Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics
14th Edition
• Author(s)Laurence Brunton; Bjorn
Knollmann
(Goodman & Gilman–Only | Exam-Ready |
Nursing-Focused)
Goodman & Gilman’s The Pharmacological Basis of
Therapeutics, 14th Edition
Chapter: Drug Discovery: From Medicinal Plants to Computer-
Aided Drug Design
,1.
A nurse is reviewing how many drugs originate from natural
sources. Which statement best describes the role of medicinal
plants in modern drug discovery?
A. Medicinal plants are rarely used because synthetic drugs
are safer
B. Medicinal plants serve as lead compounds for drug
development
C. Medicinal plants are primarily used for placebo-controlled
trials
D. Medicinal plants are used only when synthetic drugs fail
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Natural products, including medicinal plants, often
provide biologically active molecules that serve as lead
compounds for further optimization and drug development.
Citation: Goodman & Gilman, 14th Ed., Drug Discovery: From
Medicinal Plants to Computer-Aided Drug Design
2.
A drug candidate is described as a “lead compound.” What
does this term indicate?
A. A compound that has completed clinical trials
B. A compound identified with desired biological activity for
further modification
,C. A compound approved for commercial production
D. A compound with proven safety in humans
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A lead compound is a chemical entity with
demonstrated pharmacologic activity that can be chemically
modified to enhance efficacy, safety, or pharmacokinetics.
Citation: Goodman & Gilman, 14th Ed., Drug Discovery: From
Medicinal Plants to Computer-Aided Drug Design
3.
Which process involves systematic modification of chemical
structures to improve drug properties?
A. Pharmacovigilance
B. Lead optimization
C. Post-marketing surveillance
D. Therapeutic monitoring
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Lead optimization involves chemical modification of
lead compounds to improve potency, selectivity,
pharmacokinetics, and safety.
Citation: Goodman & Gilman, 14th Ed., Drug Discovery: From
Medicinal Plants to Computer-Aided Drug Design
4.
, A nurse studying drug development learns that high-
throughput screening (HTS) is used primarily to:
A. Evaluate long-term adverse effects
B. Rapidly test large numbers of compounds for biological
activity
C. Conduct human clinical trials
D. Determine optimal dosing schedules
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: HTS allows rapid testing of thousands to millions of
compounds against specific biological targets to identify
potential lead compounds.
Citation: Goodman & Gilman, 14th Ed., Drug Discovery: From
Medicinal Plants to Computer-Aided Drug Design
5.
Which factor most influences whether a molecule becomes a
viable drug candidate during discovery?
A. Cost of synthesis alone
B. Target selectivity and pharmacologic activity
C. Marketing potential
D. Duration of patent protection
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Drug candidates must demonstrate sufficient
selectivity and pharmacologic activity toward intended