| Drug Name |
Category |
Mechanism, Indications, Adverse
Effects, Unique Properties |
| Norethindrone |
Contraceptive
Progestin |
Used in combined oral contraceptives. Can
have androgenic side-effects (acne, hirsutism) |
| Norethynodrel |
Contraceptive
Progestin |
Used in combined oral contraceptives. Can
have androgenic side-effects (acne, hirsutism). Has no androgenic
effects. Most extensive estrogenic activity, with the least
progestin activity. |
| Metformin |
Diabetes
Biguanide |
Mechanism of action unknown. Their
hypoglycemic activity does not depend on the presence of functional
beta-cells. |
| Isophane (NPH) Insulin |
Diabetes
Insulin
Intermediate-acting |
Cloudy solution. Protease reacts with the
protamine to release the insulin. Later onset and longer duration. |
| Lente Insulin |
Diabetes
Insulin
Intermediate-acting |
Cloudy solution. Insulin precipitated with
Zinc in acetate buffer. |
| Ultralente Insulin |
Diabetes
Insulin
Long-acting |
Cloudy solution. Poorly soluble complex of
zinc and insulin. Due to poor manageability, used only with Type I
Diabetics. |
| Bovine Insulin |
Diabetes
Insulin
Short-acting |
Regular insulin, clear solution. Rapid
onset and duration of a few hours. It is taken before meals for its
immediate effects. |
| Humulin |
Diabetes
Insulin
Short-acting |
Regular insulin, clear solution. Rapid
onset and duration of a few hours. It is taken before meals for its
immediate effects. |
| Porcine Insulin |
Diabetes
Insulin
Short-acting |
Regular insulin, clear solution. Rapid
onset and duration of a few hours. It is taken before meals for its
immediate effects. |
| Acetohexamide |
Diabetes
Sulfonylurea |
Relatively long-acting. |
| Chlorpropamide |
Diabetes
Sulfonylurea |
Very long-acting. |
| Glipizide |
Diabetes
Sulfonylurea |
"Second-generation" sulfonylurea. |
| Glyburide |
Diabetes
Sulfonylurea |
"Second-generation" sulfonylurea. More
potent ad fewer side-effects. Short half-life, yet it has a long action
of about 24 hrs.
Contraindicated in hepatic or renal impairment. |
| Tolazamide |
Diabetes
Sulfonylurea |
Relatively long-acting. |
| Tolbutamide |
Diabetes
Sulfonylurea |
Relatively long-acting. |
| Carbidopa |
Dopamine Antagonist, Indirect
Dopamine-Decarboxylase Inhibitor |
Prevents the formation of Dopamine. |
| Paramethasone |
Glucocorticoid
Intermediate-acting |
No salt-retaining activity. |
| Triamcinolone |
Glucocorticoid
Intermediate-acting |
No salt-retaining activity. |
| Betamethasone |
Glucocorticoid
Long-acting |
Very potent. No salt-retaining
activity. |
|
| Dexamethasone |
Glucocorticoid
Long-acting |
Very potent. No salt-retaining
activity. |
| Cortisone |
Glucocorticoid
Short-acting |
Some salt-retaining activity (i.e.
Aldosterone cross-reactivity) |
| Hydrocortisone (same as endogenous
Cortisol) |
Glucocorticoid
Short-acting |
|
| Meprednisone |
Glucocorticoid
Short-acting |
Some salt-retaining activity (i.e.
Aldosterone cross-reactivity) |
| Methylpre dnisolone |
Glucocorticoid
Short-acting |
Some salt-retaining activity (aldosterone
cross-reactivity) |
| Prednisolone |
Glucocorticoid
Short-acting |
Some salt-retaining activity (aldosterone
cross-reactivity) |
| Prednisone |
Glucocorticoid
Short-acting |
Some salt-retaining activity (aldosterone
cross-reactivity) |
| Cosyntropin (Adrenal-Corticotropin Hormone
(ACTH)) |
Hormone
ACTH |
Used Diagnostically to evaluate
adrenal insufficiency. If Cortisol does not respond to
exogenous ACTH, then the problem is primary. |
| Metyrapone |
Hormone
Anti-Cortisol |
Inhibits 11beta-Dehydroxylase,
the final step in the formation of Cortisol, thus preventing formation
of Cortisol.
Used diagnostically to confirm secondary adrenal
insufficiency. Give Metyrapone, and look for increase in ACTH
levels. No increase in ACTH indicates secondary adrenal insufficiency. |
| Clomiphene |
Hormone
Anti-Estrogen |
It is used to stimulate ovulation, but the
mechanism is not completely understood. Proposed mech: blocks estrogen
effects on hypothalamus ------> promote GnRH ------> promotes
ovulation. |
| Tamoxifen |
Hormone
Anti-Estrogen |
Used to treat breast cancer. Antagonizes
the action of estrogen on breast tissue. |
| Iodide, I- |
Hormone
Anti-Thyroid |
Exogenous I- temporarily
(short-term) inhibits the proteolysis of thyroglobulin, preventing
release of T4. Used to treat acute thyroid storm.
Also used before surgery, to make the Thyroid smaller and more firm. |
| Radio-Iodine, 131I |
Hormone
Anti-Thyroid |
Used to treat hyperthyroidism. The 131I
gets concentrated in the Thyroid, where it diffusely kills thyroid
cells.
Ultimately it will lead to hypothyroidism, which can then be treated
with T4. |
| Perchlorate (ClO4-) |
Hormone
Anti-Thyroid
Ionic Inhibitor |
Inhibits uptake of iodide into the Thyroid.
