What is pharmacology Flashcards
Regular Study
Origins of the word Pharmacology
Ancient greek “pharmakon” for poison and remedy
define Pharmacology
The science of drugs including their
origin, composition, pharmacokinetics,
therapeutic use, and toxicology
distinction between drug vs medicine
- medicine aims to provide beneficial effect
- medicines are carefully processed, regulated
- drug can have positive or negative effects
- illicit drugs are not carefully produced
sources of drugs
Synthetically and naturally
examples of drugs derived synthetically
Name 3 drugs derived naturally
Willow Tree (Salicylates)
- Asprin
Belladonna
- Atropine
Sweet Wormwood
- Artesunate
principles of nomenclature
1) Chemical name - chemical structure, complex
2) Generic name - simplified drug names, roots and ends that translate into origins and purposes
3) Brand name - Proprietary, Trade names, Invented by the marketing division of
drug companies
the drug development process
Traditionally: trial and error, serendipity
Modern: rational drug design, development pipeline, Randomised controlled trials, commercialisation
Ancient pharmacology
- Ebers papyrus lisits extensive pharmacopia of ancient egypt
-sushruta samhita earliest documentation of medical substances - Shennong ben cao zing han dynasty documented prescriptions
- De matria medica from 1st century BC
Classic Drug Targets
- enzymes
- receptors
- ion channels
- carriers molecules
The therapeutic index
A ratio of the blood
concentration at which a drug causes death (in animal studies) or toxicity (in human studies) to the amount that causes a therapeutic effect
Indicated by TD50-ED50
Pharmacodynamics
What the drug does to the body
Risk benefit analysis
all drugs have side effects
- the benefit must outweigh the risk and side effects of the drug
Pharmacokentics
What the body does to the
drug
ADME
Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion
