Pharma-Ecology, 2nd Edition

4Usage of Other Groups of Pharmaceuticals and Related Endpoints

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Usage and consumption of rarely prescribed but equally important pharmaceuticals such as skeletal, triptans, hematologics, nutritional, anesthetics, antineoplastic, and immunosuppressants.
2. Mode of action and bioavailability of these rare pharmaceuticals.
3. Environmental ramifications from usage of these compounds.

Rarely prescribed pharmaceuticals considered in this chapter include gastrointestinal, antidiabetics, diuretics, respiratory, thyroid, steroids, and reproductive. Other equally important pharmaceuticals such as skeletal, triptans, hematologics, nutritional, anesthetics, antineoplastic, and immunosuppressants are also included. From a structural and mechanistic perspective, these pharmaceutical compounds are as chemically quite diverse as the clinical processes they treat. For example, gastrointestinal medications are designed to reduce the acidity of the stomach contents or increase the tone of the esophagus. Antidiabetic drugs address glucose insulin deficiency, a hormone that regulates the metabolism of glucose in its conversion to the storage carbohydrate – glycogen stored in the liver and muscles. Diuretics affect the mammalian nephral excretion balance, increasing the net excretion of water and solutes from the body. Thyroid hormonal drugs impact the thyroid glands that are responsible for regulating metabolic rate of cells in all tissues and maintaining brain function, ...