The main relationship between chemistry and medicine is given by the composition of matter. The medicine investigates the chemical reactions in the organism in order to prevent, cure or mitigate the 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 look for solutions to possible problems that may appear.
It is also remarkable that any medicine is based on the chemical reactions that produce the substances with which it is created.
The human body is formed by the same components that appear in the rest of the matter, and these components are the object of study of chemistry. In a way, this science is born of the attempts of the ancient alchemists to understand the human body and try to heal it.
How is chemistry related to medicine?
1- Understanding of body functioning
The organs that form the human body function as small chemical laboratories.
Cells, which are the primordial particles in all living organisms, are the scene of many processes: from the creation of proteins to cellular respiration. Virtually every process that develops in the human body is triggered by different chemical reactions.
For all this it is not surprising that the advance in chemistry has contributed to a better understanding of human physiology and 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.
2- Pharmacology
The clearest relation to the naked eye between medicine and chemistry is reflected in pharmacology. This is dedicated to the research and development of medicines that will help heal diseases that can be endured by humans.
All these drugs have a chemical basis. According to some experts, the development of these substances has meant that human life expectancy has increased 15 years in the last decades, so much so that the classic definition of the drugs states that they are chemicals dedicated to curing or preventing diseases.
3- Prevention
There is also an undeniable relationship between prevention and prevention. In medicine it is often said that prevention is better than cure, and this has helped the chemists remarkably.
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 potabilize water or to prevent insect stings that can spread serious diseases.
The same goes for vaccines. One of the greatest advances in history was to understand how small doses of the substance causing a disease made the body to create antibodies through a chemical reaction, which allows to combat the disease.
4- The genetic
The relationship between chemistry and medicine continues to develop. The next joint step is taking place in gene research. Genetic engineering could not exist except for the knowledge acquired about the chemistry of the human body. To modify the genome this knowledge is needed.
Although at present this branch of science is still in its infancy, it is hoped that thanks to it can cure curing incurable diseases, such as Alzheimer's. To do this, the cause must be understood and then tried to avoid it; all 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). Retrieved 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. Retrieved from warwick.ac.uk