Welcome to Rosam Franklin University College of Pharmacy Top 200 Drugs podcast.

This podcast is produced by the pharmacy faculty members to supplement study material for students learning the top 200 drugs.

We're hoping that our real-life clinical pearls and discussions from practicing pharmacists

will help you study for your next drug quiz.

And now on to the show.

Welcome to week nine of Rosalind Franklin University's Top 200 Dr.

Podcast, Spring Edition. I'm your co-host dr. Kane I'm

Dr. Weatherton I'm Dr. Patel and I'm Dr. Mitcher this week we're talking about a number of different

gastrointestinal agents we're going to start with methotrexate or rheumatrex not though

tractsate has an interesting mechanism of action it's kind of the enemy of a certain substance. Is that right?

It's true. So it's kind of the arch rival of folic acid or folate. So the way it works is it binds

to the same enzyme that folate binds to, but instead of doing anything, it just stays bound to that

enzyme and doesn't let it work at all. And I understand that that sort of inhibits DNA production and it keeps immune cells and others

from replicating, is that right?

Yeah, so the enzyme is called dihydropholate reductase.

And it's responsible for a lot of things in the body, but the main thing is maintenance

and replication of DNA, which is kind of important for cells.

So what are we going to use this medication for, Dr. Wetherton?

It's got a lot of uses. It's got some uses in inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis.

Also less commonly in certain cancers, but its real claim to fame is in rheumatoid arthritis,

where it's very handy in the treatment.

So I guess the brand name rheumatrux makes sense.

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