Medicinal Drugs and Organic Chemistry

Essay from the year 2018 in the subject Chemistry - Other, Kenyatta University, course: Industrial Chemistry, language: English, abstract: Medicinal chemistry refers to the science dealing with the discovery along with design of novel therapeutic chemicals/bio-chemicals, and their respective development into useful medicines. It is a phenomenon that may comprise of compounds isolation from nature or new molecules synthesis, investigation of the connections between natural and/or synthetic compounds and their biological processes. Again, it may involve elucidations of these compounds' interactions with varied receptors such as DNA and enzymes, determination of their absorption, distribution and transport properties, and metabolic transformation studies of these chemicals, excretion and their toxicity. Notably, since the 1960s, current techniques for discovering new drugs have incalculably evolved in line with phenomenal organic chemistry, physical chemistry, analytical chemistry, pharmacology, biochemistry and therapeutic advances. With respect to organic chemistry, it is evident that the modern tools applied in conducting drug design, substantially encompasses the entire vital processes of discovering drugs. Such courses include the application of physical principles, understanding the reaction of the body to the drug and the perceived synthetic organic processes used in the new compound preparation. However, drugs are not usually discovered, but rather a lead compound, which is a prototype compound with significant desirable features like those of pharmacological activities, though undesirable facets may also be present such as toxicity. Significantly, numerous studies have demonstrated a substantial relationship between organic chemistry and drugs as will be explored in this essay.