Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Synthetic liver enzyme could result in more effective drugs with fewer side effects
Summary
Researchers at Princeton University reported they created a synthetic it enzyme that would result in drugs with fewer side effects. How would that work? This enzyme would act as a catalyst to replace certain hydrogen atoms with fluorine atoms, which would stabilize the molecule, make it more potent and also make the drug molecule resistant to the liver enzymes that can create toxic byproducts. As a result, this synthetic enzyme could possibly improve existing drugs such as steroids.
How this relates
This relates to what we are learning in class, because we had just finished a lab on enzymes. Enzymes are catalysts, so they speed up reactions by lowering the required activation energy to start the reaction. An enzyme is a specialized protein, and a protein is a macromolecule. Enzymes are very useful in organisms, because it allows reactions to take place in a reasonable amount of time without increasing the temperature of the body, which would damage the cells. In the article, the synthetic enzyme will also be useful in the human body.
October 9, 2012 Written by Catherine Zandonella
http://phys.org/news/2012-10-synthetic-liver-enzyme-result-effective.html
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Is there a specific type of enzyme that results in drugs with fewer side effects (meaning that 1 enzyme catalayzes only 1 type of drug)? Or does the enzyme catalayze several types of drugs?
ReplyDeleteThis enzyme allows hydrogen atoms in drug molecules to be replaced with fluorine. In our class lab, we discovered an enzyme in the liver was a catalyst to hydrogen peroxide. In the body, the liver reacts to the hydrogen found in the drug, and creates this type of molecule that is harmful to the liver. By substituting fluorine in place of hydrogen, the liver wouldn't react to form these harmful molecules, creating the side effects. This discovery opens up a new world of making drugs.
DeleteHow would this enzyme improve existing drugs like steroids?
ReplyDeleteAs I replied to Madhuri above, this enzyme would allow hydrogen found in the drug to be replaced with fluorine, which doesn't react with the liver to produce harmful material. Because of this, it is better because it has fewer side effects. A drug with fewer side effects is an improvement.
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