NEET MDS Lessons
Pharmacology
Erythromycin
used for people who have an allergy to penicillins. For respiratory tract infections, it has better coverage of atypical organisms, including mycoplasma. It is also used to treat outbreaks of chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea.
Erythromycin is produced from a strain of the actinomyces Saccaropolyspora erythraea, formerly known as Streptomyces erythraeus.
Mechanism of action Erythromycin prevents bacteria from growing, by interfering with their protein synthesis. Erythromycin binds to the subunit 50S of the bacterial ribosome, and thus inhibits the translocation of peptides.
Erythromycin is easily inactivated by gastric acids, therefore all orally administered formulations are given as either enteric coated or as more stable salts or esters. Erythromycin is very rapidly absorbed, and diffused into most tissues and phagocytes. Due to the high concentration in phagocytes, erythromycin is actively transported to the site of infection, where during active phagocytosis, large concentrations of erythromycin are released.
Most of erythromycin is metabolised by demethylation in the liver. Its main route elimination route is in the bile, and a small portion in the urine.
Erythromycin's half-life is 1.5 hours.
Side-effects. More serious side-effects, such as reversible deafness are rare. Cholestatic jaundice, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrosis are some other rare side effects that may occur.
Contraindications Earlier case reports on sudden death prompted a study on a large cohort that confirmed a link between erythromycin, ventricular tachycardia and sudden cardiac death in patients also taking drugs that prolong the metabolism of erythromycin (like verapamil or diltiazem)
erythromycin should not be administered in patients using these drugs, or drugs that also prolong the QT time.
CHOLINERGIC DRUGS
Produce actions similar to Acetylcholine (Ach)
Cholinergic Agonists
1 Acetylcholine 2 Methacholine 3. Carbachol 4 Bethnechol
Alkaloids
1.Muscarine 2 Pilocarpine 3. Arecoline
MECHANISM OF ACTION
I Heart- hyperpolarizes the SA node and decreases the rate of diastolic depolarisation. thus the frequcncy of impulse generation is decreased. bradycardia.
2 Blood vessels- vasodilatation
3. Smooth muscles - increased contraction. increased tone. increased peristalsis.
4. Glands- increased sweating. increased lacrimation.
5 Eye- contraction of the circular muscle of iris (miosis).
Nicotinic action
Autonomic ganglia - stimu1ation of sympathetic and parasympathetic system.
Skeletalmuscles - contraction of fibres.
CNS..No effect as it does not penetrate the blood-brain barrier.
Toxic effects
Flushing. sweating.salivation. cramps. belching. involuntary mictuirition. defaccation.
Contraindication
1.. Anginapectoris- decreases the coronary flow.
2 Pepticulcer - increases the gastric secretion
3 Asthma- bronchoconstriction
4 Hyperthyroidisim
Cholinomimetic Alkaloids
Pilocarpine
Prominent muscarinic actions. causes marked sweating. salivation. Increase of secretions. small doses cause fall in BP but higher doses increase in BP. Applied to the eye cause miosis. fall in intraocular tension
Uses
I. .Open angle glaucoma
2. To counteract mydriasis
Anticholinesterase
They inhibit the enzyme cholinestrase and prolong the action of Ach
Reversible
Physostigamine, Ncostigamine, Pyridostigamine, Ambenonium, Edrophonium, Demecarium
Irreverible
Dyflos. Echothiphate.
Pharmacological Actions
I Ganglia - persistent depolarisation of ganglionic nicotinic receptors.
2 CVS - unprcdictable as Muscarinic-I receptor causes bradycardia but ganglionic stimulation
tachycardia.
3. Skeletal muscles - as Ach is not destroyed and rebinds to the same receptor or it diffuses on to the neighbouring receptors to cause repetitive firing. twitching and fasciculations.
Uses
I As miotic
a) Glaucoma : Acute congestive (narrow angle) glaucoma, Chronic simple (wide angle) glaucoma
b) Counter act atropine mydriasis.
2) Post operative paralytic ileus
3) Myasthenia gravis
4) Postoperativedecurarization
5) Cobra bite
6) Belladona poisoning
7) Other drug overdoses
Propofol -Intravenous Anesthetics
- A nonbarbiturate anesthetic
- It is very lipid-soluble, acts rapidly and has a short recovery time.
- It is associated with less nausea and vomiting than some of the other IV anesthetics.
- Propofol is very similar to thiopental in its effects on the cardiorespiratory system.
- It does not have any analgesic properties but lowers the dose of opioid needed when the two agents are used in combination.
- The most significant adverse cardiovascular effect associated with propofol administration is hypotension. It should be used with caution in patients with cardiac disease.
Fentanyl (Sublimaze)
- Related chemically to meperidine.
- Approximately 80 times more potent than morphine.
- Duration of action very short (t1/2 20 min).
- Used mainly following general anesthesia.
- Neurolept analgesia: Fentanyl & Droperidol (Innovar)
- fentanyl in analgesic (2-10 µg/kg), or anaesthetic (30-100 µg/kg) doses seldom causes significant decreases in blood pressure when given alone, even in patients with poor LV function
- hypotension following fentanyl is mostly due to bradycardia and can be prevented by the use of anticholinergics, sympathomimetics or agents such as pancuronium this is more likely to occur in patients with high pre-existing sympathetic tone
- hypertension is the commonest disturbance with high dose fentanyl anaesthesia, usually accompanying intubation, sternotomy, or aortic root dissection
Dissociation constants
|
Local anesthetic |
pKa |
% of base(RN) at pH 7.4 |
onset of action(min) |
|
Lidocaine |
7.8 |
29 |
2-4 |
|
Bupivacaine |
8.1 |
17 |
5-8 |
|
Mepivacaine |
7.7 |
33 |
2-4 |
|
Prilocaine |
7.9 |
25 |
2-4 |
|
Articaine |
7.8 |
29 |
2-4 |
|
Procaine |
9.1 |
2 |
14-18 |
|
Benzocaine |
3.5 |
100 |
- |
Roxithromycin
It is used to treat respiratory tract, urinary and soft tissue infections. Roxithromycin is derived from erythromycin, containing the same 14-membered lactone ring. However, an N-oxime side chain is attached to the lactone ring.
Roxithromycin has similar antimicrobial spectrum as erythromycin, but is more effective against certain gram-negative bacteria, particularly Legionella pneumophilae.
When taken before a meal, roxithromycin is very rapidly absorbed, and diffused into most tissues and Phagocytes Only a small portion of roxithromycin is metabolised. Most of roxithromycin is secreted unchanged into the bile and some in expired air
Megltinides
nateglinide
repaglinide
Mechanism
binds to K+ channels on β-cells → postprandial insulin release
Clinical use
type 2 diabetes mellitus
may be used as monotherapy, or in combination with metformin