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Important terms related to General and Systemic Veterinary Pharmacology

A
Additive therapy:Additive therapy is the therapy given to add on to the existing level of
the normal constituent even though there may not be a reduction in the level of that
constituent, like the use of anabolic steroid to build up body mass.

Analgesics (or) Anodynes:Analgesics are agents which when employed cause a relief of
pain. Eg: Aspirin, paracetamol, morphine.

Anesthetics:Anesthetics are agents that produce reversible loss of consciousness to enable

performance of surgical or obstetrical procedures. Anesthetics may be general or local.
General anesthetics include barbiturates, halothane and enflurane.

Antacid:Antacid is an agent used in the treatment of hyperacidity by neutralizing the acid of

stomach.

Antidiuretics:Antidiuretics: Antidiuretics are agents that reduces the flow or volume of

urine Eg: Antidiuretic hormone

Antiemetic:Antiemetics are agents that decrease vomiting and are used in nausea, motion
sickness etc.

Antipruritics:Antipruritics are agents which allay itching and local irritation. Eg: coal tar
preparations

Antipyretic or Febrifuge:Antipyretics are agents which reduce the body temperature

when it reaches above physiologically normal temperature. Eg: paracetamol, aspirin

Antisialagogue:Antisialagogues are agents that decrease secretion of saliva

Antispasmodics:Antispasmodics are agents which help relieve or overcome muscular

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spasms Eg: Dicyclomine.

Antitussive:Antitussives are agents which depress the cough centre and thereby relieve
cough Eg; codeine

Antizymotic:Antizymotic is a drug that decreases ruminal fermentation

B
Bronchodilators:Bronchodilators are agents which provide relief from the bronchial
spasm by relaxing the bronchial smooth muscle Eg: Salbutamol

C
Cardiac depressants:Cardiac depressants are agents which reduces the force of cardiac
contraction and lessen its rate Eg: Chloral hydrate

Cardiac stimulants:Cardiac stimulants are agents which increase both heart rate and the
force of cardiac contraction Eg: Epinephrine

Cardiac tonics:Cardiotonics are agent which improve the functioning capacity of heart
leading to increased cardiac output without increasing the oxygen demand. Eg: digitalis.

Carminative:Carminative is an agent that facilitates expulsion of gas from the stomach

Caustic:Caustics are agents which produces an extensive damage to the skin and they are
employed for the destruction of warts. Eg: Sodium hydroxide pellets for dehorning of horns.

Chemotherapy:Chemotherapy is the branch of pharmacology dealing with drugs that

selectively inhibit or destroy specific agents of disease such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and
other parasites. Use of this term has been extended to the use of drugs in the treatment of
neoplastic diseases.

cholagogue:A cholagogue is a medicinal agent which promotes the discharge of bile from
the system

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Choleretic:Choleretics are substances that increase the volume of secretion of bile from the
liver

CNS stimulants:CNS stimulants are agents which stimulate CNS function. Eg: Picrotoxin
(cortical stimulant), strychnine (spinal stimulant).

Counterirritant:Counterirritants are agents which brings about irritation over the area in
which they are applied. The aim of this is to bring about the cure of inflammation or any
other muscular disorders. Depending upon the amount of irritation that is practiced, counter
irritants are classified as rubefacients, vesicants , pustulants and caustics.

Curative therapy:Curative therapy is the therapy aimed at bringing about a cure in the
patient, like the use of antimicrobials in a bacterial infection.

D
Diaphoretic:Diaphoretics are agents which induces sweating Eg: alcohol

Diuretic:Diuretics are agents which increases the volume and flow of urine Eg: Xanthine,
potassium chloride and potassium nitrate.

Dose of the drug:Dose of the drug is an estimate amount of a drug, that when administered
by a particular route to a certain species is most likely to produce a certain intensity of
response. It is the quantity of medication to be administered at one time. Dosage is the
determination and regulation of doses.

Drug:Drug is any chemical agent except food that is used to promote or safeguard the health
of human beings or animals. It is also defined as any substance or product that is used or
intended, to be used to modify or explore physiological systems or pathological states for the
benefit of the recipient. The word drug is derived from a French word ‘Drogue’ meaning a
dry herb.

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E
Ecbolics:Ecbolics or Oxytocics are agents which brings about contraction of uterine
musculature Eg: Ergometrine

Emetic:Emetics are drugs that stimulate vomiting

Empirical therapy:Empirical therapy is the use of certain agents that prove successful in a
series of cases of the same disease, although, it is not possible to explain their actions. Their
value has been demonstrated by experience.

