prodrug

American

[proh-druhg] / ˈproʊˌdrʌg /

noun

Pharmacology.

an inactive substance that is converted to a drug within the body by the action of enzymes or other chemicals.

prodrug British

/ ˈprəʊˌdrʌɡ /

noun

a compound that is itself biologically inactive but is metabolized in the body to produce an active therapeutic drug

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of prodrug

pro- ¹ + drug ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It is a so-called prodrug, a substance that needs to be enzymatically activated in the bacterium to kill it.

From Science Daily • Jan. 4, 2024

Therefore, the discovered molecules act as prodrug boosters, providing another alternative approach to the development of conventional antibiotics.

From Science Daily • Jan. 4, 2024

The research team designed a novel photoactivatable prodrug nanosystem.

From Science Daily • Dec. 5, 2023

The FA prodrug itself probably will not be pursued as a candidate drug to fight Pseudomonas infections, Geddes said.

From Science Daily • Nov. 22, 2023

Fifty-two carefully selected and trained frontline officers are teaching students to say no to drugs, build their self-esteem, manage stress, resist prodrug media messages, and develop other skills to keep them drug free.

From What Works: Schools Without Drugs by Education, United States Department of

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023