tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37623912.post7184935851463764567..comments2007-11-05T04:44:27.539-05:00Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349466286549537039[email protected]Blogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37623912.post-64999880015761365962007-11-05T04:44:00.000-05:002007-11-05T04:44:00.000-05:00#3?Peter Lund[email protected]tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37623912.post-34266512755912086912007-09-23T16:17:00.001-04:002007-09-23T16:17:00.001-04:00Hey aaron. You are correct, drugs can do all sorts of things to cells, from binding to receptors (like THC and ethanol binding to certain membrane receptors, as you mentioned) to inhibiting certain enzymes (e.g. penicillin and bacterial transpeptidase) to crazy stuff like modulating gene expression (e.g. tretinoin and the PML-RAR fusion gene in a particular form of leukemia called AMPL). I'm only covering the path that drugs take through the body right now, but I'll get to the pharmacodynamics, or effects of drugs, side of things soon.Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349466286549537039[email protected]tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37623912.post-10516912903718170092007-09-22T20:03:00.000-04:002007-09-22T20:03:00.000-04:00It seems significant to me to note that many drugs have more than one means of effecting cells. Two examples I can think of are THC and ethanol, which bind to CB receptors and a GABA sub-site respectively, but are also able to just cross the cell membrane, because they are lipid enough (THC) or small enough (ethanol).aaron[email protected]tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37623912.post-52537812336937451672007-09-19T21:26:00.000-04:002007-09-19T21:26:00.000-04:00Hey toast.<BR/><BR/>Yes, a molecule that we produce naturally can be considered a drug. A drug, broadly defined, is any molecule that produces a biological effect. Hormones like ADH, GH, or insulin, which we usually produce naturally, are indeed drugs.<BR/><BR/>The Wikipedia article on <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G_protein-coupled_receptor" REL="nofollow">G protein-coupled receptors</A> (GPCRs) claims that they are the target of approximately 50% of all modern drugs. Given that many hormones and neurotransmitters, which represent important starting points for drug development, act via GPCRs to produce their effects, I'd say they are pretty darn useful.Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05349466286549537039[email protected]tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37623912.post-52215830818468548092007-09-19T20:15:00.000-04:002007-09-19T20:15:00.000-04:00This brings to mind a question:<BR/>Can a molecule native to the body administered exogenously be considered a drug? Or is it just a supplement? Specifically, this calls to mind hormone analogues, such as GH, or allergy medications, such as pseudoepinephrine.<BR/>Furthermore:<BR/>Are multi-drug G-protein-linked receptors/transporters useful in drug design or are they limited in scope?Toaster Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388782618295656406[email protected]