Learning Objectives

• extraction and purification of natural plant compounds as possible active ingredients for medicines, using solvent extraction and distillation

• identification of the structure and functional groups of organic molecules that are medicines

• significance of isomers and the identification of chiral centres (carbon atom surrounded by four different groups) in the effectiveness of medicines

• enzymes as protein-based catalysts in living systems: primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures and changes in enzyme function in terms of structure and bonding as a result of increased temperature (denaturation), decreased temperature (lowered activity), or changes in pH (formation of zwitterions and denaturation)

• medicines that function as competitive enzyme inhibitors: organic molecules that bind through lock-and-key mechanism to an active site preventing binding of the actual substrate