The discovery and development of drugs

• What is the origin of the heart drug digitalis?

  It originates from foxgloves
• From which plant does the painkiller aspirin originate?

  Aspirin originates from willow trees
• What is the origin of the antibiotic penicillin?

  Penicillin originates from the penicillium mould
• How did Alexander Fleming discover penicillin?

  He discovered it accidentally when he left bacteria cultures open for a while
• What do the clear rings around the mould indicate?

  They indicate that the mould killed bacteria
• What are the three main factors that need to be tested for new drugs?

  • Toxicity: whether it is poisonous
  • Efficacy: whether it treats the disease
  • Dose: the amount of the drug that needs to be taken to work best
• What are the uses of monoclonal antibodies (MABs)?

  1. Pregnancy tests: detect specific hormone
  2. Research: locate or identify specific molecules or cells using fluorescent dye
  3. Disease detection: bind to pathogen antigens or hormones/chemicals in high amounts
  4. Treatment: used to treat some diseases, e.g., cancers
• How do MABs work in pregnancy tests?

  They bind to a specific hormone produced during early pregnancy, causing a colour change
• What is the role of MABs when bound to a fluorescent dye?

  They are used in research to locate or identify specific molecules or cells
• How can MABs be used to detect disease?

  By binding to pathogen antigens or hormones/chemicals made in high amounts in diseased states
• In what way can MABs be used to treat diseases?

  They can be used to treat some diseases, such as cancers