| adsorption | 1. <chemistry> The accumulation or concentration of molecules of a gas or liquid on a surface in contact with the gas or liquid, resulting in a relatively high concentration of the gas or solution at the surface. Note that the accumulating molecules do not actually penetrate the substance they are on. Compare: absorption. 2. <virology> The adhesion of a substance to an organic particle in a solution, for example the adhesion of a virus to a cell. Origin: L. Sorbere = to suck (10 May 1997) |
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| adsorption chromatography | Chromatography in which separation of substances is achieved by the difference in degree of adsorption of the compounds to a stationary phase. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adsorption fermentation | <microbiology> (extractive fermentation) A fermentation technique in which products of the fermentation are removed from the broth by adsorption onto materials such as carbon or polymers. Generally, the preferred method of doing this is to circulate the fermenting broth through the adsorbent substrate, because the fermentation products are often toxic to the microbes. (06 May 1997) |
| adsorption theory of narcosis | That a drug becomes concentrated at the surface of the cell as a result of adsorption, and thus alters permeability and metabolism. (05 Mar 2000) |
| immune adsorption | Removal of antibody (agglutinin or precipitin) from antiserum by use of specific antigen; after aggregation has occurred, the antigen-antibody complex is separated either by centrifugation or by filtration, removal of antigen by specific antiserum in a similar manner. (05 Mar 2000) |
| drug-drug interaction | The effects that occur when two or more drugs are used together. Such effects include changes of absorption in the digestive tract, changes in rate of the drugs' breakdown in the liver, new or enhanced side effects and changes in the drugs' activity. (09 Oct 1997) |
| abnormalities, drug-induced | Congenital abnormalities caused by medicinal substances or drugs of abuse given to or taken by the mother, or to which she is inadvertently exposed during the manufacture of such substances. The concept excludes abnormalities resulting from exposure to non-medicinal chemicals in the environment. (12 Dec 1998) |
| activity, drug | A measure of the physiological response a drug produces in the body. A less active drug produces less response (and visa versa). (12 Dec 1998) |
| addictive drug | Any drug that creates a certain degree of euphoria and has a strong potential for addiction. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adverse drug reaction reporting systems | Systems developed for collecting reports from government agencies, manufacturers, hospitals, physicians, and other sources on adverse drug reactions. (12 Dec 1998) |
| akathisia, drug-induced | Motor restlessness with sensations of quivering and an urge to move about constantly resulting from the use of certain drugs, such as neuroleptic drugs, which affect the extrapyramidal region of the brain. This differs from dyskinesia, drug-induced in that long-term antipsychotic drug exposure is significantly correlated with the increased prevalence of akathisia while there is no such correlation with dyskinesia. The primary observable distinction between tardive akathisia and dyskinesia appears to be in the repetitive, stereotypy of the dyskinesic movements (lip smacking, for example), while akathisia is associated with anxiety, restlessness, and agitation (psychomotor agitation). (12 Dec 1998) |
| antineoplastic drug | A drug that stops or slows the maturation and spread of tumour cells (benign or malignant). (09 Oct 1997) |
| maintenance drug therapy | In chemotherapy, systematic dosage at a level that maintains protection against exacerbation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| rational drug design | <pharmacology> Modeling the molecular structure of the target of a drug, for example, an antigen, and then designing a drug that will attack it. (17 Dec 1997) |
| receptors, drug | Proteins that bind specific drugs with high affinity and trigger intracellular changes influencing the behaviour of cells. Drug receptors are generally thought to be receptors for some endogenous substance not otherwise specified. (12 Dec 1998) |