BIOC 308 Midterm Test With Correct Solutions
What is allopathy? - ANSWER conventional western medicine (treats
pathologies/symptoms)
What is homeopathy? - ANSWER A non-conventional treatment of disease that relies on
the principle of minute doses of NATURAL SUBSTANCES that are used by healthy
people. Uses the principle of "LIKE CURES LIKE" and "activity can be enhanced by
DILUTION".
List some biotechnology - ANSWER synthetic antibodies, biocatalysts, vaccines &
antibiotics
What is pharmacogenomics - ANSWER The science which examines inherited variations
in GENES that dictate DRUG RESPONSE. Aims to TAILOR drugs to individuals and
explores ways that the variations can be used to predict wether the patient will have a
good, bad, or no response to a drug.
What is pharmacoepidemiology - ANSWER the study of the USE and EFFECT of drugs on
the POPULATION.
What is pharmacoeconomics? - ANSWER Study of the economic factors influencing the
cost of drug therapy.
Cost-benefit analysis.
What does a drug do? - ANSWER A synthetic/non-synthetic chemical that causes organ
systems, tissues and cells to:
-Start doing something
-Stop doing something
-Modify cells normal function
What is drug specificity? - ANSWER The ability for the drug to act on specific targets (ie.
receptors, genes)Drugs that LACK specificity can cause SIDE EFFECTS.
Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) - ANSWER An antihistamine that acts on H1 receptors.
Causes antiemetic effects.
NON-SPECIFIC binding to muscarinic-ACh receptor causes side effects include
DROWSINESS.
What are common drug targets? - ANSWER Transporters
Ion channels
,Receptors
Enzymes
Proteins (eg. albumin)
Describe drug binding vs drug activation - ANSWER -Drug binding is the OCCUPYING of
a receptor.
-Drug activation is the STIMULATION of a receptor leading to a change in conformation.
What is an agonist? - ANSWER It is a drug that is capable of binding to, and
ACTIVATING, a receptor. (Drug with an efficacy)
What is a competitive antagonist? - ANSWER They block the action of an agonist getting
to the receptor to elicit a response, therefore no response is made. Does NOT decrease
Emax like non-competitive antagonists.
What is drug efficacy? - ANSWER The ability to produce an effect. (0-1)
What is drug affinity? - ANSWER The force of attraction between a drug and its receptor
site.
What are partial agonists? - ANSWER -Agonists that don't give a full efficacy response.
-Can be used to compete against full agonists to damp down tissue response instead of
blockers
Describe a concentration-effect curve - ANSWER Concentration of drug on an IN VITRO
subject measuring the concentration vs. Effect of drug
Describe the dose-response curve - ANSWER A dose is given to a WHOLE subject and
the response is measured.
What is Emax? - ANSWER the maximal receptor response produced by the drug.
What is EC50? - ANSWER The CONCENTRATION of drug that gives 50% of the maximum
response.
What is ED50? - ANSWER The DOSE of a drug required to produce a specific effect in
50% of patients
What is IC50? - ANSWER concentration of inhibitor required to REDUCE enzyme activity
by 50%
What is a constitutive receptor (always on)? - ANSWER A receptor that is active at base
level with/without a ligand bound. (Eg. Serotonin, cannabinod & benzodiazepine
receptors)
What is an inverse agonist? - ANSWER An agonist that DECREASES the activity of the
receptor. (for example, there would be a decrease in the production of cAMP with an
, inverse agonist but an increase in its production with an agonist).
What is chemical antagonism? (1/5) - ANSWER A drug interaction where COMBINING or
CHELATING results, causing a loss of effect of the drug.
What is pharmacokinetic antagonism? (2/5) - ANSWER Antagonist reduces the
concentration of the active drug by affecting absorption, distribution, metabolism
excretion or the site of action.
What is non-competitive antagonism? (3/5) - ANSWER Agonist binds at ALLOSTERIC
SITES on the same receptor affecting binding of drug leading to LESS EFFECTOR
RESPONSE.
What is physiological antagonism? (4/5) - ANSWER Two agonists that cause the
OPPOSITE PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS.
The effects CANCEL one another.
What is receptor block antagonism? (5/5) - ANSWER A drug may bind temporarily or
covalently to the binding site of the receptor inhibiting the agonist from binding.
What are the 5 types of antagonism? - ANSWER 1-Chemical antagonism
2-Pharmakokinetic antagonism
3-Non-competitive antagonism
4-Physiological antagonism
5-Receptor block antagonism
What is drug desensitization (tachyphylaxis)? - ANSWER Rapid decreased ability of a
receptor to respond to stimulation by a drug or ligand.
What is drug tolerance? - ANSWER Decreased sensitivity to a drug that develops as a
result of exposure to the drug for LONG periods of time. ( compared to desensitization
which occurs over a short period)
What is the disadvantage of a concentration-effect or dose-response curve? - ANSWER
The binding AFFINITY of a drug cannot be determined since response is not
proportional to occupancy. (just because a drug binds, does not mean it will activate the
receptor always)
What is delayed drug effects? - ANSWER Evident phenotypical changes caused by
PROLONGED use of drugs which may affect genes or vice versa.
