Pharmacology Lecture Three: Therapeutic Action and Effects of Drugs PDF

# University of Tobruk ## Faculty of Nursing ### Pharmacology #### Lecture Three ### Therapeutic Action and Effects of Drugs Aisha Mohammed Adam. R.N./P.H.d, OBG Nursing Department - Faculty of Nursing Al Neelain University ## Drug (Medications) - What is a Drug? - From Enrage word - Drou...

# University of Tobruk ## Faculty of Nursing ### Pharmacology #### Lecture Three ### Therapeutic Action and Effects of Drugs Aisha Mohammed Adam. R.N./P.H.d, OBG Nursing Department - Faculty of Nursing Al Neelain University ## Drug (Medications) - What is a Drug? - From Enrage word - Drouge - Any chemical that can affect living processes. - Definition of Drug: - Is a chemical substances that can alter or influence the responsiveness of a biological system. - It is chemical agent which is used for prevention, cure, and control of disease, or used in some cases for diagnostic purposes. - A chemical which is utilized for the diagnosis, prevention, cure or amelioration of an unwanted health condition (definition by FDA). ## Drug Sources - **I- Synthetic sources:** - These drugs are prepared by labs or factories of the pharmaceutical industry. - **1. Organic:** - **A. Plants:** Any part of the plant, extract active ingredients (eg: Alkaloids (atropine, morphine, caffeine), steroids, some vitamins, tannins, volatile oils, gums) - **B. Animals:** either proteins, oils, enzymes from exocrine glands, hormones, vaccines and anti-sera, and some vitamins - **C. Microbes:** like fungi, and sometimes bacteria which are sources of antibiotics - **2. Non-Organic:** - **Metals:** Platinum, Zinc - **Non-metals:** Sodium chloride, magnesium sulfate - **II- Semi-synthetic drugs:** - These are obtained from natural sources and modified ## Drug - **Drug does not create a new function but only alters function.** - It simply modifies physiological function, pathological state in patient - Generally it has a place between **Physiology** and **Pathology**. - **What should be known about the drug?** - Origin - Chemistry - Scientific (Generic) name and manufacturing name - Uses/application - Activity in the body - Mechanism of action - Dosage - Undesirable effects. ## Mechanisms of Drug Actions - **Drug-receptor interaction** - Drug interacts with one of more cellular structures to alter cell function - **Drug-enzyme interaction ** - Combines with enzymes to achieve desired effect Acting on cell membrane or altering the cellular environment