Essential drugs:Essential drugs are agents that satisfy the healthcare needs of majority of
the population. They should therefore be available at all times in adequate amounts and in
appropriate dosage form.

Expectorants:Expectorants are agents which either cause an increase of bronchial secretion

or render the secretion more fluid thus facilitating the expulsion of bronchial secretion by
way of expectoration. Eg: Potassium iodide.

H
Hard drugs:Hard drugs are drugs used for non-medical purposes that are liable to disable
the individual seriously as a functioning member of the society by inducing severe
psychological and/or physical dependence. Eg. Heroin

Hypnotics:Hypnotics are agents which induces sleep Eg: Barbiturates.

I
Iatrogenic disease:Iatrogenic disease means physician caused disease ie.disease
consequent on following medical advice or intervention. Iatrogenic was first applied to
disorder induced in the patient by autosuggestion based on physical examination or manner
of examination or discussion by the doctor.

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K
Keratolytic:Keratolytics are agents which dissolve the scales on the surface of the skin. Eg:
Salicyclic acid.

L
Loading dose:Loading dose is one or a series of doses that may be given at the onset of
therapy with the aim of achieving the target concentration rapidly.

M
Maintenance dose:Maintenance dose is a series of relatively small doses that follow the
loading dose in order to maintain an effective concentration in the bio phase.

Materia medica:Materia medica is an obsolete didactic subject that was concerned with
pharmacy, posology, pharmacognosy and indications for therapeutic use of the drug.

Metrology:Metrology is the study of weights and measures as applied to the preparation

and administration of drugs.

Miotics:Miotics are agents which brings about the constriction of pupil Eg: Pilocarpine

Mydriatics:Mydriatics are agents which cause the dilatation of the pupil. Eg: Atropine or
Homatropine

N
Narcotics:Narcotics are agents which includes a large number of hypnotics which not only
produces sleep but also produces marked depression on the circulatory and respiratory
function. Prolonged use of narcotic may produce psychological dependence. Eg: Opium,
Cannabis indica

Nonsystemic antacid:Nonsystemic antacid is an antacid that is not well absorbed from the
GI tract and used only for hyperacidity of the stomach

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Nootropic drugs:Nootropic drugs are drugs that affect the intellect. These drugs are
claimed to enhance learning, increase brain resistance to stress including hypoxia and
stimulate brain metabolism especially in senile patients. Eg. Piracetam

O
Orphan drugs:Orphan drugs are drugs or biological products useful for
diagnosis/treatment/prevention of a rare disease condition for which there is no reasonable
expectation that the cost of developing and marketing it will be recovered from the sales of
that drug. Eg. Acetylcysteine. These drugs may be life saving for some patients, but are not
commercially available.

Over the counter drugs:Over the counter drugs are those preparations that can be sold
without any restriction because they can be adequately labeled for layman use.

Oxytocic:Oxytocics or ecbolics are agents which brings about contraction of uterine

musculature Eg: Ergometrine

P
Pharmacodynamics:Pharmacodynamics is the study of the biochemical and physiological
effects of drugs and their mechanism of action. It is the response of the organism to the action
of a drug in the absence of a disease. Pharmacodynamics is what the drug does to the body.

Pharmacoeconomics:Pharmacoeconomics aims to quantify in economic terms the cost

and benefit of drugs used therapeutically.

Pharmacoepidemiology:Pharmacoepidemiology is the study of drug effects at the

population level. It is concerned with the variability of drug effects between individuals in a
population and between populations.

Pharmacogenetics:Pharmacogenetics is the study of genetically determined variations in

animals that are revealed by the effect of drugs. Originally, pharmacogenetics focused on
familial idiosyncratic drug reactions, where affected individuals show an abnormal-usually
adverse-response to a class of drug. It now covers broader variations to drug response, where
the genetic basis is more complex. Pharmacogenomics is a term that overlaps with
pharmacogenetics.

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Pharmacogenomics:Pharmacogenomics is a recent term that has been introduced. It

overlaps with pharmacogenetics. This term describes the use of genetic information to guide
the choice of drug therapy on an individual basis. The underlying assumption is that
differences between individuals in their response to therapeutic drugs can be predicted from
their genetic make-up.

Pharmacognosy:Pharmacognosy is the study of the source of drugs. It also deals with the
physical and chemical properties of drugs.

