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Raffa 2010 Bull Hist Chem

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Raffa RB, Tallarida RJ (2010) ‘Affinity’: historical development in chemistry and pharmacology. Bull Hist Chem 35:7-16.

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Raffa RB, Tallarida RJ (2010) Bull Hist Chem

Abstract: Colloquial use of the term affinity evolved historically from meaning ‘proximity‘ to meaning ‘attraction.’ Scientific use of affinity underwent a similar evolution and as traced in this review further evolved in chemistry and thermodynamics to quantify the driving force of chemical reactions. Pharmacology developed a related, but different definition for affinity. The different fields could continue to define and use affinity in different ways, but confusion might arise as thermodynamics is increasingly used in practical applications in drug-discovery (5, 45). Recognition of the differences and some type of unification would seem worthwhile.

Bioblast editor: Gnaiger E

Some citations

* Affinity
* Force

Affinity: from proximity to (mutual) attraction

  • From the derivation of the word from the Latin, it can be seen that affinity originally referred to the proximity of two things.
Affinity [L. affinitas, from affinis, adjacent, related by marriage (as opposed to related by blood, consanguinity); ad, to, and finis, end]
This use is purely descriptive in that it refers to a situation that already exists, i.e., the marriage has taken place already. No predisposing or mechanistic explanation was explicit––that is, although the state of being ‘related by marriage’ is recognized as being attributable to emotional or social driving forces, the final state (the marriage) is not the same as what led to the marriage (the emotional and/or social driving forces). More modern use of the word denotes a mutual attraction, as, there is an affinity between them, or, they have affinity for each other. This is an important distinction that also underlies the divergence of definitions in the scientific use of the word. Note the subtle transition from the adjacency itself (the marriage) to the explanation of why they remain adjacent (viz., the affinity between them) and a second subtle transition towards why they became adjacent (viz., the affinity drew them together, as if it were a force). - (p 7)
  • The use of the term affinity in chemistry appears to have followed a similar transition. - (p 9)