Mechanism of action

In pharmacology, the term mechanism of action (MOA) refers to the specific biochemical interaction through which a drug substance produces its pharmacological effect. A mechanism of action usually includes mention of the specific molecular targets to which the drug binds, such as an enzyme or receptor.

For example, the mechanism of action of aspirin involves irreversible inhibition of the enzyme cyclooxygenase, therefore suppressing the production of prostaglandins and thromboxanes, thereby reducing pain and inflammation.

See also

• Pharmacodynamics

This pharmacology-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.v · Categories: Pharmacology Medicinal chemistry Pharmacology stubs Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат? Bristol and Exeter Railway Canada Pension Plan / Old Age Security Review Tribunals Look at other dictionaries: mechanism of action — mech an*ism of ac tion, n. (Medicine, Biochemistry) The mechanism[2] by which a pharmacologically active substance produces an effect on a living organism or in a biochemical system; as, the mechanism of action of actinomycin involves its binding …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English Mechanism of action of aspirin — 3D model of chemical structure of aspirin Aspirin causes several different effects in the body, mainly the reduction of inflammation, analgesia (relief of pain), the prevention of clotting, and the reduction of fever. Much of this is believed to… …   Wikipedia Action selection — is a way of characterizing the most basic problem of intelligent systems: what to do next. In artificial intelligence and computational cognitive science, the action selection problem is typically associated with intelligent agents and animats… …   Wikipedia Mechanism — may refer to: Mechanism (engineering), rigid bodies connected by joints in order to accomplish a desired force and/or motion transmission Mechanism (biology), explaining how a feature is created Mechanism (philosophy), a theory that all natural… …   Wikipedia Mechanism — • There is no constant meaning in the history of philosophy for the word Mechanism. Originally, the term meant that cosmological theory which ascribes the motion and changes of the world to some external force Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight …   Catholic encyclopedia Mechanism (philosophy) — Mechanism is the belief that natural wholes (principally living things) are like machines or artifacts, composed of parts lacking any intrinsic relationship to each other, and with their order imposed from without. Thus, the source of an apparent …   Wikipedia Action — may refer to:Music and culture* Action (philosophy), something a person can do * Action (music), a characteristic of a stringed instrument * Action (album), a 2004 album by Punchline * Action (B z album), a 2007 album by B z * Action (piano), the …   Wikipedia Mechanism — Mech an*ism, n. [Cf. F. m[ e]canisme, L. mechanisma. See {Mechanic}.] 1. The arrangement or relation of the parts of a machine; the parts of a machine, taken collectively; the arrangement or relation of the parts of anything as adapted to produce …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English Action research — is a reflective process of progressive problem solving led by individuals working with others in teams or as part of a community of practice to improve the way they address issues and solve problems. Action research can also be undertaken by… …   Wikipedia Action — Ac tion, n. [OF. action, L. actio, fr. agere to do. See {Act}.] 1. A process or condition of acting or moving, as opposed to rest; the doing of something; exertion of power or force, as when one body acts on another; the effect of power exerted… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”