Intro

Question 1

What is a drug?

Answer 1

A synthetic or non-synthetic substance synthesized outside of the organism that produces effects or alters bodily functions
- Used in the diagnosis, treatment or prevention of a disease or as a component of medication

Question 2

What is pharmacology?

Answer 2

The study of drugs (their origin, chemistry, nature, effects and mechanisms of action)

Question 3

What is an active ingredient?

Answer 3

The substance in a drug that is pharmacologically active

Question 4

Why do drugs cause effects?

Answer 4

Due to their interaction with receptors (cellular molecules)

Question 5

What elements are relevant to the ability of drugs to act as receptors?

Answer 5

Drug size, atomic composition, charge and shape

Question 6

What are pharmacodynamics?

Answer 6

The action of a drug on the body through its receptor interactions (biochemical & physiological effects)

Question 7

What are pharmacokinetics?

Answer 7

The action of the body on a drug (drug’s absorption, distribution & elimination)

Question 8

What are the usages of plant compounds?

Answer 8

Ritualistic, religious or magical, medicinal, toxic or poisonous and recreational

Question 9

What plant was used for ritualistic, religious or magical use? In what context?

Answer 9

Atropa belladonna (belladonna) used in the context of witchcraft

Question 10

What were potions in the Middle Ages often prepared with?

Answer 10

Plants from the Solanaceae family

Question 11

What are active compounds in plants of the Solanaceae family?

Answer 11

Atropine and scopolamine

Question 12

What could the concept of witches ‘flying on broomsticks’ be associated to?

Answer 12

The hallucinogenic effects of the drugs of the Solanaceae plants
- They would rub plant potions on their legs and believed they were flying

Question 13

What are ways drugs can be used during medicinal use?

Answer 13

To treat and cure diseases or to prevent them

Question 14

What plant species had a medicinal use?

Answer 14

Willow trees (Salix babylonica)

Question 15

Who recorded the medicinal use of willow trees?

Answer 15

Dioscorides in his De Materia Medica

Question 16

What do willow trees have a history of treating?

Answer 16

Gout, rheumatism, toothache and earache

Question 17

What is the active ingredient in willow? What is it?

Answer 17

Salicin - a glycoside that is broken down into salicylic acid when ingested

Question 18

What is the synthetic version of salicylic acid called?

Answer 18

Aspirin

Question 19

What can toxic/poisonous plants be used for?

Answer 19

Murder

Question 20

How was Socrates murdered?

Answer 20

Using poison hemlock (Conium maculatum)

Question 21

What is the active compound of Conium maculatum?

Answer 21

An alkaloid called coniine

Question 22

What compound was involved in the death of Georgi Markov? What plant does it come from?

Answer 22

Ricin - a protein
Found in Ricinus communis (castor bean/oil plant)

Question 23

What is lectin?

Answer 23

A carbohydrate-binding protein

Question 24

What are Castor plants also used for?

Answer 24

Ornamental purposes in gardens, or the oil is used in soaps, lubricants, paints, dyes, waxes, inks, etc. and used as a laxative

Question 25

Can household plants be poisonous?

Answer 25

Yes, more than 80 are toxic (daffodils, mistletoe, tulip, tomato vines, etc.)

Question 26

What are symptoms from toxic plants?

Answer 26

Mild stomach ache, skin rash, throat swelling, organ failure and death

Question 27

Who is Carl Linnaeus?

Answer 27

Founder of the binomial nomenclature

Question 28

What can nomenclature help distinguish?

Answer 28

Toxic and non-toxic organisms that belong to the same family (ex: bluebells)

Question 29

What are important phyla in the fungi and plantae kingdoms?

Answer 29

Fungi, phylum Ginkgophyta, phylum Cycadophyta and phylum Gnetophyta

Question 30

What are angiosperms? What phylum do they belong to?

Answer 30

They are flowering plants - phylum Anthophyta

Question 31

What plant is commonly know for recreational drug use?

Answer 31

Cannabis sativa

Question 32

Why were new classes of cannabinoid substances created? What are their uses?

Answer 32

For research purposes - potentially used in treating pain without inducing tolerance or withdrawal but mostly used recreationally (results in hospitalization - very dangerous)