Top Pharma Exam Interview Questions & Answers:

1. What types of chemotherapeutic agents affect nucleic acid metabolism?

Rifampin (DNA dependent RNA polymerase)

Fluoroquinolones - Ciprofloxacin

2. What types of antibacterial agents affect the function of bacterial ribosomes to inhibit protein synthesis, and are bacteriocidal?

Streptomycin

3. What types of antibacterial agents affect the function of bacterial ribosomes to inhibit protein synthesis, and are bacteriostatic?

Chloramphenicol
Tetracyclines

4. What type of chemotherapeutic agents act directly on the cell membrane?

Polyeene Antifungal Agents:
Nystatin
Amphotericin B

5. What type of chemotherapeutic agents inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis?

Penicillin
Cephalosporins
Vancomycin
Bacitracin
Cycloserine

6. How are chemotherapeutic agents classified?

According to their Mechanism of Action

7. What drug was discovered in 1936 and began the modern era of chemotherapy?

Sulfanilamide

8. What type of chemotherapy stems from the concept that substances derived from one living thing may serve to kill other living things?

Antibiotic Chemotherapy

9. What is the ratio of toxic dose:effective dose?

Therapeutic Index

10. What is a chemical selective destruction of invading organisms?

Chemotherapy

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11. What chemotherapeutic agent can be either bacteriocidal or bacteriostatic depending on the environment?

Sulfonamides

12. What generally happens when you combine two bacteriostatic agents?

Produce an Additive effect

13. What generally happens when you combine 1 bacteriocidal and 1 bacteriostatic agent?

Generally results in antagonism

14. What generally happens when you add two bacteriocidal agents?

Generally results in a synergistic effect.

15. When is a microorganism said to be resistant?

When the concentration of the drug required to weaken or kill the microorganism is greater than can be tolerated by the host.

16. What type of resistance occurs in the absence of selective pressure?

De Novo (Intrinsic) Resistance

17. What are six mechanisms of resistance from chemotherapeutic agents?

1) Absence of Target (Ergosterol's absent)

2) Alterations in Target (Pen. Binding Protein Alterations)

3) Low concentration at target (Interference with membrane passage)

4) Lack of metabolic activation (Antifungal Flucytosine -> Fluorouracil)

5) Inactivation (Penicillinases)

6) Escape from Effect (Alternate Metabolic Pathways)

18. What condition must be considered when prescribing sulfonamides and chloramphenicol?

Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency (May produce Hemolysis)

19. What antibiotic produces hearing loss in newborn when taken during pregnancy?

Streptomycin

20. Where are sulfonamides absorbed?

Gut

21. How is resistance to sulfonamides presented?

Increased synthesis of PABA

Alterations in enzyme that utilizes PABA

Increased capacity to destroy or inactive the drug

Development of an alternative metabolic pathway for synthesis of essential metabolites

22. Which drug inhibits dihydrofolate reductase and prevents the transformation of dihydrofolate to tetrahydrofolate?

Trimethoprim

23. How do sulfonamides not interfere with host metabolism?

Mammalian cells use preformed folic acid.

24. What are sulfonamides often used in combination with?

Trimethoprin

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25. What is the mechanism of action of sulfonamides?

They are structural analogs and competitive antagonists of PABA (Para-Aminobenzoic Acid)