THERAPEUTIC ACTION
OF
DRUGS
JIBU
XII-O
DIFFERENT TYPES OF DRUGS
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ANTACIDS
ANTIHISTAMINES
NEUROLOGICALLY ACTIVE DRUGS
ANTIMICROBIALS
ANTIFERTILITY DRUGS
ANTACIDS
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The chemical substances which neutralize
excess acid in the gastric juices and give relief
from acid indigestion,acidity,heart burns and
gastric ulcers are called antacids eg.baking soda
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Metal hydroxides are better alternatives because
of being insoluble,these do not increase pH
above neutrality. These treatments control only
symptoms ,and not the cause .
ANTIHISTAMINES
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Substances derived from food or environment
may cause allergic reaction in human beings .
This is due to the release of chemical
substances called histamine.
Antihistamines are chemical substances which
diminish or abolish the main actions of histamine
released in the body hence prevent the allergic
reaction.
Synthetic drugs, Dimetapp and seldane act as
antihistamines. They interfere with the natural
action of histamine by competing with histamine
for binding sites of receptor where histamine
exerts its effect.
NEUROLOGICALLY ACTIVE DRUGS
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TYPES OF NAD
TRANQUILIZERS
ANALGESICS
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o
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NON-NARCOTIC DRUGS
NARCOTIC DRUGS
TRANQUILIZERS
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The chemical substances used for the treatment
of stress,mild and severe mental disease are
called tranquillizers.
These affect the message transfer mechanism
from nerve to receptor.
These relieve anxiety ,stress,irritabiltiy or
excitement by inducing a sense of well-being.
Antidepressant drugs
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Noradreline is one of the neurotransmitters that
plays a role in mood changes. If it is low then
signal sending activity becomes low, and the
person suffers from depression.
In these situations antidepressant drugs are
required.these inhibit the enzymes which
catalyse the degradation of noradreline.
If the enzyme is inhibited ,this important
neurotransmitter is slowly metabolised and can
activate its receptor for longer periods of
time,thus counteracting the effect of depression.
ANALGESICS
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The chemical substances which are used to
relive pains without causing impairment of
consciousness,mental confusion,inco-ordination
or paralysis or some other disturbances of
nervous system are called analgesics.
These are of two types
o
o
non-narcotic
narcotic
NON-NARCOTIC
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The commom non-addictive analgesics are
aspirin,analgin,novalgin.
Aspirin has antipyretic properties also ie;
(temperature lowering).used in the prevention of
heart attack because it has anti-blood clotting
action etc
NARCOTIC
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Certain narcotics are also used as analgesics
.For eg. Morphine and its derivatives are used in
severe pain .
These are known to be habit forming .
When taken in excessive doses these produce
stupor coma , convulsions and lead to death .
ANTIMICROBIALS
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These are the chemical substances used to cure
infections due to micro-organisms.
Types of antimicrobial drugs;
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Antibiotics
antiseptics and disinfectants
ANTIBIOTICS
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Antibiotics refers to a substance (produced
wholly or partly by chemical synthesis) which in
low concentration inhibits the growth or destroys
micro-organisms by intervening in their
metabolic processes.
antibiotic therapy may be regarded as “setting
one thief against another.”
the antibiotics maybe either bactericidal (kills the
organisms in the body ) or bacteriostatic(inhibits
the growth of organisms) .
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Penicillin has a narrow spectrum.These can be
used for curing soar throat,rheumatic fever ,local
infections ,etc.
Broad spectrum antibiotics
these are the antibiotics which are effective
against several types of harmful micro-organism.
therefore, these are for curing a variety of
diseases.The common examples are
tetracycline,chloromycetin,etc
ANTISEPTICS AND DISINFECTANTS
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The chemical substances which are used to
either kill or prevent the growth of microorganisms are called antiseptics.These are not
harmful to living tissues . eg. are
furacin,soframycin.
The chemical substances which are used to kill
micro-organisms but they cannot be applied on
living tissues are called disinfectants. eg. Are
chlorine and sulphur dioxide in very low
concentration.
ANTIFERTILITY DRUGS
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These are the chemical substances used to
control the preganancy.The basic aim of
antifertility drugs is to prevent conception or
fertilization.
Birth control pills contain a mixture of synthetic
estrogen and progesterone derivatives.