In large doses, this drug causes aplastic anemia. Only use in small
doses. |
| Thiocyanate (SCN-) |
Hormone
Anti-Thyroid
Ionic Inhibitor |
Inhibits uptake of iodide into the Thyroid. |
| Carbimazole |
Hormone
Anti-Thyroid
Thionamide |
Inhibits organification (iodination) steps
of Thyroid synthesis. Therapeutic effect is delayed. |
| Methimazole |
Hormone
Anti-Thyroid
Thionamide |
Inhibits organification (iodination) steps
of Thyroid synthesis. Therapeutic effect is delayed.
This is the metabolic by-product of Carbimazole. |
| Propylthiouracil |
Hormone
Anti-Thyroid
Thionamide |
Inhibits organification (iodination) steps
of Thyroid synthesis. Therapeutic effect is delayed.
Also inhibits peripheral conversion of T4 to T3. |
| Calcimar |
Hormone
Calcium-regulation |
Calcitonin obtained from salmon. |
| Calcitriol (Vitamin-D) |
Hormone
Calcium-regulation |
Used to treat Rickets, Hypoparathyroidism,
Osteomalacia. |
| Cibacalcin (Calcitonin) |
Hormone
Calcium-regulation |
Used to help treat hyperparathyroidism,
hypercalcemia, and Paget's Disease (characterized by increased skeletal
remodeling). |
| Dihydrota chysterol |
Hormone
Calcium-regulation |
Vitamin-D analogue. More effective than
Vit-D because it bypasses renal mechanisms of metabolic control. |
| Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) |
Hormone
Calcium-regulation |
Used diagnostically to diagnose pseudo
hypothyroidism, a disorder characterized by insensitivity to PTH. |
| Corticotropin Releasing Hormone (CRH) |
Hormone
CRH |
|
| Estradiol, Estrone |
Hormone
Estrogen |
Mixture of equine natural estrogens are
used in post-menopausal hormone replacement therapy.
The equine estrogen has one extra double-bond and is hence called a
"conjugated estrogen." |
| Urofollitropin |
Hormone
FSH |
Natural FSH extracted from urine. Used to
treat infertility. |
| Somatrem (Growth Hormone, GH, Somatomedin) |
Hormone
GH |
Given as replacement therapy, only to
children with open epiphyses. Contraindicated in people with closed
epiphyses.
Biosynthetic, identical to endogenous GH |
| Sermatorelin (Growth-Hormone Releasing
Hormone, GHRH) |
Hormone
GHRH |
Given diagnostically, to diagnose primary
(pituitary) or secondary (hypothalamic) GH deficiency (Dwarfism) |
| Gonadorelin (Gonadotropin-Releasing
Hormone, GnRH) |
Hormone
GnRH |
Very short half-life of 4 minutes. Can be
given intranasally, IV, or SQ. Pulsatile administrated every 3 or 4 hrs.
Used to treat hypogonadism in men or women, delayed puberty, and
cryptorchidism. |
| Leuprolide |
Hormone
GnRH Analogue |
Longer half-life of about 3 hrs. Can be
given in pulsatile fashion, or continuously.
Continuous administration: used to slow down precocious puberty, or
used to supress endogenous GnRH release in in-vitro fertilization. |
| Nafarelin |
Hormone
GnRH Analogue |
Longer half-life of about 3-hrs. |
| Human Menopausal Gonadotropins (hMG) |
Hormone
Menotropin |
Partially degraded mixture of both FSH + LH.
They still retain some FSH + LH activity. Administered IM to promote
follicular growth, treat infertility.
Can be used to treat infertility in both men and women. |
| Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) |
Hormone
Menotropin |
Obtained from urine of pregnant women.
Closely related to LH. Given IM at mid-cycle (or whenever follicle is
adequate developed) to mimic the luteal surge, to try to induce
ovulation and treat infertility. |
| Oxytocin |
Hormone
Oxytocin |
Given IV to induce labor in mild eclampsia
or incomplete abortion. Given IM to control post-partum bleeding. Given
intranasally as needed to induce lactation. |
| Prolactin |
Hormone
Prolactin |
No therapeutic use. |
| Bromocriptine |
Hormone
Prolactin Antagonist
Dopamine Agonist |
Dopamine agonist ------> suppress Prolactin.
Used to treat hyperprolactinemia. |
| Thyroxine (T4) |
Hormone
Thyroxine |
Given orally to treat hypothyroidism. T4
is given -- not T3, which is too potent and has cardiotoxic
side-effects. |
| Protirelin (Thyrotropin-Releasing
Hormone, TRH) |
Hormone
TRH |
Used diagnostically to distinguish between
primary and secondary hypothyroidism. |
| Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) |
Hormone
TSH |
Used to promote uptake of radioactive
131I, to treat Thyroid carcinoma. Derived from bovine pituitaries. |
| Vasopressin (ADH) |
Hormone
Vasopressin |
Used to treat Diabetes Insipidus.
Administered IV, IM, intranasally.
V1 Receptors: Vascular vasoconstriction. V2
Receptors: Tubular reabsorption of water. |
| Desmopressin |
Hormone
Vasopressin Analogue |
Synthetic Vasopressin analogue.
Longer-acting then Vasopressin. |
| Desoxycor ticosterone acetate |
Mineralocorticoid |
|
| Fludrocortisone |
Mineralocorticoid |
Used to replace Aldosterone activity in
cases of adrenal insufficiency. |
