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Student Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lecture students will be able to:
Define Biochemistry
Objectives of biochemistry
Scope and Importance of biochemistry
Fields of biochemistry
Milestones in history of biochemistry
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 Introduction
 This field combines biology as well as chemistry
to study the chemical structure of a living
organism
 Biochemistry is a basic science which deals with
chemical nature and chemical behaviour of living
matter and with the reactions and processes they
undergo.

“The branch of science dealing with the

study of all the life processes such as
control and coordination within a living
 Biochemistry involves the
study of:
 1. Chemical constituents of living matter.
 2. Chemical changes which occur in the
organism during digestion, absorption and
excretion.
 3. Chemical changes which occur during growth
and multiplication of the organism.
 4. Transformation of one form of chemical
constituent to the other.
 5. Energy changes involved in such
transformation.
History
 The term “Biochemistry” was first introduced by
German chemist Carl Neuberg in 1903 from
Greek word “bios” means “life”.
Scope and Importance of
Biochemistry
Biochemistry deals with the chemical nature,
structure and functions of biomolecules:
 The various biomolecules are carbohydrates,
proteins, lipids, nucleic acids etc.
 Biochemical studies have revealed the
dynamic changes which occur in these
biomolecules.
 The metabolism of these biomolecules is
remarkably the same in almost all organisms.
 Contd…
 Also, biochemistry has revealed the abnormalities in
their metabolism and their relationship to various
diseases.
 Biochemistry has helped to correct these disorders
with dietary modifications or genetic manipulations.
 Estimations of enzymes and other biomolecules helps
in the diagnosis, prognosis, Treatment and
preventive measures of various diseases.
 Biochemistry has ramified into many branches of
science like Medicine, pharmacy, Microbiology,
Agriculture etc.
 The biochemists get into the investigation of
the chemical reactions and combinations which are
involved in various processes like reproduction,
heredity metabolism and growth thus performing
Importance of Biochemistry in
PHARMACY:

 In pharmacy, many drugs are stored for

regular dispensing:
 An idea of the constitution of the drug, its
chances of degradation with varying
temperature, etc.
 How modification in medicinal chemistry helps
improve efficiency, minimize side effects, etc.
 Biochemical drugs to know how long a drug is
stable when kept at so and so temperature.
Contd…
 Required can be estimated by the biochemical
test. For example many enzymes, hormones
are stored for dispensing.
 How drug molecules are metabolized by many
biochemical reactions in the presence of
enzymes.
 This helps to avoid drugs which have a poor
metabolism or those with excessive side
effects from being prescribed or dispensed to
the patient.
 For fix the specific half-life or date of expiry of
drugs.
Fields of Biochemistry
The various fields of biochemistry are:

1. Clinical Biochemistry: It is mainly deals

with the biochemical aspects that are involved
in several conditions.
 The results of qualitative and quantitative
analysis of body fluids assist the clinicians in
the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of
the disease and drug monitoring, tissue
and organ transplantation, forensic
investigations and so on.
Contd…
 Various biological fluids subjected to chemical
tests and assays include blood, plasma, serum,
urine, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), ascetic fluid,
pleural fluid, feces, calculi and tissues.
 Hence, the demarcation of abnormal from normal
constituents of the body is another aim of the
study of clinical biochemistry.
Note: Modern day medical practice is highly
dependent on the laboratory analysis of body
fluids, especially the blood. The disease
manifestations are reflected in the composition of
blood and other tissues.
2.Medical Biochemistry:
 It is perhaps the most rapidly developing
subject in medicine.
 Biochemistry is important to physiology, and
other medical subject. Both physiology and
biochemistry overlap and merge.

 Pathological conditions in the body are

caused by dearranged chemical composition
and functioning of tissues and many of the
problems of pathology occurs from the
chemical point of view.
 Contd…
- The bacteriologist is also concerned with the
chemical changes caused by bacteria in tissues
resulting in various diseased conditions.
- The pharmacologist must know the chemical
aspects of the body since the action of drugs always
involves some alterations in the biochemical events
occurring in the body.
- The physicians too have to acquire knowledge
of biochemical changes of different food stuffs,
hormones and vitamins etc to diagnose a disease
properly for its cure. They have also to depend on
the large number of biochemical tests for treating
diseases.
 3. Molecular Biology:
 It involves a detailed study of nucleic acids (DNA
and RNA) and protein synthesis. It is closely
related to genetics.
- The advent of DNA-recombination
technology, genes can now be transferred from
one person to another, so that many of the
genetically determined diseases are now
amenable to gene therapy.
- Many genes, (e.g. human insulin gene) have
already been transferred to microorganisms for
large scale production of human proteins.
 Contd…
 Advances in genomics like RNA interferences
for silencing of genes and creation of transgenic
animals by gene targeting of embryonic stem
cells are opening up new vistas in therapy of
diseases like cancer and AIDS.

 Note: It is hoped that in future, physician will be

able to treat the patient, understanding his/her
genetic basis, so that very efficient “designer
medicine” could cure the diseases.
4. Nutritional Biochemistry:
 In this field biochemists have researched and
studied the effects of certain food stuffs,
minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, fats and
vitamins, when consumed in excess or in
deficient quantities, on the human body.

 The mechanism of fermentation process

which has been practiced for past many years
was discovered by biochemists only.
Scientists Year Landmark
discoveries
Rouell 1773 Isolated urea from urine

Lavoisier 1785 Oxidation of food stuffs

Wohler 1828 Synthesis of urea

Berzelius 1835 Enzyme catalysis theory

Louis Pasteur 1860 Fermentation process

Edward Buchner 1897 Extracted enzymes

Fiske & Subbarow 1926 Isolated ATP from muscle

Lomann 1932 Creatine phosphate

Hans Krebs 1937 Citric acid cycle