Introduction to Pharmacology PDF

# Introduction to Pharmacology ## 1/25/2025 ### Introduction * **Pharmacology**: * Greek, _Pharmakon_ - drug/medicine & _logos_ - study * Deals with the interaction of chemical agents (drugs) with living systems * The study of drug kinetics & dynamics * Embraces knowledge of the...

# Introduction to Pharmacology ## 1/25/2025 ### Introduction * **Pharmacology**: * Greek, _Pharmakon_ - drug/medicine & _logos_ - study * Deals with the interaction of chemical agents (drugs) with living systems * The study of drug kinetics & dynamics * Embraces knowledge of the sources, chemical properties, biological effects & therapeutic uses of drugs * The basis of research & development of new drugs ### Drug * French word 'Drogue' means dried herb * Any substance used in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, alteration of physiological processes or cure of disease * Drugs influence (modulate) existing cellular processes & functions but can NEVER produce new ones * **Poison:** any substance that produces a harmful effect * _"The dose makes the poison" - Paracelsus_ * **Toxin:** a poison of biological origin ### Medicine * A chemical preparation usually (but not necessarily) contains one or more drugs * Substances that have definite form & therapeutic use for treatment * Medicine = API + Excipients * The study of pharmacology requires understanding of normal body functions (biochemistry & physiology) & the disturbances that occur (pathology) ### Point | Drug | Medicine -------|-------|-------- Definition | Substances which act on the body and are used for prevention, diagnosis, treatment | Substances that have definite form and therapeutic use for treatment Amount | Doesn’t have any definite form and dose | Has a definite form and dose Potency | The active potect compound | The administrative form of a drug Comparison| All drugs are not medicines | All medxines are drugs Example | Paracetamol | Paracetamol 500 mg tablet ## Branches of Pharmacology * Pharmacokinetics * Pharmacodynamics * Pharmacotherapy * Pharmacogenetics * Clinical Pharmacology * Neuropharmacology * Molecular Pharmacology * Chemotherapy * Toxicology ## Sources of Drugs (cont.) | Sources | Details | Examples | | ------ | ------- | -------- | | Plants | Berries (seeds), bark, Leaves Resin from trees, roots | Morphine, Qunine Digitalis / Digoxin, Gum acacia | | Minerals | Earth & soil | Iron, sulfur, potassium, silver & even gold| | Animals | Glands, organs & tissues | Pork insulin | | Synthetic | Man made | Meperidine, sulphonamides | | Microbes | Fungus, Streptomycets, Bacteria| Penicillins, Erythromycin, Bacitracin | ## Drug Nomenclature * Is the systematic naming of drugs * A drug can have four types of names ### Code Name * Given to a new drug at the time of development/ discovery * It consists of letters and numbers like AMG 785 * Once the drug is approved, the code name is no more used ### Chemical Name * Scientific names, based on the molecular structure of the drug * IUPAC name used by chemists & scientists * Too lengthy & complicated to use * Example: _2-(4-(2-hydroxy-3-[(propan-2-yl) amino] propoxy) phenyl) acetamide_ or _atenolol_ ### Specifications of Generic name * The common or approved name of the drug * Generic name referring to any drug marketed under its chemical name without advertising * Granted by the United State Adopted Names (USAN) Council * Commonly used to identify a drug during its useful clinical lifetime * May or may not be included in the pharmacopoeia * A generic medicine works in the same way and provides the same clinical benefit as its brand-name version. ### Proprietary, Trade or Brand Name * Unique name to a particular product, given by the manufacturer * Serves in establishing the identity of the product in the market * A drug may have multiple proprietary names * The first letter should be capitalized ## Thank You