What are drugs BBC Bitesize?

A drug is a substance that has an effect on the body. Medicines are drugs that help people suffering from pain or disease. Recreational drugs are taken by people because they like the effects they have on their bodies.

What are the four groups of drugs?

The main categories are:

  • stimulants (e.g. cocaine)
  • depressants (e.g. alcohol)
  • opium-related painkillers (e.g. heroin)
  • hallucinogens (e.g. LSD)

What 3 things are drugs tested for?

New medical drugs have to be tested and trialled before being used to check that they are safe and effective. New drugs are extensively tested for toxicity, efficacy and dose. The first stage of the preclinical trial is to use computers and cell samples are used to find chemicals that seem to work on the target.

What is a drug GCSE biology?

A drug is a substance taken into the body that modifies or affects chemical reactions in the body. Some drugs are beneficial, while others are harmful.

What are drugs ks2?

A drug is a chemical that you take into your body, which changes the way you feel and act. Some drugs are prescribed by a doctor for illnesses. But when people talk about drugs they usually mean drugs that are illegal or unsafe.

What is meant by a placebo BBC Bitesize?

The placebo effect occurs when someone feels they are better when they have been given a dummy form of the drug, not the drug itself. To reduce the placebo effect in drug testing: in blind trials only, the doctor knows which patients have been given the drug and which have been given the placebo.

What are drugs and its types?

Drugs can be categorised by the way in which they affect our bodies: depressants – slow down the function of the central nervous system. hallucinogens – affect your senses and change the way you see, hear, taste, smell or feel things. stimulants – speed up the function of the central nervous system.

Where do drugs come from GCSE?

Historically drugs have come from nature, as parts of plants and microorganisms have been extracted. One of the most famous discoveries was made by Sir Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin from the Penicillium mould.

What are drugs tested for GCSE?

Three stages of testing drugs

  • The drugs are tested using computer models and human cells grown in the laboratory. Many substances fail this test because they damage cells or do not seem to work.
  • Drugs that pass the first stage are tested on animals.
  • Drugs that have passed animal tests are used in clinical trials.

What’s different between drug and medicine?

Contrary to the normal belief that they are synonymous, they are actually quite different. Drugs take away control of your body & mind from YOU. Medicines reverse this and restore the control back to YOU. A drug is a chemical substance that takes control of your body or mind depending on its own inherent nature.