Understanding Antibiotics, Tumors, Cancer, Diabetes, and Drugs

Antibiotic Discovery

Fleming observed that a bacterial culture he had abandoned had deteriorated because a colony of fungi had grown in the culture. The fungus produced the death of the bacteria it came into contact with. Work continued until Fleming identified and extracted the substance from the fungus that was lethal to bacteria: penicillin.

Tumors

Normal tissue cells divide to produce other cells to replace old and damaged ones. These cells must die to make room for new ones. Sometimes, they produce more cells than necessary, or old cells do not die when they should. In such cases, a tumor forms, which is defined as a disorganized mass of tissue.

• Benign tumors remain in the place where they have been formed because their cells do not move.
• Malignant cells are those that can move to generate new tumors.

Cancer Treatments

• Surgery: Removal of the tumor mass.
• Radiotherapy: The use of radiation to destroy cancer cells.
• Chemotherapy: Involves the administration of drugs that kill cancer cells.
• Hormonal Treatments: Consist of using drugs that counteract the effects of hormones that promote cancer development.
• Immunotherapy: The use of agents that strengthen the immune system, which would then take care of removing the tumor.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs due to a total or partial deficiency of insulin. Hyperglycemia is the accumulation of glucose in the blood caused by insulin resistance. The treatment of diabetes includes a balanced diet, physical exercise, and the use of drugs like insulin. Complications may include impaired circulation, nervous system and kidney problems, and eye problems.

Drug Abuse

• Drug Abuse Disorder: When a person abuses a substance to the point that it interferes with their normal life.
• Dependence: When a person spends most of their time on activities related to obtaining and using the drug.
• Withdrawal Symptoms: Appear when consumption of the substance ceases.

Drugs

A drug is any substance that, when introduced into the body, can produce changes in the brain involving abnormal behavior, leading to abuse and dependence, and causing an uncontrollable urge to take the substance, either for its effects or to avoid the discomfort of withdrawal. Drugs are classified into three groups according to their effects:

• Nervous System Depressants: Cause sleepiness, slowed reactions, and reduced heart and respiratory rates.
• Nervous System Stimulants: Increase attention, reduce sleep, provide a feeling of greater physical and mental performance, and reduce appetite.
• Nervous System Disruptors: Alter basic psychic functions, hindering concentration, attention, reasoning, and memory, and altering perceptions, especially spatial and temporal.

Medication

Medications are products we use to cure, alleviate, prevent, or diagnose a disease.

• Pharmaco: Substances that have medicinal properties.
• Active Ingredients: The drugs themselves.
• Adverse Reactions: The negative effects of drugs.