Pharm.D. Doctor of Pharmacy Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Design

Question 1

Which functional group is primarily responsible for the acidic properties of aspirin?

Accepted Answer

Carboxylic acid group

Answer

The carboxylic acid (–COOH) group in aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is responsible for its acidic properties and contributes to gastric irritation.

Question 2

In prodrug design, the active drug is released after:

Accepted Answer

Metabolic or chemical conversion in the body

Answer

Prodrugs are pharmacologically inactive compounds that undergo metabolic or chemical biotransformation to release the active drug in the body.

Question 3

Which stereochemical concept explains why (R)- and (S)-ibuprofen differ in pharmacological activity?

Accepted Answer

Chirality and enantioselectivity

Answer

Chirality results in enantiomers that interact differently with stereospecific biological targets; S-ibuprofen is the active form that inhibits COX enzymes.

Question 4

What does structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies primarily determine?

Accepted Answer

How chemical structure modifications affect pharmacological activity

Answer

SAR studies examine how changes in a molecule's chemical structure affect its biological activity, guiding medicinal chemists in optimizing drug candidates.

Question 5

Which principle in drug design states that increasing lipophilicity generally improves CNS penetration?

Accepted Answer

Lipinski's Rule of Five

Answer

Lipinski's Rule of Five guides oral drug design by defining physicochemical properties for good bioavailability, and lipophilicity (logP) is a key factor in CNS penetration.

Pharm.D. Doctor of Pharmacy Practice Test

Pharm.D. Doctor of Pharmacy Practice Test

Pharm.D. Doctor of Pharmacy Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Design