Option D: Medicines and Drugs

1st L.oD.  (barriers to prevent entry)

- skin

- mucus membranes

- closures + scretions of natural openings 

2nd L.oD. (attack invaders)

- white blood cells (engulf invaders)

- blood clotting (prevent loss of blood + further invasions)

- inflammatory response

3rd L.oD. (immune system)

- white blood cells (produce specific proteins, antibodies, to recognize + destroy invaders)

- memory cells (enable body to fight repeat invasion of same organism more effectively)

Reduces ability of blood to clot

Negative side effects:

- irritation

- ulceration of sotmach

- people can be allergic

- Reye's syndrome - potentially fatal liver + brain disorder

Reduces production of prostaglandins in brain, not rest of body

Safe in correct dose

Safe for children

Negative side-effects:

- blood disorders

- overdose = liver, kidney + brain damage

Advantages:

- second stage treatment w/ paracetamol + aspirin

- cough treatment

Disadvatages:

- may not completely relieve pain

Advantages:

- management of severe pain (eg. advanced cancer)

- treatment of diarrhoea

Disadvantages:

- constipation

- dependence

Advantages:

- relief of severe pain

- feeling of well-being + contentment

- dulling of pain, lessening of fear + tension

- euphoric effects

- most rapidly acting 

Disadvantages:

- Constipation, loss of apetitie, poor nutrition

- Strong addiction

- Rapidly increasing dependence

- Death

- Cost of drugs

Low: calmness, drowsiness, increaaed spoantaneity, slower mental activity

Moderate: soothing, reduction of anxiety, altered perception, very relaxed muscles

High: slurred speech, faltering movement, altered perception, sleep induced

Extremely high: low breathing + heart rates, sleep, coma, death

Low / Moderate = tranquilizers = alcohol, valium

Moderate / High = sedatives = barbiturates

High / extremely high = hypnotics = chloral hydrate

Short term: - loss of self restraint

- memory, concentration + insight impaired

- loss of balance + judgement

- violent behaviour

- 'hangover' - dehydration + headache due to increased urine output

- high doses = vomiting, loss of conciousness, death

Long term: - Dependence / alcoholism

- Liver disease (cirrhosis, cancer)

- coronar heart disease

- high blood pressure

- premanent brain damage

- deterioration of social aspects of life + productivity    - fetal alcohol syndrome

Ethanol has potential to increase activity of other drugs = synergy

Aspirin - increased bleeding of stomach lining + ulcers

Barbiturates - heavy sedation, possibly coma

Tobacco - increase incidence of cancers (intestines, liver)

Other drugs - interfere w/ metabolism - liver

Test = breath analyser / bearthalyser

Contains acidified potassium dichromate (VI) crystals

Turn from orange to green when reduced by ethanol

Extent of colour change measured by photocell - determines ethanol concentration

More accurate = infrared spectroscopy

Different molecules cause different absorption bonds in infrared spectrum

Results of particular bonds + functional groups

Ethanol absroption band = 2950 cm-1

Size of peak determines concentraiton

Doesn't always work on diabetes who breathe out ketone which shows false positive

Intoximeter - fuel cell - ethanol oxidized in presence of catalyst to ethanoic acid, then water + CO2 - converts energy released into detectable electrical voltage - concentration determined

Gas-liquid chromatography - only done in laboratory - very accurate

Blood / urine vaporized + injected into stream of inert gas (mobile phase) over surface of non-volatile liquid (stationary phase)

Components of vapour move at different rates depending on boiling points + relative solubility

Leave column holding liquid phase after specific interval of time = retention time

Small doses: - increase mental alertness + physical energy

- side effects: dilation of pupils, decreased apetite, blurred vision + dizziness

Regular use: - dependence + teloerance

- severe depression

- reduced resistance to infection

Short term effects: - increases concentration

- relieves tension + boredom

- helps counter fatigue

- increases heart rate + blood pressure

- decreases urine output

Long-term effects: - high blood pressure

- increases risk of heart disease

- coronary thrombosis

- increases fatty acids in blood - stroke

- over-stimulation of stomach acids - peptic ulcers

Consumption in small amounts:

- enhancement of mental energy, alertness + ability to concentrate

- acts as diuretic - increases volume of urine - can cause dehydration

Consumption in large amounts:

- can cause anxiety, irritability, insomnia

- dependence - withdrawal symptoms of headaches + nausea

Relatively large , non-polar, soluble in membranes so able to enter brain easily

Synthesized form ergot - grain fungus in rye

Takes effect within 20 mins + lasts up to 12 hours

Effects: - potent hallucinations

- distortion of body + crawling geometric patterns

- impaired judgement

- hypertenison

- dilated pupils

- changes to body tempetature + heart rate

- unpredictable mood swings from euphoria ('good trip') to depression + panic ('bad trip')

- can lead to trigger flashbacks, 'latent psychosis'

Smaller molecule, not so soluble in membranes so less able to enter brain

Extracted from flowering heads of peyote cactus

Takes effect almost immediately + last 6 hours

Effects: - 1000-3000 times less potent than LSD

- subjective hallucinations, depending on individual

- anxiety

- static tremors

- psychic disturbances w/ vivid visual halluctinations

- abdominal pain

- nausea

- diarrhoea

Contains ionic groups, least soluble in membranes

Extracted from 'magic mushrooms'

Takes effect rapidly + shorter lasting than mescaline

Effects: - Subjective hallucinations similar to, but milder than mescaline

- Pleasant mood, some apprehensive

- compulsive movement + inappropriate laughter

- vertigo + dizziness

- numbness

- muscle weakness

- drowsiness

Takes effectc within 15 mins + lasts up to 4 hours

Effects: - depresses central nervous system + causes mental relaxation + euphoria

- loss of inhibitions

- alteration of perception of time + space

- palpitations

- loss of concentration

- light-headedness

- weakness

- sense of floating

- at high doses = depression of respiration + collapse

Arguments for illegal status: - effects on body

- dependence

- cost of medical care for those suffering long-term effects

- people being encouraged to take 'hard' drugs

Counter arguments: - no proven link between it and intake of more addictive drugs

- no more damaging than tobacco + alcohol

- on open market, would protect users from dealing w/ gangs

Medical aspects: - in treatment of advanced cancers + AIDS - offers relief form nausea + vomiting

- can have positive effects in treatment of glaucoma, asthma, convulsive disorders