> On the other hand, how many times have you heard "works by binding to the same active site as <something the body produces>"? It'd be cool if we could get the body to produce more of that something.
Note that binding to the same active site as something the body produces is also a strategy for imagining that you produce less of that thing. There's "binding to the same active site [and triggering it]" and there's "binding to the same active site [and plugging it]".
As to how often this strategy is used... what other strategies are there? You produce the effect you want by triggering it to occur. You inhibit the effect you don't want by blocking it from occurring.
You could think of something like a lactase supplement to help you digest milk, and that wouldn't be binding to active sites of your own molecules, but it still works by binding to particular sites on the lactose. Chemicals have their effects through chemical reactions.
> Note that binding to the same active site as something
> the body produces is also a strategy for imagining that you
> produce less of that thing. There's "binding to the
> same active site [and triggering it]" and there's "binding to
> the same active site [and plugging it]".
This is how caffeine works. Broadly, it binds to the adenocine receptors and prevents the adenocine from binding. Adenocine makes us tired (less alert) and caffeine inhibits that process.
Note that binding to the same active site as something the body produces is also a strategy for imagining that you produce less of that thing. There's "binding to the same active site [and triggering it]" and there's "binding to the same active site [and plugging it]".
As to how often this strategy is used... what other strategies are there? You produce the effect you want by triggering it to occur. You inhibit the effect you don't want by blocking it from occurring.
You could think of something like a lactase supplement to help you digest milk, and that wouldn't be binding to active sites of your own molecules, but it still works by binding to particular sites on the lactose. Chemicals have their effects through chemical reactions.