NEET MDS Lessons
Pharmacology
Miconazole
Miconazole is an imidazole antifungal agent commonly used in topical sprays, creams and ointments applied to the skin to cure fungal infections such as Athlete's foot and Jock itch. It may also be used internally to treat vaginal yeast infection.
When used by a person taking the anticoagulant medication warfarin, Miconazole may cause an adverse reaction which can lead to excessive bleeding or bruising.
Buspirone
1. Short half-life (2–4 hours).
2. Relieves anxiety.
3. Does not act as an anticonvulsant.
4. Is not a good muscle relaxant.
5. Minimum abuse potential.
Lamotrigine (Lamictal): newer; broad spectrum (for most seizure types)
Mechanism: ↓ reactivation of Na channels (↑ refractory period, blocks high frequency cell firing)
Side effects: dizziness, ataxia, fatigue, nausea, no significant drug interactions
Thiopental
- A barbiturate that is generally used to induce anesthesia.
- The temporal course of effects from induction to recovery depends almost entirely upon progressive redistribution.
- Metabolic degradation or excretion during anesthesia is negligible, except in the case of methohexital.
- The barbiturates produce minimal analgesia.
- Respiratory depression may be pronounced.
- Cardiac output is reduced while total peripheral resistance is increased.
- It does not sensitize the heart to catecholamines.
- It may cause bronchiospasm, especially in asthmatics.
- It is contraindicated in acute intermittent porphyria.
Drugs used to induce vomiting
In case of poisoning with noncorrosive agents, and assuming incomplete absorption of the poison has taken place, induction of vomiting can be carried out. One of the drugs used for this purpose is emetine which causes irritation of the upper gut and, on absorption, it also acts on CTZ.
Chemotherapeutic agents (or their metabolites) can directly activate the medullary chemoreceptor trigger zone or vomiting center; several neuroreceptors, including dopamine receptor Type 2 and serotonin Type 3 (5-HT3) from cell damage(GIT and pharynx) play roles in vomiting.
Beta - Adrenoceptor blocking Agents
These are the agents which block the action of sympathetic nerve stimulation and circulating sympathomimetic amines on the beta adrenergic receptors.
At the cellular level, they inhibit the activity of the membrane cAMP. The main effect is to reduce cardiac activity by diminishing β1 receptor stimulation in the heart. This decreases the rate and force of myocardial contraction of the heart, and decreases the rate of conduction of impulses through the conduction system.
Beta blockers may further be classified on basis of their site of action into following two main classes namely
cardioselective beta blockers (selective beta 1 blockers)
non selective beta 1 + beta 2 blockers
Classification for beta adrenergic blocking agents.
A. Non-selective (β1+β2)
Propranolol Sotalol Nadolol Timolol Alprenolol Pindolol
With additional alpha blocking activity
Labetalol Carvedilol
B. β1 Selective (cardioselective)
Metoprolol Atenolol Bisoprolol Celiprolol
C. β2 Selective
Butoxamine
Mechanisms of Action of beta blocker
Beta adrenoceptor Blockers competitively antagonize the responses to catecholamines that are mediated by beta-receptors and other
adrenomimetics at β-receptors
Because the β-receptors of the heart are primarily of the β1 type and those in the pulmonary and vascular smooth muscle are β2 receptors, β1-selective antagonists are frequently referred to as cardioselective blockers.
β-adrenergic receptor blockers (β blockers)
1. Used more often than α blockers.
2. Some are partial agonists (have intrinsic sympathomimetic activity).
3. Propranolol is the prototype of nonselective β blockers.
4. β blocker effects: lower blood pressure, reduce angina, reduce risk after myocardial infarction, reduce heart rate and force, have antiarrhythmic effect, cause hypoglycemia in diabetics, lower intraocular pressure.
5. Carvedilol: a nonselective β blocker that also blocks α receptors; used for heart failure.
Antifungal
There are several classes of antifungal drugs.
The polyenes bind with sterols in the fungal cell wall, principally ergosterol. This causes the cell's contents to leak out and the cell dies. Human (and other animal) cells contain cholesterol rather than ergosterol so are much less suceptible.
Nystatin
Amphotericin B
Natamycin
The imidazole and triazole groups of antifungal drugs inhibit the enzyme cytochrome P450 14α-demethylase. This enzyme converts lanosterol to ergosterol, and is required in fungal cell wall synthesis. These drugs also block steroid synthesis in humans.
Imidazoles:
Miconazole
Ketoconazole
Clotrimazole
The triazoles are newer, and are less toxic and more effective:
Fluconazole
Itraconazole
Allylamines inhibit the enzyme squalene epoxidase, another enzyme required for ergosterol synthesis:
Terbinafine
Echinocandins inhibit the synthesis of glucan in the cell wall, probably via the enzyme 1,3-β glucan synthase:
Caspofungin
Micafungin
Others:
Flucytosine is an antimetabolite.
Griseofulvin binds to polymerized microtubules and inhibits fungal mitosis.