Introduction to Pharmacology
Introduction to Pharmacology
Content
General Pharmacology
• Introduction to Pharmacology
• Historical landmarks
• Scope of pharmacology
• Nature and source of drugs
Intended Learning Outcomes
At the end of this lecture, student will be able to
• Describe Pharmacology
• Explain the sources of drugs
• Discuss the scope of pharmacology
Pharmacology
• Science that deal with the drugs
• Derived from Greek words
• Pharmacon – An active principle/ drug
• Logos – Discourse/ Study
• India & China – Oldest known Pharmacological writings
• Vedas – Earliest Indian records
• Rig Veda – 3000 B.C
• Charaka, Sushrutha, Vagbhata – Described various medicinal plants
• Charaka
• 300 herbal drugs
• Classified to 50 groups
• Original Ayurvedic Materia medica – superseded by alchemical/ Chemical substances in Christian era
• Chinese Materia medica – Pan Tsao
• Contained plant, metallic and few animal preparation
• Modern Medicine
• Date (450 B.C) from Hippocrates, a Greek physician
• Concept – pathologic process, observation, analysis
• Deduction by medicine
· Western Medicine
• From Egypt, Assyria and Babylonia
• Papyri – First written account of medical experiences from Egypt (1900 B.C)
• Homeopathy (Similar suffering)
• Concept introduced by Hanneman in 19th century
• Like cures like & dilution potentiates the action of the drug
· Allopathy (other suffering)
• Popularised by James Gregory (1753-1821)
• Differs from Modern Scientific medicine
• Wrongly applied
Drug
• Derived from French word drogue – a dry herb
• Drug is defined as any substance used for the purpose of diagnosis, prevention, relief/ cure of a disease in man/ animals
• According to WHO
A drug is any substance / product that is used or intended to be used to modify/ explore physiological systems/ pathological state for the benefit of the recipient
Allied topics of Pharmacology
• Pharmacognosy
• Pharmacy
• Clinical Pharmacy
• Pharmacokinetics
• Pharmacodynamics
• Pharmacotherapeutics
• Toxicology
• Chemotherapy
• Pharmacoepidemiology
• Pharmacoeconomics
• Pharmacovigilance
• Pharmacogenetics
• Pharmacogenomics
Pharmacopoeia
• Offical code containing selected established list of drugs
• Descriptions, sandards
• IP, BP, USP, Ph. Eur.
Formulary
• Information about available drugs
• Based on original and reputed drug information sources
• WHO Model Formulary: Help countries to develop national formulary
• The British National Formulary: BMA & RPS
The Nature and Source of Drugs
• Mineral: Liquid paraffin, MgSo4, Mg trisilicate, Kaolin
• Animal: insulin, thyroid extract, heparin, Gn, sera
• Plant: Morphine, digoxin, quinine, atropine, reserpine
• Microorganism: Penicillins
• Synthetic: Analgesic, hypnotic, anticancer, antimicrobials
• Genetic engineering: Insulin, GH (rDNA)
• Hybridoma technique: Monoclonal Abs
Schedule
• Schedule I
– High potential for abuse, research
– Cannot be prescribed
– Research
– LSD, Marijuana
• Schedule II
– High potential for abuse (Physical and psychic dependence)
– No telephonic prescriptions (not refillable)
– Morphine, codeine
• Schedule III
– Accepted medical use with restrictions
– Ketamine, thiopental, nalorphine
• Schedule IV
– Low abuse potential
– Long acting barbiturates and benzodiazepines
• Schedule V
– Minimum abuse
– Some on prescription - Codeine
– Others - OTC
Summary
• Pharmacology: Science that deals with the drugs
• Concept – pathologic process, observation, analysis
• Pharmacology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of drug action, where a drug can be broadly defined as any man-made, natural, or endogenous molecule which exerts a biochemical or physiological effect on the cell, tissue, organ, or organism
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