Chapter 10 Chemicals in Medicine and Health
What are the common medical treatments in Malaysia?
What type of medicine is generally given to treat patients?
Do you know what are free radicals mean?
What is effect of antioxidant substance on free radicals?
What does active ingredient in health products refer to ?
10.1 Type of Medicine
Traditional Medicine Modern Medicine Criteria of complementary
medicine
- Effectiveness of - Does not involve
treatment is slow - Effective and fast surgery and stitches
and takes time - Clinically tested of body
- Effectiveness proven - Uses synthetic - Does not use
with experience medicine medicine, drug and
- Uses natural - Using modern synthetic chemical
substances from methods substances
plants and animals (surgery/laser - View modern and
- Low cost treatment and traditional medical
- Practice from radiotherapy) practitioners
generation to
generation
Examples of different type of Medicine Uses
1. Traditional Medicine
Aloe vera : apply to sun to reduce pain by sunburn
Ginseng: maintain good health
Ginger: relieves swelling and bloatness
Hibiscus: relieves headache and prevent hair loss
Quinine: make medicine for malaria
If a 2 year old child is given Aspirin
2. Modern Medicine do you think it is suitable?
Analgesics: relieves pain(fever) -aspirin is acidic
- Aspirin/paracetamol/codeine - causes: internal bleeding/liver
damage/skin rash
Antibiotics: kills or inhibit growth of bacteria
- Synthesis of chemical substance
- Must be taken according to dosage and needs to be finished
- Penicillin and streptomycin
Psychotherapeutic: may cause mood swings, thought disorder, change behavior
a) Stimulants: activate brain activity
- E.g amphetamine
b) Antidepressants: treat depression
- E.g imipramine and amitriptyline
c) Antipsychotics: sedative effect
- E.g Tranquilliser, barbiturates, doxepin, haloperidol
3. Complementary Medicine- cover two main parts natural products, mind and body
practices
Acupuncture: to stimulate the nervous system to relieve pain
Chiropractic: uses hand to adjust bone position, for neck pain/back/headache/sport
injuries
Traditional massage: uses hands/fingers and fist to soothes
anxiety/pain/nerve problems
Homeopathy: for fever/p ain/ cough to strengthen body’s
immunity
Herbal Therapy: no side effects, does not contain drugs which are harmful to health
The use of Man-made medicines and medicines from natural resources
Man-made medicine Medicine from natural resources
- Made in lab - Made from plants and animals
- Must be taken regular or stopped - Must be taken regularly for a long
when heal time to be effective
- Evidence of healing is based on - Evidence of healing is by trust and
clinical test past experience
- Have risk of side effects if - There is risk of side effects if
Use with ought doctor Use with ought doctor advise
advise Patient does not follow the
Patient does not follow correct dosage
correct dosage
The effect of Misuse of Medicine
Causes Death
Cause medicine to be less effective, disease not cured
Severe side effects such as allergies, vomiting, headache, fever, dizziness
Addiction if medicine is taken excessively such as cough syrup
10.2 Free radicals
Definition: atoms/ molecules that lack one electron which makes the atom/molecule
unstable, reactive and tend to attack other atoms/ molecules
The effect of free radicals on Human Health
Oxidation: the process that cause the loss of one electron
Metabolism and inflammation (internal factors)
- the process that produces free radicals in the body
Smoke, expose to radiation, sunlight, air pollution (External factors)
Free radicals cause
Damage DNA structure
Form carcinogenic substance (mutation and cancer)
Cardiovascular disease and infertility
Damage kidneys, liver and lungs
Premature aging conditions (wrinkles and grey hair)
10.3 Antioxidant substances
Chemical substance in our body
Can be from chemical synthesis or natural plants
A defensive line against diseases
Our body deceases in producing antioxidants by age
We can receive antioxidants from food
Important to our body
- Slowdown/ stop oxidation process by reacting with the free radicals
- Protect body cells from damage free radicals
1. Beta carotene
- Found in red orange color food
- Example carrot, orange and sweet potatoes
2. Lutein
- Healthy eyes
- Example vegetables
3. Lycopene
- In fruits
4. Vitamin C
- Mostly found in sour fruits(ascorbic acid)
- E.g kiwi, cereals, strawberries, spinach
5. Vitamin E
- Known as Alpha-tocopherol
- E.g palm oil, corn oil, legumes, mangoes and broccoli
Factors affecting Food Oxidation
Oxidation is seen when foods are exposed to air
Food such as apple, potatoes, pears and guava
Process that occurs in apple
- When the apple is cut, the fruit cells are damages.
- Apple will undergo oxidation and reacts with air/oxygen.
- Salt and lime juice act as an antioxidant that slow down the process of oxidation to
the apple
10.4 Health products
Active Ingredient in Health products
Definition: specific components of a product that have effect on the cure or
prevention of disease
Sometimes 2/more active ingredients cannot be used together- may cause harm
to health
The Use of Health products in the Market, why is it popular?
1. Supplements: taken to treat diseases and to maintain our health
2. Can guarantee normal growth and prevent diseases such as multivitamins
3. Many people use health products due to their busy lifestyle and unbalanced diet
This for 2 minutes, you get Vitamin A from eating chilis. Would you choose to eat a health
supplement of Vitamin A or eat Chilis everyday ?
