Medicinal Chemistry

An Introduction To Medical Chemistry

 Medicines and pharmaceuticals are chemicals that can be used to cure sickness and alleviate discomfort. In the field of medicine, chemotherapy is the use of chemicals to treat disease [therapeutic effect].

Classification of Medicinal Compounds

 Some important classes of drugs are:

• Antiseptics

A substance that stops or eliminates the growth of pathogens. Aspirin, chlorhexidine, and chloroform are some of the most commonly used antiseptics. Chloroxylenol and terpineol are the main ingredients in Dettol. Wounds can be cleaned using a dilution of this solution. In order to make soap more antibacterial, thional is added to it.

• Disinfectants

Disinfectants are chemicals that can kill germs. Living tissue is poisoned by these substances. In addition to floors and toilets, these are also used to disinfect devices and clothing. Disinfectant phenol solutions contain 1 percent phenol, whereas antiseptic phenol solutions have 0.2 percent phenol.

• Analgesics

The substance is used to get relief from pain. These are two types:

•       Narcotics or habit-forming drugs 
•       Non-narcotics

•  Narcotics

In high doses, these are alkaloids and opium compounds, which induce sleep and unconsciousness. Morphine, codeine, heroin, and other opiates are examples.

•  Non-narcotics

This class of analgesics also functions well as antipyretics. Aspirin and Novalgin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, and so on are examples.

•  Antipyretics

High fevers require antipyretics, which are used to lower the body temperature. Take, for instance, aspirin, analgesics like paracetamol and phenacetin, and phenacetin.

• Antimalarials

During a malarial fever, it is used to bring the body’s temperature down. Example: Quinine, Chloroquine, Primaquine, and other antimalarial drugs;

•  Tranquilizers

The chemical compound has a soothing impact on the central nervous system. Psychotherapeutic medications are those used to treat mental illness. There are two basic kinds: 

•   Hypnotics and tranquillizers calm the mind and body. The luminal and secondary examples include Reserpine, Barbituric acid and its metabolites.
•   In the treatment of severely depressed people, Mood elevators or Antidepressants are employed. Benzedrine is one example (amphetamine)

• Anesthetics

Pain and other senses are rendered insensitive or non-existent by these chemical compounds. There are two kinds of these:

•   General: It causes unconsciousness and is administered during major surgical procedures. For instance, nitrous oxide, ethylene, and cyclopropane are all examples of gases. Chloroform, divinyl ether, sodium pentothal, and other liquids are examples of this. 
•   A local anesthetic is one that causes numbness or paralysis in a specific area of the body. It’s utilised for simple procedures. Oxylocain in jelly, ethyl chloride in spray, and procaine in injection form are some examples.

• Antibiotics

Microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, or mould produce the chemical compound that is utilised to prevent the growth of other organisms. Their use in the prevention and treatment of infectious illnesses is well established. Penicillin is a good illustration. You can use it to treat a variety of ailments including a sore throat or pneumonia because of its potent anti-inflammatory properties.

Antibiotics are of two types: 

• When bacteria are poisoned, they are killed via a cidal action. Some examples are penicillin, ofloxacin, and aminoglycosides.

For bacterial infections, static antibiotics (inhibitory) are the most common form of treatment. Antibiotics such as chloramphenicol and others are examples of this.

Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1929. It’s an antibiotic with a limited set of uses. Ampicillin and amoxicillin, two semi-synthetic penicillin derivatives, were created. For this reason, it is not recommended that everyone use penicillin. As a result, patients should undergo penicillin sensitivity (or allergy) testing prior to receiving the medication.Penicillin is produced in Pimpri and Rishikesh, two Indian cities (Uttarakhand).

• As the name suggests, broad-spectrum antibiotics are capable of eliminating a wide range of pathogens, including bacteria. Typhoid, dysentery, and fever ofloxacin, for example, are all treated with tetracycline and chloramphenicol.

• Sulpha Drugs

Possessing exceptional antimicrobial abilities. Sulfanilamide is a common ingredient in many of these medications. As well, there are several more S-group compounds such as sulphathiazole, sulphaguanidine, and sula-pyridine.

• Antacids

Stomach acid overproduction is a common cause of stomach discomfort and agony. Ulcers can form in the stomach in more serious cases. An antacid, such as sodium hydrogen carbonate or an aluminum-magnesium hydroxide mixture, is the sole way to cure acid reflux.

• Antihistamines

Pepsin and hydrochloric acid are secreted in the stomach as a result of chemical histamine. Cimetidine is a medicine created to block histidine from interacting with a receptor in the stomach wall, and it works.

 Artificial Sweetening Agent

Sucrose is high in calories, which is why many people choose artificial sweeteners. Saccharin was the first man-made sweetener. This is not as sweet as cane sugar. It looks to be fully safe because it is eliminated in the urine, where it is left unmodified.

Food Preservative

Adding food preservatives helps to keep food safe from microbial deterioration. Table salt, sugar, vegetable oils, and sodium benzoate are the most often used preservatives. Sodium benzoate is metabolised in the body and is used in small amounts. As preservatives, salts of sorbic acid and propanoic acid are utilised.

Cleansing Agents

These are substances that enhance the water’s ability to clean itself. Soap and synthetic detergents make up the vast majority of them. To get rid of fats that cling to the cloth or skin, use these products.

 For example, soaps are sodium and potassium salts of long fatty acids, such as stearic acid, oleic acid, and other long-chain fatty acids.

 No soap is present in synthetic detergents, although they have all the qualities of soap. Soft and hard water can be utilised with these.

Rocket Propellants

Chemical fuels known as rocket propellants are utilised to provide the rocket satellites a strong enough push to launch into space.

Combustible Solids: The oxidizer and fuel in this rocket are both made of solid materials. There are two distinct kinds of these: 

•   Propellers with composite propellants
•     Propellants with two bases

Fuel Liquid: There are two more varieties of these: 

•   Propellant with Mono Liquid
•   A two-phase liquid propellant

 Hydride Propellant: These are composed of a solid fuel and a liquid oxidizer.

Conclusion

 Medical chemistry encompasses the entire drug development process, from conception to testing, from synthesis to testing to development to development. An important part of the field involves biochemistry, pharmacology, and other biological sciences. Medical chemistry can also be used to evaluate the qualities of already available medications.

 A wide variety of natural resources have been employed as medicine from the dawn of recorded history, including plants, minerals, and animal parts. As our understanding of the world has expanded, so too have the methods used to discover new medicines.