Terms list #4

Potency

A measure of the strength or concentration of a drug required to produce a specific effect

Receptor

Specific cellular structure that a drug (or natural substrate) binds to in order to produce a physiologic effect

Side effect

Undesired drug effect that is more of a nuisance than harnful

Site of action

The location within the body where the drug exerts its therapeutic effect. (Not always known)

Summation

When the combined effects of two drugs that produce the same biologic response by different mechanisms of actions, is equal to the sum of the individual effects.

Synergism (synergistic effect)

When the combined effect of two drugs is greater than the sum of their individual effects

Teratogens

Drugs that produce birth defects.

Therapeutic effect

Desired drug effect to alleviate some condition or symptom of disease

Toxic effect

Undesirable drug effect that implies drug poisoning and can be very harmful or life-threatening.

Toxicology

The study of harmful effects of drugs on living tissue