| |
The Organic Chemistry of Drugs
Introduction
|
The chapter deals with the organic chemistry of drugs. A drug is an absorbed substance that changes or enhances a physical or physiological function in the body. Drugs have been used by humans for thousands of years to alleviate pain and illness. By trial and error, people learned which herbs, berries, roots, and bark could be used for medicinal purposes. But not until well into the twentieth century were any truly effective medicinal agents known.
In this chapter you will see some of the ways that drugs are discovered (and what an important role good luck played in the discovery process), how they are named, and some of the techniques currently used by scientists in their search for new drugs.
|
