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An Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry

Hello readers!


We’re back at it again with the fun chemistry facts that you likely won’t find in your textbook. This month’s theme is Medicinal Chemistry. At least a few of you may be planning on working in a medical field in the future, and even those that don’t, will likely require doctors and medicines at some point of time. So why not delve into how chemistry influences such an important field ?



What is medicinal chemistry ?


Medicinal chemistry is the aspect of chemistry that is applied in pharmacology, a medical science dealing with chemical drugs, and other medical practices. The name itself contains medicinal, which comes from medicines. This type of chemistry mainly looks into the chemical composition of medicines, the types of reactions they have, and to some extent, how they are made. The field of medicinal chemistry provides essential knowledge for many working in the medical industry, as it can help practitioners understand the side effects and possible reactions medications might have.


Difference between Medicinal Chemistry and Biochemistry:


Seeing as a knowledge of medicine requires an understanding of both biology and chemistry, one might easily assume that medicinal chemistry is a branch of biochemistry. This however, is incorrect, as biochemistry deals with the chemical processes that go on in living organisms, whereas medicinal chemistry deals with both biological and non-biological medical drugs (those that are not produced through living organisms). An example of a non-biological drug is tricor, a medicine prescribed to reduce the symptoms of cholesterol and fatty acids in the blood. Medicinal chemistry also covers reactions occurring between drugs and other chemicals, which may both be foreign to any creature’s body.


Various Branches of Medicinal Chemistry


Within medicinal chemistry, there are different branches that house drugs that cure specific illnesses. Some examples are given below:


Anticancer drugs: focuses on how cancer can be treated by killing cancerous cells.

Cardiovascular drugs: drugs that help in curing disorders related to the heart such as hypertension and heart failure.

Antimicrobial drugs: drugs that can prevent the growth of and kill microorganisms that may have infected an organism.

Antihistamines: drugs that treat allergies and certain fevers such as hay fever.


Want to know more about these branches and the chemistry behind them ? Don’t fret, because we have articles coming up on some of these branches very soon !


Career opportunities


What will a career in medicinal chemistry be like ? You can picture yourself working in a pharmaceutical company, spending time discovering and formulating drugs that can cure illnesses. Some of the most well-known pharmaceutical companies today include Pfizer Biontech, Johnson & Johnson and Novartis. So becoming a medicinal chemist might mean work related to experiments in research laboratories!


That’s for our introduction. Hope to see you back for some exciting upcoming articles that will explain the chemistry behind medicinal chemistry!


By : Maheshi Parwani and Pulkit Sureka


Bibliography :








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