Design a Drug
You are a leading biomedical engineer in charge of a project commissioned by the military in order to design a new drug that produces stronger muscle
contractions.
Your drug must alter the normal muscle contraction physiology and you are free to develop this drug to affect the steps of muscle contraction.
Assignment must include the following:
- Name of your fictitious drug.
- Descriiption of how your drug alters the normal physiology of muscle contraction by affecting at least 2 processes.
- Potential side effects of your new drug.
Here is an example of a fictitious nervous system drug:
Neuropro
Neuropro is a new drug that facilitates neuron function by altering the threshold of the voltage-gated sodium channels in the axon hillock. Normally, these
channels would open at -55mV. Neuropro, with it’s patented neurovoltage regulator, changes the threshold voltage to -65 mV. This allows the gates to open
sooner so that action potentials can be generated. Neuropro also affects sodium channels at the nodes of Ranvier which has the effect of speeding up
saltatory conduction. Neuropro has an additional effect by promoting growth of additional voltage-gated calcium channels at the axon terminal. These
channels open in response to action potentials and allow the influx of calcium which promotes release of the neurotransmitter from the axon terminal.
Neuropro’s calcium channel generation effect allows for more calcium channels resulting in release of more neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft which
enhances neuron activity in the post-synaptic neuron. Neuropro comes in 5mg or 10mg doses and must be taken with meals. Side effects include increased
reflex response, anxiety and irritability. Severe side effects include tremors and seizures.
Sample Solution
