Discovery and Development of Drugs

How were drugs traditionally extracted?

From plants and microorganisms

What is aspirin used for?

as a painkiller and to lower fever

Where does aspirin originate from?

willow

What is digitalis used for?

treat heart conditions

Where does digitalis originate from?

Foxgloves

What is penicillin used for?

antibiotics

Where does penicillin originate from?

Penicillium mould

Who discovered penicillin?

Alexander Fleming

What 3 main factors should be considered in drug testing?

efficacy, toxicity, dosage

How are most new drugs created?

synthesised by chemists in the pharmaceutical industry

What happens in stage 1?

- tested on human cells and tissues
- can cheaply test lots of substances

What happens in stage 2?

- testing on live animals e.g. mice and rabbits
- this tests the efficacy and toxicity

What are the first 2 stages referred to?

preclinical

What happens in stage 3?

- very low doses of the drug are given to healthy volunteers
- increase the dose for the healthy volunteers to find the maximum dosage
- then the drug is given to those suffering from the illness to find the optimum dosage

What is the optimum dosage?

the max dosage without side effects (efficacy = maximised toxicity = minimised)

What happens in a blind test?

a volunteer is given a placebo and aren't told which is fake or real

What happens in a double-blind test?

neither doctor or patient knows who has the placebo

What is a placebo?

an inactive substance that has no effect on the body

What is the purpose of blind/double-blind tests?

to avoid bias

What happens with the results?

they are peer-reviewed to prevent false claims