The Application of Metabolic Pathways on Biotechnology
The Phenomenal Visionary: Pharmaceuticals
How do these pharmaceuticals actually work? There is over a thousand different medications for over a hundred different illnesses, and yet the vast majority of these pharmaceuticals work in the same fashion.
How Do Pharmaceuticals Work?
The diagram to the left displays how pharmaceuticals work once entering the body - the reknown lock and key method.
When binding to the receptor site the drug works by either mimicking the effect of the protein or completely blocking its effects.
Pharmaceuticals are divided into two branches:
Agonist: ​An agonist is a substance that will mimic another substance and as a result stimulate a reaction.
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Examples: Morphine, Nicotine, Phenylephrine, and Isoproterenol
Antagonist: An antagonist is the opposite of an agonist. An antagonist is a substance that will go against and block a certain action.​
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Examples: Beta-blockers such as propranolol
