Biological activity

From WikiMD.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Biological activity

Biological activity (pronunciation: /baɪəˈlɒdʒɪkəl ækˈtɪvɪti/) refers to the specific effects that a substance has on living organisms, cells, or processes.

Etymology

The term "biological activity" is derived from the Greek words "bios" meaning "life" and "logos" meaning "study", combined with the English word "activity" which originates from the Latin "activus", meaning "active or engaged".

Definition

Biological activity is the effect of a substance on a living organism, tissue, or cell. This can include effects on metabolic processes, cell division, or interactions with receptors in the body. The substance causing the effect can be a drug, a toxin, a hormone, or any other chemical that can interact with the organism's biological processes.

Related Terms

  • Pharmacodynamics: The study of the biochemical and physiological effects of drugs and their mechanisms of action.
  • Pharmacokinetics: The study of how an organism affects a drug, including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.
  • Bioavailability: The proportion of a drug or other substance which enters the circulation when introduced into the body and so is able to have an active effect.
  • Agonist: A substance which initiates a physiological response when combined with a receptor.
  • Antagonist: A substance that interferes with or inhibits the physiological action of another.

See Also

External links

Esculaap.svg

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.


Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski