Drug-surface interactions

DeUe Plane M, Corno M, Ughengo P (2013) Does dispersion dominate over H-bonds in drug—surface interactions The case of siUca-based materials as excipients and drug-delivery agents. J Chem Theory Comput 9 2404—2415... 

Thus, non-covalent hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonds, and electrostatic bonds all contribute to the overall shape of a protein (Figure 13.3). As we shall see (Section 13.3.2), many pertinent properties of a protein are then provided by the appropriate combination of the remaining amino acid side-chains that reside on the surface, allowing specific binding to various molecules. This is the essence of enzymic activity and drug-receptor interactions. 

We need to have drugs, antidotes, and cures for the weapons of mass destruction that terrorists are likely to use. To develop medicinal countermeasures, the basic science involved must first be understood. For both chemical and biological weapons, the process of molecular recognition by elements of the human body is of utmost importance. However, we do not have a clear understanding of protein surface interactions, the relationship of genes to protein function, and how viruses infect and replicate. All of these processes are chemical in nature and caimot be solved without knowledge of the chemical sciences. 

Drug-receptor interaction depends on optimal steric and electrostatic complementarity of their combining surfaces. Quantification of the binding... 

A single layer of flat hexagonal cells of the corneal endothelium covers the posterior corneal surface and hydrates the cornea. The corneal endothelium can allow diffusion of molecules of dimensions up to 20 nm.65 The stroma has a highly organized hydrophilic tissue structure that comprises 90 percent of cornea.63 It has an open structure that can allow molecules up to 500,000 Da in size to pass through. However, the stroma may be a diffusion barrier to lipophilic drugs.65,84 Drug-melanin interactions such as the one with timolol can form a barrier and reduce bioavailability.85... 

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