How do drugs or medicines react in our body?

Question

the reaction of medicines in our body.

Answer 1

There are many different ways for them to interact.
1. Receptor agonists/antagonists: substances that bind to proteins called receptors, which are mediators for endogenous stimuli. When they are activated by the endogenous transmitter (generally a small molecule) a series of events take place in the cell, modifying its behavior. Your drug can stimulate (agonist) or inhibit (antagonist) that specific receptor, interfering with the physiological mechanism. For instance beta-blockers used to treat angina or some other illness, inhibit the activation of beta-1 receptors (mainly located on cardiac tissue) which are responsible (in part) for heart stimulation.
2. Enzyme inhibitors: they block (usually in reversible mode) the action of specific enzymes, which could be overexpressed (too much of them, because of an illness and cause of illness).
Viagra inhibits PDE5 (isoform 5 Phosphodiesterase), which is responsible of degrading another substance in the cell, which in turn has a specific activating effect, and so on).
3. Antibiotics. The most common type, like penicillin, tricks bacteria: they use these molecules (with a betalactam ring, quite reactive) instead of the substance they normally use to build their cell walls. The result is that the cell wall itself is weak, and when they grow up breaks for osmotic pressure, killing the bacteria themselves. (bacteria counteract with an enzyme called betalactamase, but this is another story).
3. Cytotoxics. Substances used to kill cancerous cells. They are not too specific, and toxic to most of the (faster replicating) normal cells.
4. Vaccines. They interact with the immune system, making it produce specific antibodies. This is a bit too complex to be described here, but probably an eye on wikipedia could help.

There are clearly others, but these were some of the main examples. The key point is that these compounds should be as specific as possible: they should interact only with the desired target. Any other effect is a side effect, generally responsible for toxicity (but the acclaimed effect of Viagra was actually a side effect, since it was initially being developed as a cardio drug).

This in a nutshell, but the topic is really fascinating.

Answer 2

There are a million different kinds of drugs and or medicines and they react in a variety of ways that are way to various to even try to begin to explain. Consider cancer. Cancer is one of the most common diseases and for every single cell in your body there is a different form of cancer, at least. Then there are viruses, and bacteria, and all sorts of toxins, not to mention hereditary diseases and they all have their own specific medicines. If you are interested why not study hard and become a pharmacologist? It is a fascinating subject, and one which will become even more so.

Answer 3

Depends on the drugs/medicines but every little thing will have an effect on your body.

Answer 4

Actually - I have never been a person to take meds - until my back was rebuilt - major surgery - stupid thing doing dead lifts and the weight was too much.......

The one thing I can tell you is no aspirin with either Ibuprofen or Tylenol like substances................. (did I spelll this right? don't know, a bit tired)

Drugs and medicine typically react in our body as prescribed. I was on some major stuff after my surgery - i joked with my Mom that after (7) days in the hospital that they would send me directly to the "Betty Ford" rehab center.

Is there a reason that you are asking this?

Answer 5

medications interact with our body via neurotransmitter binding. there are certain neurotransmitters in the human body that mimic endogenous chemicals (chemical produced by the body). when the molecules of a drug interact bind with the synaptic binding sites of the neurons in the brain, neurotransmitters are released, giving the person whatever desired (or undesired) effect they are trying to acheive.

the chemicals are then recycled (depending on their haf-life) and taken back up into the presynaptic vesicles (called "re-uptake"). and they are either re-released or destroyed.

hope this helps.

Answer 6

If you are referring to antibiotics, the are actually antibodies that cause your white blood cells to get higher so they not only attack the antibodies, but the fight the infection as well. If you are referring to other meds, there are different ways they react. Some change the chemical makeup of our bodies or brains, etc.

Answer 7

wow this question is complicated. they are broken down in the stomach and dispersed by the bloodstream. then they do what they are supposed to do depending on what kind of drug they are. would help if you elaborated on what type of drug...

Answer 8

um well they would all react differntly and different for differnt people. so it would depend on the medication used.

Answer 9

Either beneficially or detrimentally. One could also say neutrally.

Answer 10

blood streams