Compound Interest: Medicinal Chemistry

How do laxative and anti-diarrhoeal medications work?

July 18, 2024 0Comments 2Likes 2245Views

Infographic on laxatives and antidiarrhoeals.

There are four types of laxatives: bulk-forming, which absorb water; osmotic laxatives, which draw water into the bowel to soften poo; stimulant laxatives, which stimulate intestinal muscles to move poo along; and poo-softeners, which add moisture to poo.

There are also four types of anti-diarrhoeals: opioids (and opioid-related) which decrease intestinal muscle movements, slowing the passage of poo; somatostatin analogues, which slow the movement oof food through the intestines; adsorbents, which kill bacteria which cause diarrhoea and increase intestinal fluid absorption; and bulk-forming agents, which absorb excess water. — Click to enlarge

Constipation and diarrhoea: two extremes of a crappy spectrum. Luckily, we have medicines to deal with either, and this graphic examines the different categories and how they help get things flowing freely (or less freely) again.

Six surprising side effects of medicines – in C&EN

July 27, 2023 1Comment 9Likes 3203Views

Click to view the full graphic on the C&EN site

This month’s edition of Periodic Graphics in C&EN comes off of the back of my ending up on tetracyclines for a chest infection a month or so ago. This alerted me to their ability to make the skin of people taking them more sensitive to sunlight. It turns out that there are a number of odd and unexpected side effects of medications people take for a variety of conditions, so this graphic rounds up some of the oddest I came across. View the full graphic on the C&EN site.

The chemistry of acne treatments – in C&EN

October 3, 2022 0Comments 4Likes 307Views

Acne is the bane of teenagers, but it also affects adults. In the latest edition of Periodic Graphics in Chemical & Engineering News, we look at the causes of acne and some medications used to treat it. Click here to view the full graphic.

A short history of antiviral drugs – in C&EN

February 1, 2022 0Comments 2Likes 293Views

COVID has generated unprecedented levels of interest in antiviral medicines, but they’re just the latest in a long line of antivirals going back almost 70 years. The latest edition of Periodic Graphics in Chemical & Engineering News looks at some of the key drugs, from the first antiviral to be approved to antivirals for HIV and Influenza, as well as briefly summarizing how some of these compounds work. View the full graphic on the C&EN site.

A brief history of anaesthetics and how they work – in C&EN

November 9, 2021 0Comments 2Likes 388Views

Surgery has become a lot more comfortable since the first demonstrations of ether anaesthesia in the 1840s. In October’s edition of Periodic Graphics in Chemical & Engineering News, we looked at the different types of anaesthesia, the compounds involved, and what we know about how they work. Click through to the C&EN site to view the full graphic.

#ChemVsCOVID: How nucleoside analogue antivirals combat COVID

October 22, 2021 0Comments 1Like 313Views

Chem Vs COVID graphic: 22 October, FDA approves the first COVID-19 antiviral. Nucleoside analogues resemble the natural building blocks that make up virus RNA. The structural differences stop the virus RNA from being copied correctly. Remdesivir has since been shown to be ineffective, and the WHO has cautioned against its use, but another similar drug, molnupiravir, looks promising. Protease inhibitor drugs are also being investigated. — Click to enlarge

One year ago, in October 2020, the US FDA approved remdesivir: the first antiviral drug approved for COVID-19. While it’s not as effective as was first thought, similar drugs look like they could be more successful. The latest graphic in the #ChemVsCOVID series with the Royal Society of Chemistry examines how they work.