.

Reduced glutathione (GSH)

A tripeptide made of glutamate, cysteine, and glycine that acts as a major cellular antioxidant and contains a cysteine residue (-SH).

GSSG

The oxidized dimer of glutathione formed by a cysteine disulfide bond.

Catalase (CAT)

Enzyme that directly converts hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen.

Neoantigen

Any protein produced with an abnormal structure due to mutation of its gene that can act as a tumor antigen.

Lipid Peroxidation

Oxidative degradation where a free radical steals electrons from lipids in the cell membrane, leading to the formation of lipid peroxide and breakdown to MDA.

TCDD

Known as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, the deadliest of dioxins and a component in Agent Orange.

Viral protease inhibitors

P-glycoprotein substrates that achieve low fetal concentrations and may increase vertical transmission of HIV.

Teratogenic drug action

Criteria for drugs that cause malformations: must result in a characteristic set of malformations, exert effects at a particular development stage, and show dose-dependence.

Elixirs

Alcoholic solutions where drug molecules are evenly distributed, requiring no shaking before administration.

Suspensions

Liquid dosage forms that contain undissolved particles of drug and require shaking to prevent toxicity.

Creatinine Clearance Formula (Ages 40-80)

$\text{Creatinine CL (mL/min)} = \frac{(140 - \text{age}) \times (\text{weight kg})}{72 \times \text{Serum creatinine in mg/dL}}$, multiplied by $0.85$ for women.

Oncogenes

Products of proto-oncogene mutations (such as RAS, BCR-ABL, SCU, or MyC) that cause cancer when overexpressed or wrongly expressed.

p53

A tumor suppressor protein (anti-oncogene) that triggers cell cycle arrest.

Telomeres

Structures that stabilize and protect DNA, which get shorter after each replication; abnormal maintenance is seen in cancer.

Intrinsic resistance

A condition where a tumor shows little response to an anticancer agent from the beginning of treatment.

Chlormethine (Nitrogen Mustard)

A DNA cross-linking agent that forms bonds between the N7's of nearby guanine bases.

Cisplatin

A drug that binds the N7 of adjacent guanines to produce intrastrand covalent cross-linking.

Topoisomerase (Topo I & II)

Enzymes that relax DNA supercoiling and unwind DNA.

Aromatase (CYP19A1)

A non-metabolizing P450 enzyme that catalyzes the biosynthesis of estrogens from androgens by forming an aromatic ring.

Letrozole

An aromatase inhibitor that lowers estrogen levels to slow tumor growth in hormone-driven breast cancer.

Herceptin (Trastuzumab)

A monoclonal antibody that binds to HER2 receptors.

Imatinib

The first Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (TKI), which works by blocking the ATP-binding site.

Vemurafenib

A kinase inhibitor that specifically binds to BRAF.

Avastin (Bevacizumab)

An anti-VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) agent used to inhibit angiogenesis.