CHEMISTRY PROJECT BY RISHABH JAIN

GURU HARKRISHAN PUBLIC SCHOOL

PROJECT WORK ON CHEMISTRY

Session : 2015-16

Submitted to:
Submitted by:
Dr. Ashok Mehta
Rishabh Jain

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my sincere
gratitude to my chemistry mentor
Dr. Ashok Mehta for his vital support,
guidance and encouragement without
which this project titled
The Chemistry of Health
would not have come forth.

Rishabh Jain
XII (Non Med.)

Student Signature

CERTIFICATE
It is to certify that the project titled
The Chemistry of Health
submitted by RISHABH JAIN for fulfillment
of class XII from Guru Harkrishan Public
School, Karnal has been carried out under
my guidance. The project will be beneficial to
the student for practical knowledge of the
subject.

Dr. Ashok Mehta

Chemistry Teacher

CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Drugs
3. Enzymes as drug targets
4. Drug target interaction
5. Receptors as drug targets
6. Therapeutic action of drugs
7. Neurologically active drugs
8. Antimicrobials
9. Antacids, Antihistamines and
Antifertility drugs
10.Conclusion

Introduction
The basic principles of chemistry infl uence every
sphere of human life. The principles of chemistry have
been used for the benefi t of mankind.
We can see chemicals being used in :
1. Medicinal drugs
2. Synthetic Fibres
3. Food materials
4. Soaps and detergents
5. Explosives and fuel
6. Building and electronic materials
Chemistry has infl uenced our lives so much that we do
not even realise that we come across chemicals at
every moment; that we ourselves are beautiful
chemical creations and all our activities are controlled
by chemicals.
However, in this project, I shall cover the use of
chemicals in drugs, which are most crucial for our life.

Drugs
Drugs : Drugs are chemicals of low molecular mass (100
to
500 ) which interact with macromolecular
targets and produce a biological response
Medicines : Drugs with produce a therapeutic and useful
biological response used in diagnosis, prevention and
treatment of diseases.
Chemotherapy : The use of chemicals for treatment of
diseases.

CLASSIFICATION OF DRUGS
1. On the basis of pharmacological eff ect : It is
useful for doctors because it provides them a whole
range of drugs available for the treatment of a
particular type of problem.
2. On the basis of drug action : Based on action of
drug on a particular biochemical process.
3. On the basis of chemical structure : Drugs
classifi ed this way share common structural features
and often have same pharmacological activity.
4. On the basis of molecular targets : Based upon the
molecular target, such as carbohydrates, proteins,
lipids and nucleic acids. This is the most useful
classfi cation for medicinal chemists.

Enzymes as Drug Targets

Proteins which perform the role of biological
catalysts in the body are called Enzymes.
CATALYTIC ACTION OF ENZYMES
In their catalytic activity, enzymes perform two
major functions.
1. To hold the substrate for a chemical reaction. Active
sites of enzyme hold the substrate molecule in a
suitable position, so that it can be attacked by the
reagent eff ectively. Substrates bind to the active
site of the enzymes through a variety of interactions
such as ionic bonding, hydrogen bonding, Vander
Waals interaction or dipole-dipole interaction.

2. To provide functional groups that will attack the

substrate and carry out chemical reactions.

Drug-Enzyme Interaction
Drugs can block the binding site of the enzyme and
prevent the binding of substrate, or can inhibit the
catalytic activity of the enzyme. Such drugs are
called enzyme inhibitors.
Drugs inhibit the attachment of substrates on active
site of enzymes in two diff erent ways :
1. Drugs compete with the natural substrate for their
attachment on the active sites of enzymes. Such
drugs are called competitive inhibitors.

2. Some drugs bind to an allosteric site of the enzyme.

This binding of inhibitor at allosteric site changes the
shape of the active site in such a way that substrate
cannot recognise it. If the bond formed is a strong
covalent bond, the enzyme is blocked permanently.

Receptors as Drug
Targets
Proteins that are crucial to bodys communication
process are called receptors. Small part of receptors
possessing the active site projects out of surface of
the cell membrane.

In the body, messages are transmitted via chemical

messengers received at the binding sites of receptors,
which change their shape to accommodate a
messenger.

