Definition of rational drug design

[suskieanna]

Hello if I get a question in the final exam that asks for the definition of the rational drug design, I am considering to write
rational drug design is
identifying the molecular cause of the disease that doesn't affect other system or specific to the disease and designing a drug that competitively inhibit the molecule.

Do you think it is okay to specifically say that the drug competitively inhibit the molecule? Or for the rational design, can the drug can also alter the molecule's active site by binding to the allosteric site?

[darkz]

Hello if I get a question in the final exam that asks for the definition of the rational drug design, I am considering to write
rational drug design is
identifying the molecular cause of the disease that doesn't affect other system or specific to the disease and designing a drug that competitively inhibit the molecule.

Do you think it is okay to specifically say that the drug competitively inhibit the molecule? Or for the rational design, can the drug can also alter the molecule's active site by binding to the allosteric site?

I'm pretty sure it can also bind to an allosteric site, so I'd suggest just using the definition on the 2017 Exam

    - identify the molecular cause of a disease/disorder, does not affect any other system or is specific to disease/disorder
    - design of a medication (drug) that uses a complementary shape of the molecule to stop a reaction or that binds to the active site/receptor

[suskieanna]

I'm pretty sure it can also bind to an allosteric site, so I'd suggest just using the definition on the 2017 Exam

    - identify the molecular cause of a disease/disorder, does not affect any other system or is specific to disease/disorder
    - design of a medication (drug) that uses a complementary shape of the molecule to stop a reaction or that binds to the active site/receptor

the answer is saying that the drug is complementary shape of the molecule or binds to the active site. Do you think this information can be simplified down into competitive inhibition of the molecule?

[Bri MT]

the answer is saying that the drug is complementary shape of the molecule or binds to the active site. Do you think this information can be simplified down into competitive inhibition of the molecule?

No, because having a complementary shape can be for purposes other than to competitively inhibit

[vox nihili]

No, because having a complementary shape can be for purposes other than to competitively inhibit

I second this point. Plenty of drugs bind to receptors to activate them, not inhibit them. Take Ventolin (salbutamol) for example—it binds to adrenoceptors to activate them so that they open up your lungs!