Mechanism of Drug Action -Chemical Mechanisms

In chemical mechanisms, drugs act by producing chemical reactions in the body. These include:

1. Chemically acting antacids– NaHCO₃
2. Chelating agents– Dimercaprol, penicillamine, desferrioxamine
3. Pralidoxime

1. Chemically acting antacids

Chemically acting antacids react chemically with HCl of stomach, causing neutralization. Sodium bicarbonate chemically binds HCl forming NaCl and water.

2. Chelating agents

Chelating agents are the drugs used to treat poisoning with various metals. They incorporate or chelate  metal ions into inner ring structure and in this way inactivate or neutralize the effects of metals.

3. Pralidoxime

Pralidoxime is a choline esterase reactivator. Poisoning of drugs like acetyl choline esterase inhibitors or organophosphate poisoning (insecticides, war gases) irreversible cause inactivation of acetyl choline esterase enzyme. This drug reacts chemically with phosphate of organophosphate compounds causing dephosphorylation. Thus acetyl choline esterase is released

Up Next Drug- receptor interactions Drug- enzyme interactions Drug channel interactions Miscellaneous mechanisms

Previous An Introduction Physical Mechanisms