Nick Mark MD
Nick Mark MD

@nickmmark

5 Tweets 74 reads Apr 18, 2023
Here’s a fun medical puzzle: what does this antidote (Sugammadex) have in common with this cleaning product (Febreze)?
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The answer is the chemical structures for both are cyclodextrins!
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Sugammadex Febreze
Cyclodextrins are rings of glucose molecules linked together by α-1,4 glycosidic bonds.
Depending on the size, these ring can trap other molecules inside it.
For example, a 7 glucose (beta) cyclodextrin called Febreze can trap small odor molecules & neutralize smells.
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Sugammadex reverses neuromuscular blockers like rocuronium by trapping the medication inside the cyclodextrin ring, away from the acetylcholine receptor.
This reverses NMB without cholinergic side effects.
pubs.acs.org
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Anyway, hope you enjoyed the connection between pharmacology & home cleaning.
I thought this structure looked so cool that I made it into a clock!
(Aside: It’s pretty hard to read base 12 time on a clock with 7-fold symmetry)
5/5

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