List the agonists & antagonists of ACh/Nicotine receptors - ANSWER Agonist: ACh &
What is allopathy? - ANSWER conventional western medicine (treats
pathologies/symptoms)
What is homeopathy? - ANSWER A non-conventional treatment of disease that relies on
the principle of minute doses of NATURAL SUBSTANCES that are used by healthy
people. Uses the principle of "LIKE CURES LIKE" and "activity can be enhanced by
DILUTION".
List some biotechnology - ANSWER synthetic antibodies, biocatalysts, vaccines &
antibiotics
What is pharmacogenomics - ANSWER The science which examines inherited variations
in GENES that dictate DRUG RESPONSE. Aims to TAILOR drugs to individuals and
explores ways that the variations can be used to predict wether the patient will have a
good, bad, or no response to a drug.
What is pharmacoepidemiology - ANSWER the study of the USE and EFFECT of drugs on
the POPULATION.
What is pharmacoeconomics? - ANSWER Study of the economic factors influencing the
cost of drug therapy.
Cost-benefit analysis.
What does a drug do? - ANSWER A synthetic/non-synthetic chemical that causes organ
systems, tissues and cells to:
-Start doing something
-Stop doing something
-Modify cells normal function
What is drug specificity? - ANSWER The ability for the drug to act on specific targets (ie.
receptors, genes)Drugs that LACK specificity can cause SIDE EFFECTS.
Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) - ANSWER An antihistamine that acts on H1 receptors.
Causes antiemetic effects.
NON-SPECIFIC binding to muscarinic-ACh receptor causes side effects include
DROWSINESS.
What are common drug targets? - ANSWER Transporters
Ion channels
,Receptors
Enzymes
Proteins (eg. albumin)
Describe drug binding vs drug activation - ANSWER -Drug binding is the OCCUPYING of
a receptor.
-Drug activation is the STIMULATION of a receptor leading to a change in conformation.
What is an agonist? - ANSWER It is a drug that is capable of binding to, and
ACTIVATING, a receptor. (Drug with an efficacy)
What is a competitive antagonist? - ANSWER They block the action of an agonist getting
to the receptor to elicit a response, therefore no response is made. Does NOT decrease
Emax like non-competitive antagonists.
What is drug efficacy? - ANSWER The ability to produce an effect. (0-1)
What is drug affinity? - ANSWER The force of attraction between a drug and its receptor
site.
What are partial agonists? - ANSWER -Agonists that don't give a full efficacy response.
-Can be used to compete against full agonists to damp down tissue response instead of
blockers
Describe a concentration-effect curve - ANSWER Concentration of drug on an IN VITRO
subject measuring the concentration vs. Effect of drug
Describe the dose-response curve - ANSWER A dose is given to a WHOLE subject and
the response is measured.
What is Emax? - ANSWER the maximal receptor response produced by the drug.
What is EC50? - ANSWER The CONCENTRATION of drug that gives 50% of the maximum
response.
What is ED50? - ANSWER The DOSE of a drug required to produce a specific effect in
50% of patients
What is IC50? - ANSWER concentration of inhibitor required to REDUCE enzyme activity
by 50%
What is a constitutive receptor (always on)? - ANSWER A receptor that is active at base
level with/without a ligand bound. (Eg. Serotonin, cannabinod & benzodiazepine
receptors)
What is an inverse agonist? - ANSWER An agonist that DECREASES the activity of the
receptor. (for example, there would be a decrease in the production of cAMP with an
, inverse agonist but an increase in its production with an agonist).
What is chemical antagonism? (1/5) - ANSWER A drug interaction where COMBINING or
CHELATING results, causing a loss of effect of the drug.
What is pharmacokinetic antagonism? (2/5) - ANSWER Antagonist reduces the
concentration of the active drug by affecting absorption, distribution, metabolism
excretion or the site of action.
What is non-competitive antagonism? (3/5) - ANSWER Agonist binds at ALLOSTERIC
SITES on the same receptor affecting binding of drug leading to LESS EFFECTOR
RESPONSE.
What is physiological antagonism? (4/5) - ANSWER Two agonists that cause the
OPPOSITE PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS.
The effects CANCEL one another.
What is receptor block antagonism? (5/5) - ANSWER A drug may bind temporarily or
covalently to the binding site of the receptor inhibiting the agonist from binding.
What are the 5 types of antagonism? - ANSWER 1-Chemical antagonism
2-Pharmakokinetic antagonism
3-Non-competitive antagonism
4-Physiological antagonism
5-Receptor block antagonism
What is drug desensitization (tachyphylaxis)? - ANSWER Rapid decreased ability of a
receptor to respond to stimulation by a drug or ligand.
What is drug tolerance? - ANSWER Decreased sensitivity to a drug that develops as a
result of exposure to the drug for LONG periods of time. ( compared to desensitization
which occurs over a short period)
What is the disadvantage of a concentration-effect or dose-response curve? - ANSWER
The binding AFFINITY of a drug cannot be determined since response is not
proportional to occupancy. (just because a drug binds, does not mean it will activate the
receptor always)
What is delayed drug effects? - ANSWER Evident phenotypical changes caused by
PROLONGED use of drugs which may affect genes or vice versa.
List the agonists & antagonists of ACh/Nicotine receptors - ANSWER Agonist: ACh &
