UNIT 15: DRUGS
Drug: any substance taken into the body that modifies or affects chemical reactions
in the body
Depressant: substance that inhibits the nervous system and slows it down like
heroin, alcohol
Stimulant: substance that makes the person feel more alert like nicotine, caffeine
Antibiotics: a drug that kills bacteria in the human body without damaging human
cells, made by fungi
Work by preventing proper formation of cell walls
Don’t work on viruses since they are not living organism and don’t have cell
walls
Have to find more antibiotics because bacteria evolve to become resistant, the
more we use, the more selection pressure we put on bacteria to evolve resistant
Development of resistant bacteria such as MRSA can be minimized by using
antibiotics only when essential and ensuring treatment is completed
Heroin
Unpleasant psychological and physical symptoms without it (headache,
vomiting, sleeplessness, hallucination, nausea, aggression)
Powerful depressant drugs
o Inhibits the hypothalamus (nervous system) and slows it down
o Reduces pain, slow down breathing, euphoria
o Lose abilities to be part of normal society -> Addicts turn to crime to obtain
money to buy more
Inject it into nerves with sterile needles can transfer hepatitis virus
Sharing needles is a major method to spread HIV
Euphoria
Brain has neurotransmitters that transfer electrical signals across synapses from
1 neurone to 2nd neurone whose has receptors that fit accurately with
neurotransmitter
Such neurotransmitter molecules is endorphins: reduce pain, affects mood
Heroin breaks down morphine in the brain whose molecules fit perfectly into
endorphin receptors
Alcohol
Feel more relaxed, released inhibitions, easier to enjoy yourself and interact
Quickly absorbed through the wall of the stomach, carried all over the body in
the blood and broken down by the liver for a quite long time
Powerful depressant drugs
Increases aggression
Large intakes can kill
Drug: any substance taken into the body that modifies or affects chemical reactions
in the body
Depressant: substance that inhibits the nervous system and slows it down like
heroin, alcohol
Stimulant: substance that makes the person feel more alert like nicotine, caffeine
Antibiotics: a drug that kills bacteria in the human body without damaging human
cells, made by fungi
Work by preventing proper formation of cell walls
Don’t work on viruses since they are not living organism and don’t have cell
walls
Have to find more antibiotics because bacteria evolve to become resistant, the
more we use, the more selection pressure we put on bacteria to evolve resistant
Development of resistant bacteria such as MRSA can be minimized by using
antibiotics only when essential and ensuring treatment is completed
Heroin
Unpleasant psychological and physical symptoms without it (headache,
vomiting, sleeplessness, hallucination, nausea, aggression)
Powerful depressant drugs
o Inhibits the hypothalamus (nervous system) and slows it down
o Reduces pain, slow down breathing, euphoria
o Lose abilities to be part of normal society -> Addicts turn to crime to obtain
money to buy more
Inject it into nerves with sterile needles can transfer hepatitis virus
Sharing needles is a major method to spread HIV
Euphoria
Brain has neurotransmitters that transfer electrical signals across synapses from
1 neurone to 2nd neurone whose has receptors that fit accurately with
neurotransmitter
Such neurotransmitter molecules is endorphins: reduce pain, affects mood
Heroin breaks down morphine in the brain whose molecules fit perfectly into
endorphin receptors
Alcohol
Feel more relaxed, released inhibitions, easier to enjoy yourself and interact
Quickly absorbed through the wall of the stomach, carried all over the body in
the blood and broken down by the liver for a quite long time
Powerful depressant drugs
Increases aggression
Large intakes can kill