Pharmacokinetics:Pharmacokinetics is the study of the actions of the drugs in the body

over a defined period of time. It deals with the absorption, distribution, biotransformation and
excretion of the drug. Pharmacokinetics is what the body does to the drug.

Pharmacology:Pharmacology is the science that embraces the knowledge of the history,

source, physical and chemical properties, compounding, biochemical and physiological
effects, mechanism of action, absorption, distribution, biotransformation and excretion of
drugs. It is also defined as an experimental science dealing with the properties of drugs and
their effects on living system.

Pharmacometrics:Pharmacometrics is the study of the techniques used in the

measurement of drug effects to the administered dose of drug.

Pharmacy:Pharmacy is the science that deals with the preparation, formulation,

manufacture, standardization, preservation and dispensing of drugs. The term pharmacy also
indicates the place where drugs are dispensed or sold.

Placebo:Placebo is a vehicle for cure by suggestion and is surprisingly often successful

though only temporarily. It can be used as a control in scientific evaluation of drugs and to
benefit or please a patient not by pharmacological actions but by psychological means (Latin:
Placebo – I shall be pleasing or acceptable). Placebo reactor is an individual who report
changes of physical and mental state after taking a pharmacologically inert substance.

Posology:Posology is the study of the medicine dosages, which varies with the species of
animals, the intended effect of the drug and the individual tolerance or susceptibility

Prodrugs:Prodrugs are drugs that are inactive or have a low order of activity in the form
administered and are metabolised to the active form in the body.

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Prophylactic or preventive therapy:Prophylactic or preventive therapy is the therapy

aimed at preventing the occurrence of a disease, like the use of vaccines for preventing
bacterial and viral infections.

Pustulant:Pustulants are agents which cause inflammation of deep seated structure of the
skin and form pustules which are filled with pus. Eg: Red iodide of mercury or Bin iodide of
mercury.

R
Rational therapy:Rational therapy is the term used with reference to the application of
remedial measures, which can clearly explain the reasons for their application. Rational
therapy is based on a thorough knowledge of the normal physiology, changes in physiology
due to pathological conditions and the pharmacological basis for use of the drug. This implies
a precise diagnosis and knowledge of the etiology of affection, so that we can act directly or
indirectly on the causes, which produce it and an intimate knowledge of the actions of the
drugs, which we employ.

Replacement therapy:Replacement therapy aims at replacing the constituents to the

normal level when there is a reduction in the level of the constituent due to some pathological
condition, like fluid and electrolyte replacement in dehydration.

Rubefacients:Rubefacients are agents which produces congestion of cutaneous vessels and

the increased blood supply helps in bringing about a cure Eg: Ointment of iodine, mustard
paste, oil of turpentine.

S
Sedatives:Sedatives are agents which reduces the functional activity of the brain. Eg:
barbiturate in small doses, diazepam

Sialagogue:Sialagogues are agents that stimulate secretion of saliva

Sialagogues or Sialics:Sialagogues or Sialics are agents which increase the salivary

secretion eg: bitters

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Sialogogues:Agents which increase the salivary secretion eg: bitters

Soft drugs:Soft drugs are drugs used for non-medical purposes that are less dependence
producing. There may be psychological dependence but not physical dependence, except with
heavy dose. Eg. Amphetamine.

Stomachic:Stomachic is an agent that stimulates gastric function and stimulates appetite

Symptomatic or palliative therapy:Palliative therapy aims at treating the condition

based on the symptoms and providing relief to the patient without actually spending time on
finding the cause of the disease, like the use of anti convulsants in epilepsy.

Systemic antacid:Systemic antacid is an agent that can be absorbed from the GI tract and
useful in treatment of systemic acidosis

T
Tocolytics:Tocolytics are agents which reduces the uterine contractions. Eg: Isoxsuprine
hydrochloride

U
Urinary antiseptics:Urinary antiseptics are agents which reduces the microbial load in the
urinary tract Eg: Hexamine
V
Vasoconstrictors:Vasoconstrictors are agents which brings about constriction of blood
vessels Eg: Epinephrine
Vasodilators:Vasodilators are agents which brings about the dilatation of blood vessels.
Eg: Nitrates.
Vesical sedatives:Vesical sedatives are agents which reveal irritability of urinary bladder
Eg: Tincture hyoscyamus
Vesicants:Vesicants are agents which form formation of vesicles or blisters on the skin.
These vesicles contain plasma and after the variable length of time the vesicles leaving a dry
scale. Eg: Cantharidine.
X
Xenobiotics:Agents that are not endogenous to the body system. Drugs and toxicants come
under this category