Ans: MEDICINAL DRUGS
Various diseases have been made easier to treat in recent years by the production of medicinal drugs. ,
Sources
Medicinal drugs are obtained from the following sources.
1. Synthetic Drugs
Such drugs do not occur naturally but are synthesized in laboratory. Pharmaceutical companies produce these drugs.
Example: Aspirin.
* • • -
2. Drugs from Plants and Fungi
Many important medicines are obtained from plants and fungi These medicines include:
i)Antibiotics,
ii)Cardio tonic and
iii) Certain analgesics.
Source
(a) The antibiotic penicillin comes from a fungus. ,
(b) The cardio tonic, known as digitalis, is used to stimulate the heart. It is made from the leaves of purple flowered plant, foxglove.
(c) The pain reliever morphine is made from opium, which comes from the juice of opium poppy plant.
3. Drugs from Animals
Drugs obtained from animals are usually their glandular products.
Example: Fish liver oils, musk, bee's wax, certain hormones and antitoxins are obtained from animal sources.
4. Drugs from Minerals
Several common drugs produced from minerals.
Examples
i) The mineral iodine is used in making tincture of iodine, a liquid that help prevent infection when applied to cuts and bruises.
ii) The powder form of silver nitrate is applied on wounds to stop bleeding and prevent infection.
iii) Researchers of a pharmaceutical company spent two years testing soil from all parts of the world to find new antibiotics. The project resulted in the development of one antibiotic, Terramycin, which is used to treat many infections
5. Drugs from Bacteria
Many antibiotics are obtained from bacteria.
Example: Streptomycin.