ANTAGONISTS : Drugs that bind to the receptor site

and inhibit its natural function. Useful to block
messages.
Agonists : Drugs that mimic the natural messenger by
switching on the receptor. Useful in case of lack of
natural chemical messenger.

Therapeutic Action of
Drugs
Diff erent classes of drugs have diff erent
therapeutic actions. A few important classes of
drugs are as follows :
(a) Neurologically active drugs
i. Analgesics
ii. Tranquilizers
(b) Antimicrobials
i.

Antibiotics

ii. Antiseptics
iii. Disinfectants
(c) Antacids
(d) Antihistamines
(e) Antifertility drugs

Neurologically Active
Drugs
Analgesics and tranquilizers are neurologically active drugs.
These aff ect the message transfer mechanism from nerve
to receptor.
1. ANALGESIC : Drugs which reduce or abolish pain without
causing impairment of consciousness, mental confusion,
incoordination or paralysis or some other disturbances of
nervous system are called Analgesics. They are of two
types :
(a) Non-narcotic (non addictive), such as Aspirin
(b) Narcotic (addictive), such as Heroin

(Aspirin)

(Heroin)

2. TRANQUILIZERS :Tranquilizers are a class of chemical

compounds used for the treatment of stress, fatigue and
mid or even severe mental diseases. Tranquilizers are of
various types:
(a) Antidepressants, such as Phenelzine
(b) Tension relievers, such as Equanil
(c) Barbiturates (sleep producing agents), such as
Serotonin

(Phenelzine)

(Equanil)

(Serotonin)

Antimicrobials
An antimicrobial tends to destroy or inhibit the
pathogenic action of microbes such as bacteria, fungi or
other parasites, selectively.
Antiseptics, disinfectants and antibiotics are antimicrobial
drugs.
1. ANTISEPTIC S : Chemical substances which prevent the
growth of microorganisms or kill them but are not harmful
to the living human tissues. Antiseptics are applied to
wounds, cuts, ulcers and diseased skin surfaces. Some
common antiseptics are Dettol, Tincture of Iodine.
2.

DISINFECTANTS : Chemical substances which kill

microorganisms or stop their growth but hare harmful to
the living tissues. These are used to kill the
microorganisms present in fl oors, drains, toilets etc. 1%
of phenol is a common disinfectant.

3.

ANTIBIOTIC S : Chemical substances produced wholly or

partly by chemical synthesis, which in low concentrations
inhibit the growth or destroy microorganisms by
intervening in their metabolic processes. Antibiotics are
of two types, namely Bactericidal and Bacteriostatic.
Penicillin and tetracycline are famous antibiotics.

(Dettol)

(Phenol)

(Penicillin)

Antacids
Over production of acids in the stomach causes
irritation and pain. In severe cases, ulcers are
developed in the stomach. Chemical substances which
remove the excess acid in the stomach and raise the
pH to appropriate level, such as sodium hydrogen
carbonate, or a mixture of aluminium and magnesium
hydroxide or Ranitidine etc. are called antacids.

Antihistamines
Antihistamines are the drugs which interfere with the
natural action of histamines by competing with
histamines for binding sites of receptors where
histamine exerts its eff ects. Common examples are
Bromopheniramine, Terfenadine.

Antifertility Drugs
Antifertility drugs are the chemical substances used
to prevent unwanted pregnancies in women. Common
examples are Norethindrone, Ethynylestradiol etc.

Conclusion
Chemistry plays a key role in helping us solve some of
the most serious problems facing our world today. It
helps in fi nding innovative solutions for societys most
pressing needs in the areas of health, food, energy and
the environment.
Lots of could- be medicines look good on paper or on a
computer screen but a drug can only do its intended
job of treating a symptom or fi ghting a disease if it
gets the right place in the body to do its job. Thats
where chemistry plays such a big role in tweaking
molecules to interact appropriately with the body.
Chemistry teaches us how disease starts and fi nding
ways to stop it. It helps in study of substances from
nature to create new antibiotics, pain relievers and
cancer drugs. In fact, all of modern medicines are
dependant on advances in chemistry.