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Introduction to Pharmacy

• Pharmacy is the study and preparation of medicines, providing information to the public.
• The word "pharmacy" originates from the Hindi word "jundani", referring to sandalwood, which was used as a fragrance and medicine.
• It's also known as the science of drugs (pharmacognosy) which has Persian origins.

Definition of Pharmacy

• Pharmacy involves studying the origins (plant, animal, chemical) of medicines.
• It also focuses on the effects of medicines on the body, their mechanisms of action, and usage.
• Dosage and administration methods are essential areas of study.

Pharmacy in the Arab world

• The first pharmacy was established in the 8th century during the reign of Caliph al-Mansur.
• Professionals were assigned to different cities as heads of the pharmacy body.
• Doctors started providing prescriptions, with medications recorded on the prescription itself.
• Approvals for practice were regulated, similar to obtaining doctor's license, with examinations administered by the local authority.
• Caliph al-Mu'tasim standardized the procedures and conducted the first pharmacy exam in 221 AH.
• Notable figures include Abu Baker al-Razi (al-Razes), whose work encompasses medical, pharmaceutical, and chemical knowledge (e.g., "Al-Hawi' (The Comprehensive Book)), and Ibn al-Baitar, a renowned botanist and pharmacologist.

Modern Pharmacy

• Pharmacopeias (official compendiums of medicinal drugs) emerged in the 18th century.
• The number of pharmacopeias reaches 43 in the 18th century with the first one released in 1701 and the latest in 1799.
• Developments in the 19th century lead to the discovery of new medicines like alkaloids, hypnotics, anesthetics, antihypertensives, and expectorants.
• The first Martindale's Reference was published in 1924.

Fundamental Sciences in Pharmacy

• Pharmaceutics: Transforming compounds into safe, effective medicines, including dosage forms (tablets, creams, capsules), preparation, storage, and dispensing.
• Pharmacology: The science of medicines and their chemical structures & effects on the body.
• Pharmacokinetics: The body's impact on medicine, tracking the medicine's journey from ingestion to absorption, metabolism, and removal.
• Pharmacodynamics: The effect of medicine on the body and relationship between the drug's concentration and the observed effects.
• Pharmacogenomics: Examining how genetic variations affect responses to medications, determining medicine efficacy or toxicity.

Important Definitions

• Drug: Raw materials (plant, animal, mineral) used in medicine preparation.
• Types of Drugs: Plant-derived (morphine, digoxin), animal-derived (pepsin, insulin), insect-derived, and microbial/fungal-derived (ergot alkaloids).

Drugs

• Unpleasant forms of drugs necessitate processing, since their concentration in the plants varies according to environmental factors.
• The development of the pharmaceutical industry in early 20th century leads to the design of specialized equipment for medicine production.
• Pharmaceutical companies play a crucial role in producing medicines in user-friendly forms for storage, distribution, and use.

Medication

• Medication is any substance for treating or preventing illness, ensuring minimal side effects.
• Medication comprises of natural (plant, animal, mineral), semi-synthetic, or synthetic origin.
• A difference exists between drugs (medicines) and medicines (drugs), as all medicines are drugs, but not all drugs are medicines.

Classification of Medications

• Over-the-counter (OTC) medications: Safe, freely available drugs.
• Behind-the-counter (BTC) medications: Medications dispensed without a prescription by a pharmacist.
• Prescription-only medications (Rx): Medications requiring a doctor's prescription.

Drug Names

• Chemical name: Detailed chemical structure description.
• Generic name: Standardized name in pharmacopeias.
• Brand name: Manufacturer's marketed name, can refer to the same chemical and dosage.

Poison

• Poison is a chemical, plant, animal, or mineral substance causing harm, injury, or death when administered in high doses, regardless of the drug's intent.
• A drug can become a poison when administered in excessive or inappropriate amounts.

Side Effects and Toxicity

• Side effects: Undesirable or harmful reactions to therapeutic doses of a medicine.
• Toxic effects: Harmful effects caused by excessive or cumulative doses.
• Acute toxicity: Harmful effects from a single, excessive dose.
• Chronic toxicity: Harmful effects from repeated doses, often over extended periods leading to accumulation of the drug in the body.

Pharmaceutical Preparations

• Pharmaceutical preparations refer to any formulation containing active pharmaceutical ingredient(s) prepared and presented to be given to a patient.
• Formulation involves transforming raw chemicals into medicines (tablets, capsules, creams, injections).
• Pharmaceutical dosage forms include different physical and chemical structures to administer drugs, accounting for chemical stability and patient access.

Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms

• Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API): The raw chemical/material with therapeutic effect.
• Excipients (Inert Ingredients): Inactive substances adding form and properties to the API for easy use and controlled/managed release.
• Requirements for excipients: Compatibility, inertness, stability, safety, minimal taste/color/odor.
• Different excipients used for, e.g., tablets, liquids.

Classification of Pharmaceutical Preparations

• Classification based on physical state (solid, liquid, semi-solid, gaseous).
• Classification based on dispersion type (molecular, colloidal, coarse).
• Classification based on interaction with the medium (lyophilic, lyophobic, amphiphilic).
• Classification based on pharmaceutical processes (mechanical, physical, chemical).