A mode of action (MoA) describes a functional or anatomical change, resulting from the exposure of a living organism to a substance.
In comparison, a
mechanism of action
In pharmacology, the term mechanism of action (MOA) refers to the specific biochemical interaction through which a drug substance produces its pharmacological effect. A mechanism of action usually includes mention of the specific molecular targ ...
(MOA) describes such changes at the molecular level.
A mode of action is important in classifying chemicals, as it represents an intermediate level of complexity in between molecular mechanisms and physiological outcomes, especially when the exact molecular target has not yet been elucidated or is subject to debate. A mechanism of action of a chemical could be "binding to DNA" while its broader mode of action would be "transcriptional regulation". However, there is no clear consensus and the term mode of action is also often used, especially in the study of
pesticides
Pesticides are substances that are meant to control pests. This includes herbicide, insecticide, nematicide, molluscicide, piscicide, avicide, rodenticide, bactericide, insect repellent, animal repellent, microbicide, fungicide, and lampric ...
, to describe molecular mechanisms such as action on specific
nuclear receptors
In the field of molecular biology, nuclear receptors are a class of proteins responsible for sensing steroids, thyroid hormones, vitamins, and certain other molecules. These receptors work with other proteins to regulate the expression of specif ...
or
enzymes
Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrate (chemistry), substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecule ...
.
Disinfectants
A disinfectant is a chemical substance or compound used to inactivate or destroy microorganisms on inert surfaces. Disinfection does not necessarily kill all microorganisms, especially resistant bacterial spores; it is less effective than st ...
are commonly used in order to eliminate microorganisms.
The effectiveness of a disinfectant is dependent on both the chemical composition of the product as well as the contact time between the microorganism and the disinfectant. There are two main modes of action for disinfectants: growth inhibition and lethal action. In terms of mode of action, disinfectants can act on external bacterial membranes, cytoplasmic membranes, nuclei, and spores. The most common type of disinfectant is chlorine, which acts by inhibiting respiratory enzymes in bacteria. Hydrogen peroxide is another popular disinfectant that works by causing oxidative stress in cells. Quaternary ammonium compounds are often used as surface disinfectants since they can kill a variety of microorganisms including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Phenolic compounds are also effective against a wide range of microorganisms; however, they are corrosive and can cause damage to surfaces. In general, it is important to select a disinfectant that is effective against the specific type of microorganism present as well as taking into account the potential for damage to surfaces.
See also
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Mechanism of action
In pharmacology, the term mechanism of action (MOA) refers to the specific biochemical interaction through which a drug substance produces its pharmacological effect. A mechanism of action usually includes mention of the specific molecular targ ...
in
pharmaceutical
A medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy (pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the medical field and re ...
s
*
Adverse outcome pathway An adverse outcome pathway (AOP) is structured representation of biological events leading to adverse effects and is considered relevant to risk assessment. The AOP links in a linear way existing knowledge along one or more series of causally conne ...
References
Pharmacodynamics
Medicinal chemistry
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