Medical Chemistry

Medical Chemistry
Chemistry

in

its

relation

to

pharmacy,

physiology, or any science connected with

medicine.

Introduction
Medical chemistry is based on
General chemistry (physical chemistry)
Inorganic chemistry, Organic chemistry,
Analytical chemistry
It supports several basic medical disciplines, as
medical biochemistry, physiology,
pathophysiology, pharmacology, etc.

Organization of the first semester I

Textbooks required
General chemistry
Textbook: Mc Murry Fay : Chemistry, 4th
Edition
(Ebbing: General Chemistry, last Edition)
or other kinds of textbooks
Organic chemistry
Textbook: P.Gergely: Organic and bioorganic
chemistry for medical students (3rd edition)

Recommended
literature:
McMurry, Fay:
Chemistry
4th ed.

P. Gergely: Organic and

bioorganic chemistry
3rd ed.

Organization of the first semester II

Inorganic chemistry
Textbook: Experiments in medical chemistry
(Laboratory manual) edited by V. Nagy
Analytical chemistry
Textbook: Experiments in medical chemistry
(Laboratory manual) edited by V. Nagy

Laboratory experiments in
medical chemistry

Written by
Attila Agcs, Zoltn Berente, Gergely
Gulys, Pter Jakus, Tams Lrnd,
Veronika Nagy, Erika Rad-Turcsi, Anik
Taktsy

Laboratory experiments
in medical chemistry
ed. Veronika Nagy
Available only on internet!

Edited by
Veronika Nagy

University of Pcs
Department of Biochemistry and Medical
Chemistry

Syllabi are avaible at:

www.pote.hu
ETR CooSpace Medical
Chemistry
or
www.pote.hu
Departments Biochem. and

Organization of the second semester

Bioorganic chemistry
Textbook see above P. Gergely: Organic and
bioorganic chemistry for medical students (3rd
edition)

Bioinorganic chemistry
Textbook: P. Gergely: Introduction to
bioinorganic chemistry (3rd, revised edition)

Practices I
Form: simple experiments performed by the
students themselves
and a few demonstrations (done by the staff)
Topics in the first semester
Basics of inorganic and general and analytical
chemistry

Practices II
Topics in the second semester
Basics of complex chemistry, organic
chemistry and modern separation methods

Practices III
Laboratory Safety
Chemical laboratory is a hazardous place.
The students are obliged to wear a lab coat
and approved safety glasses or goggles. These
are to provided by the students.
Packbacks, coats and other belongings should
be left in the students locker or the cloakroom
before practices.

Practices IV
Other rules will be discussed on the first
meeting with your practice leader.

Seminars
Topics in the first semester.
They cover the main parts of general and
organic chemistry
Form: short revision of a chapter of general
chemistry + practicing chemical calculations
revision of the essentials of organic chemistry
(Calculation exercises, educational material
on the internet!)

Attendance
Attendance at lectures
Attendance at seminars and practices is
obligatory.
Criteria of accepted semester

Examination I
First semester
Semester exam: written exam
Topics: cover general and inorganic and
organic chemistry

Examination II
Results of the academic year 2009-2010
/first semester
Total number of students:
230 persons (100%)
failed: 90 persons (39%)
passed: 108 persons (47%)
disappeared: 32 persons (14%)

Web site of the Biochemistry and

Medical Chemistry
http://aok.pte.hu/index.php?
page=egyseg&egy_id=20&nyelv=eng&me
nu=okt_anyag
Use the material under
Medical Chemistry 2010/2011
Educational materials, as sample tests, lectures,
etc. are available here.

Criterion Discipline: General

Chemistry I

Time frame: 2 hours / week, 28 hours / semester

Subject

of

General

chemistry: calculation

exercises
Requirements: the students are obliged to write
two midterm test papers on the 6th and 13th
weeks.

Criterion Discipline: General

Chemistry II
On these test 2x8, i.e. 16 points can be gathered,
which is counted into the final mark of Medical
Chemistry.
One should reach at least the 30% (5 points)
on the two test altogether and should participate
on the 75% of the classes.
To
Chemistry

fulfil
is

the
a

requirements

prerequisite

for

semester in Medical Chemistry.

of

General

the

valid

What is the subject of chemistry?

Chemistry is a branch of science discussing the
matter, dealing with its composition, structure,
behaviour, in addition with its chemical reactions.

Short History of Chemistry I

Practical arts (Egypt and Mesopotamia, to 600
BC)
manufacturing of perfumes
smelting of metals
manufacturing of drugs
brewing (preparation of beer)

Short History of Chemistry II

Greek period (600 BC-300 BC)
Developing the idea of atom
The concept of the four elements: earth, air,
fire, water

Short History of Chemistry III

Alchemy, Alexandrian and the Muslim world
(300 BC to 1650 AD )
Invention of processes as distillation,
sublimation, crystallization, oxidation
Discovery of several elements
Concepts as acid-base and alkali originated
from the Arabic word al-kili
Industrial chemistry: production of paper

Short History of Chemistry IV

Iatrochemistry - chemical discipline
connected to medicine. Paracelsus: The true
use of chemistry is not to make gold but to
prepare medicines.

Mercury unites with sulphur

Short History of Chemistry V

Phlogiston theory
The chemists tried to explain different

phenomena as burning, rusting and metabolism

on a common base.
Theory: the combustible objects contain a fire-

like element, phlogiston, it is liberated during

combustion.

Short History of Chemistry VI

Modern chemistry, Antoine Lavoisier, the
father of the modern chemistry
Laws of chemistry
Chemical nomenclature and pioneer in
stoichiometry, etc.

A. Lavoisier

Importance of chemistry for medical

students I
General chemistry
Basic principles and facts used by biology,
physiology, etc
E.g.: term of pH - importance of pH regarding
the body fluids, enzymatic performance, etc.

Importance of chemistry for medical

students II

E. g. Distribution law of Nernst absorption of

lipid soluble drugs, mechanism of action of
anaesthetics, etc.
E. g. Intermolecular forces - mechanism of
action of some medicines
protein binding of medicines

Organic and bioorganic chemistry I

E. g. Hydroxylation of aromatic compoundsmetabolism and changes in renal excretion

E. g. Similarity of molecule structure similarity
of pharmacological action
E. g. Cis-trans isomerism of substances varying
toxicity of cis-trans isomeric compounds

Organic and bioorganic chemistry II

E.g. acetylene groups (triple bond)- role in

drugs (in steroid contraceptive agents)

E.g. reaction of thiols with heavy metals

toxicity of heavy metals (possible targets: thiol

enzymes)