INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

Alimannao Hills, Peñablanca, Cagayan

College of Arts, Sciences and Teacher Education

I. INTRODUCTION TO BIOCHEMISTRY
LESSON 1: Biochemistry Defined
Biochemistry, study of the chemical substances and processes that occur in plants, animals,
and microorganisms and of the changes they undergo during development and life. It deals
with the chemistry of life, and as such it draws on the techniques of analytical, organic, and
physical chemistry. (Vennesland & Stotz, 2019)

HISTORY
The particularly significant past events in biochemistry have been concerned with placing
biological phenomena on firm chemical foundations.
Carl Alexander Neuberg – he is often referred to as the "father of modern biochemistry". His
notable contribution to science includes the discovery of the carboxylase and the
elucidation of alcoholic fermentation
Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier - a French nobleman and chemist who was central to the 18th-
century chemical revolution and who had a large influence on both the history of
chemistry and the history of biology.
Organic chemistry - one of the great achievements of 19th-century science
Joseph Priestley, Jan Ingenhousz, and Jean Senebier – demonstrates that
photosynthesis is essentially the reverse of respiration was a milestone in the
development of biochemical thought.
John Mayow - observed the fundamental analogy between the respiration of an animal and
the burning, or oxidation, of organic matter in air.
Friedrich Wöhler - synthesis of an organic compound, urea in 1828
Justus von Liebig – described the great chemical cycles in nature. He pointed out that
animals would disappear from the face of the Earth if it were not for the
photosynthesizing plants, since animals require for their nutrition the complex organic
compounds that can be synthesized only by plants.
Louis Pasteur - proved that various yeasts and bacteria were responsible for “ferments,”
substances that caused fermentation and, in some cases, disease. He also demonstrated
the usefulness of chemical methods in studying these tiny organisms and was the founder
of what came to be called bacteriology.
Fritz Albert Lipmann - proposed that ATP is the common form of energy exchange in many
cells, a concept now thoroughly documented.
Watson and Crick – proposed the double helix structure of DNA

LESSON 2: Importance of biochemistry

Medicine:
 Physiology: Biochemistry helps one understand the biochemical changes and related
physiological alteration in the body.
 Pathology: Based on the symptoms described by the patient, physician can get clue
on the biochemical change and the associated disorder. For example if a patient
complains about stiffness in small joints, then physician may predict it to be gout and

INSTRUCTIONAL LEARNING GUIDE FOR BIOCHEMISTRY (Nat Sci Elec 3)

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 INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
Alimannao Hills, Peñablanca, Cagayan
College of Arts, Sciences and Teacher Education

get confirmed by evaluating uric acid levels in the blood. As uric acid accumulation in
blood results in gout.
 Nursing and diagnosis: In nursing importance of clinical biochemistry is invaluable.
Also almost all the diseases or disorders have some biochemical involvement. So the
diagnosis of any clinical condition is easily possible by biochemical estimations.
AGRICULTURE:
 Prevent diseases and Enhance Yield/ growth: It helps for prevention, treatment of
diseases and also increase the production or yield. Some hormones promote growth,
while other promote flowering, fruit formation etc. In fisheries, use of substances to
promote fish growth, their reproduction etc can be understood.
 Adulteration: Even the composition of food material produced, their alteration or
adulteration for example in honey can be found by biochemical tests. Biochemistry
tests help prevent contamination.
 Biochemical tests for the pesticide residues or other toxic waste in plant, food grain
and soil can be evaluated. Hence during import and export of food grains a
biochemical check of the toxic residues is done to fix the quality.
 In animal husbandry, the quality of milk can be checked by biochemical tests. It also
helps diagnose any disease condition in animals and birds.
 In fisheries the water quality is regularly monitored by biochemical tests. Any drastic
change in water chemistry & composition of fishery ponds can lead to vast death of
fishes and prawns, hence the tests are done on regular basis to see salt content
(calcium content), pH, accumulation of waste due to not changing water for long etc.
 In Plant/ Botany: Biochemistry of plants gave way to breakthrough of how food is
synthesized in them and the reason why they are autotrophs i.e. not dependent on
other living beings for food. Biochemistry in plants describes; Photosynthesis;
Respiration; Different sugars; Plants secondary metabolites.
NUTRITION:
 Food chemistry gives an idea of what we eat. The nutrients value of food material can
also be determined by biochemical tests.
 Role of nutrients: Due to biochemistry the importance of vitamins, minerals, essential
fatty acids, their contribution to health were known. Hence there is frequent
recommendation for inclusion of essential amino-acids, cod liver oil, salmon fish oil etc.
by physicians and other health and fitness experts.
 Physician can prescribe to limit usage of certain food like excess sugar for diabetics,
excess oil for heart & lung problem prone patients etc. As this carbohydrate and fat
biochemical can inhibit the recovery rate from said disorder. This knowledge is due to
their idea on food chemistry and related
PHARMACY:
 Drug Constitution: Biochemistry gives an idea of the constitution of the drug, its chances
of degradation with varying temperature etc. How modification in the medicinal
chemistry helps improve efficiency, minimize side effects etc.
 The half life and Drug storage: This is a test done on biochemical drugs to know how
long a drug is stable when kept at so and so temperature. For example many enzymes,

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 INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
Alimannao Hills, Peñablanca, Cagayan
College of Arts, Sciences and Teacher Education

hormones are stored for dispensing. These get deteriorated over time due to
temperature or oxidation, contamination and also due to improper storage.
 Drug metabolism: It also gives an idea of how drug molecules are metabolized by many
biochemical reactions in presence of enzymes. This helps to avoid drugs which have
poor metabolism or those with excessive side effects from being prescribed or dispensed
to the patient.

Just about everything that happens in every cell of our bodies is

based on Biochemistry. It reveals the biochemical processes that
are taking place in every living being. Specifically, we study how the
elements; carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen work with other
elements in order for a life to function. Biochemistry has undeniably
became important in modern world. We can also say that it took a
huge part in the modernization of our civilization because of its broad and important applications
that molded us to become who we are right now. Biochemistry is rapidly expanding, becoming
one of the most influential areas of science. Combining the core tenets of biology and chemistry,
the field plays a huge role in the development of novel new scientific approaches. But just how
important is it to medicine? Medical science cannot really exist without biochemistry.Without the
ongoing flurry of scientific breakthroughs made by biochemists, we wouldn’t have the precise
chemical knowledge to create the vital drugs, therapies and diagnostic tools tha t are used every
day. Much like medical science itself, biochemistry is a vast area of research that yields profound
discoveries each year. Biochemical techniques advance our understanding of the chemical
structures and processes that underpin human health and disease, revealing the underlying
transformations between these two physiological states. The implications of uncovering the
causes of pathologies on a cellular level are huge. By being able to call on a working knowledge
of biochemistry and other related disciplines such as molecular biology and immunology, those
working in medical science have the potential to transform global healthcare. And with the rise
of public health threats such as air pollution and climate change, noncommunicable diseases,
antimicrobial resistance, and dengue, the research of biochemists is needed more than ever.

INSTRUCTIONAL LEARNING GUIDE FOR BIOCHEMISTRY (Nat Sci Elec 3)

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