Chemistry in Everyday Life Test - 4

Non-ionic detergents do not contain any ion in their constitution. Liquid dishwashing agents are non-ionic detergents.

Agonists are drugs which mimic the natural messenger by switching on receptors. These are useful when there is lack of natural chemical messenger.

Antihistamines interfere with the natural action of histamine by competing with histamine for binding sites of receptor where histamine exerts its effect. Zantac(Ranitidine) and Cimetidine are antihistamines. The drug cimetidine (Tegamet), was designed to prevent the interaction of histamine with the receptors present in the stomach wall. This resulted in release of lesser amount of acid. Similarly, ranitidine (Zantac), was discovered.

Equanil is a tranquilizer used in controlling depression and hypertension. Tranquilizers are a class of chemical compounds used for the treatment of stress and mild or even severe mental diseases. These relieve anxiety, stress, irritability or excitement by inducing a sense of well-being.

Antiseptics are applied to the living tissues such as wounds, cuts, ulcers and diseased skin surfaces. Commonly used antiseptic, dettol is a mixture of chloroxylenol and terpineol.

Analgesics reduce or abolish pain without causing impairment of consciousness, mental confusion, incoordination or paralysis or some other disturbances of nervous system. Non-narcotic analgesics like aspirin have many other effects such as reducing fever (antipyretic). So asprin can act as both analgesic and antipyretic.

Antibiotics have either cidal (killing) effect or a static (inhibitory) effect on microbes. Penicillin is bactericidal means it has a killing effect on bacteria.

Antibiotics are used as drugs to treat infections because of their low toxicity for humans and animals. The antibiotic dysidazirine is supposed to be toxic towards certain strains of cancer cells.

Iodine is a powerful antiseptic. Its 2-3 per cent solution in alcohol- water mixture is known as tincture of iodine. It is applied on wounds.

Birth control pills essentially contain a mixture of synthetic estrogen and progesterone derivatives. Both of these compounds are hormones. It is known that progesterone suppresses ovulation. Synthetic progesterone derivatives are more potent than progesterone. Norethindrone is an example of synthetic progesterone derivative most widely used as antifertility drug.