The main relationship between chemistry and medicine is given by the composition of matter. Medicine investigates chemical reactions in the body in order to prevent, cure or mitigate diseases.
Chemistry studies the components of matter, which favors the understanding of the functioning of the human organism. In this way it is possible to learn how each organ works and find solutions to possible problems that may appear.
It is also noteworthy that any drug is based on the chemical reactions produced by the substances with which it is created.
The human body is made up of the same components that appear in the rest of matter, and these components are the object of study of chemistry.
In a way this science stems from the attempts of ancient alchemists to understand the human body and try to heal it.
How is chemistry related to medicine?
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The organs that make up the human body function as small chemical laboratories.
Cells, which are the primordial particles in all living organisms, are the scene of numerous processes: from the creation of proteins to cellular respiration.
Virtually every process that takes place in the human body is caused by different chemical reactions.
For all this, it is not surprising that advances in chemistry have contributed to a better understanding of human physiology and allowed to discover cures for different diseases.
For example, it would not have been possible to develop insulin for diabetics without an understanding of the chemistry that causes this disease.
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The clearest relationship between medicine and chemistry at first glance is reflected in pharmacology. This is dedicated to the research and development of drugs that will help heal diseases that humans can suffer.
All of these drugs have a chemical basis. According to some experts, the development of these substances has meant that human life expectancy has increased by 15 years in recent decades, so much so that the classic definition of drugs states that they are chemical substances dedicated to curing or preventing diseases.
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Also in prevention there is an undeniable relationship between both subjects. In medicine it is often said that prevention is better than cure, since chemists have collaborated in a remarkable way.
An example of this is hygiene. The creation of soaps and other disinfectant substances has saved millions of lives.
There are other chemical creations that have also been beneficial, such as substances to make water drinkable or to prevent insect bites that can spread serious diseases.
The same goes for vaccines. One of the greatest breakthroughs in history was understanding how small doses of a disease-causing substance caused the body to create antibodies through a chemical reaction, which can fight the disease.
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The relationships between chemistry and medicine continue to develop. The next joint step is being taken in gene research.
Genetic engineering could not exist were it not for the knowledge acquired about the chemistry of the human body. To modify the genome you need this knowledge.
Although today this branch of science is still in its infancy, it is hoped that thanks to it, now incurable diseases such as Alzheimer's can be cured. To achieve this, you must understand the cause and then try to avoid it; all of that is chemistry.
References
- Fedequim. Chemistry and Health. Obtained from fedequim.es
- National Institute of General Medical Sciences. Chemistry for a Healthier World. Retrieved from publications.nigms.nih.gov
- Walsh, Christopher T. At the intersection of Chemistry, Biology and Medicine. (January 11, 2017). Recovered from annualreviews.org
- Peruvian Society of Pneumology. Pharmacology and Medicine. Obtained from sisbib.unmsm.edu.pe
- Watkins, John; Marsh, Andrew; Taylor, Paul; Singer, Donald. Personalized Medicine: the impact of chemistry. Recovered from warwick.ac.uk