Prodrugs: Smart Drug Design for Better Therapy(Medicinal Pharmaceutical Chemistry | B.Pharm Semester 4)
🌟 Introduction Have you ever wondered 🤔 👉 Why some drugs are modified before being given to patients? 👉 Why a drug is inactive at first but becomes active inside the body? The answer is PRODRUGS — one of the most interesting and scoring topics in Medicinal Chemistry. 🧠 What is a Prodrug? (Easy Definition) A prodrug is a pharmacologically inactive or less active compound that is converted into an active drug inside the body through metabolic processes. 📌 Exam-friendly line: Prodrugs are inactive derivatives designed to improve the pharmacokinetic properties of active drugs. 🎯 Why Are Prodrugs Used? Prodrugs are designed to overcome problems like: ✔ Poor absorption ✔ Low bioavailability ✔ High toxicity ✔ Bad taste or irritation ✔ Short duration of action 👉 Simply put: Better drug delivery + better patient compliance 🔬 Types of Prodrugs (Very Important for Exams) 1️⃣ Carrier-linked Prodrugs Drug + carrier molecule Cleaved by enzymes Example: 👉 Aspirin → Salicylic acid 2️⃣ B...