Module 1: Basic Principles of Pharmacology

PHARMACOLOGY NOTES
Our Lady of Fatima University – Antipolo Campus
COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

Branches of Pharmacology
Module 1: Basic Principles of Pharmacology
1. Medical Pharmacology – which is
CONTENTS: often defined as the science of
substances used to prevent, diagnose,
1. Introduction To Pharmacology and treat diseases.
A. Define Pharmacology 2. Toxicology – this is deal with the
B. Drug Vs Medicine undesirable effect of chemicals on
2. Branches Of Pharmacology living systems, from individual cells to
A. Medical Pharmacology human complex ecosystems
B. Toxicology
3. History Of Pharmacology The History of Pharmacology

____________________________________________________ 1. Pre-historic
a. People undoubtedly
INTRODUCTION recognized the beneficial or
toxic effects of many plants
What is Drug?
and animal materials.
(a) It is a chemical substance of known b. Last 1500 years, sporadic
structure, other than a nutrient or an attempts were made to
essential dietary ingredient, which, introduce rational methods
when administered to living into medicine, but non was
organism, produce biological effect. successful owing to the
(b) It could be (1) synthetic chemicals, dominance of systems of
chemicals obtained from plants or thoughts.
animals, or products of genetic 2. 16 Century
th

engineering. a. Diethyl ether (16th Century)

– first prepared as “sweet oil
Medicine of vitriol”
(a) It is chemical preparation, which 3. 17th Century
usually, but not necessarily, contains a. Reliance on observation and
one or more drugs, administered with experimentation began to
the intention of producing a replace theorizing in
therapeutic effect. physiology and clinical
(b) It usually contains other substances medicine
(excipients, stabilizers, solvents, etc.) b. Materia Medica – the science
to the purpose of to be convenient to of drug preparation and the
use. medical use of drugs – began
to develop as the precursor to
Pharmacology Definition: pharmacology.
(a) Study of substances that interact with c. Nitrous oxide (1799) –
living systems through chemical prepared by Humphey Davy
processes. were used to liven up parties
(b) The study of the effects of drugs on and being introduced as
the function of living systems. anaesthetic agents in the mid-
19th century.
 Module 1: Basic Principles of Pharmacology
PHARMACOLOGY NOTES
Our Lady of Fatima University – Antipolo Campus
COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

4. 18th and 19th Century f. Paradoxically – real advances

a. Experimental Physiology in basic pharmacology during
and Pharmacology – this time were accompanied
Francois Magendie and his by an outburst of unscientific
student Claude Bernard claims by manufacturers and
began to develop these marketers of worthless
methods. “patient medicine”
b. Francois Magendie – Pioneer g. Controlled Clinical Trial –
of experimental physiology “concepts of rational
i. First to prove the therapeutics” did it become
functional difference possible to adequately
of the spinal nerves. evaluate therapeutic claims.
ii. Pioneer studies of 5. 1940’s and 1950’s
the effects of drugs a. Major expansion of research
on various part of efforts in all areas of biology
the body. began.
c. Amyl nitrite – made and b. Drug Receptor – drug action
claim to be the first “rational” and the biologic substrate of
therapeutic drug; its that action.
therapeutic effect in angina c. The molecular mechanisms of
was predicted on the basis of action of many drugs have
its physiological effects. now been identified, and
d. Aspirins numerous receptors have
i. Widely used been isolated, structurally
therapeutic drug in characterized, and cloned.
history. d. Orphan Receptors – which no
ii. First synthesize in ligand (molecules binds to
1853. another molecule).
iii. Rediscovered in 6. Pharmacogenomics – the relation of
1897 in the the individual’s genetic makeup to his
laboratories of the or her response to specific drugs
German company a. Small segments of RNA can
Bayer. interfere with protein
iv. Commercialized synthesis with extreme
aspirin in 1899. selectively has led to
e. Advances in chemistry and the investigation of small
further development of interfering RNAs (siRNAs)
physiology in 18 . 19 , and
th th and micro-RNAs (miRNAs)
20th centuries laid the as therapeutic agents.
foundation needed for 7. 20 Century and 21st Century
th

understanding how drugs a. Began to revolutionize the

work at the organ and tissue pharmaceutical industry.
levels. b. Paul Ehrlich “Magic Bullet”
(1909) – a antimicrobial
 Module 1: Basic Principles of Pharmacology
PHARMACOLOGY NOTES
Our Lady of Fatima University – Antipolo Campus
COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

chemotherapy which made of a. Vast amount of inaccurate or

Arsenical compounds for unscientific information;
treating syphilis. b. Irrational use of innumerable
c. Sulfonamides (1935) – first expensive, ineffective, and harmful
antibacterial drugs, were remedies;
discovered by Gerhard c. Growth of a huge “alternative health
Domagk. care” industry.
d. Development of Penicillin –
by chain and Florey during the
second world war, based on General principles that the student should
the earlier work of Fleming. remember are:
e. Biochemistry also emerges as
a distinct science early in the 1. All substances can under certain
20th century. circumstances be toxic;
f. Discovery of enzymes and the 2. Chemical in botanicals is no
delineation of biochemical different with chemicals produce
pathways provided yet by manufactures, hence there’s more
another framework for impurities with the chemical coming
understanding drug effects. from botanicals.
3. Dietary supplement should not
ALTERNATIVE THERAPEUTIC PRINCIPLES claim for curing define ill or disease, it
should be meet the same standards
**Modern medicine relies heavily on drugs
of efficacy and safety as conventional
as the main tool of therapeutic**
drugs and medicinal therapies.
a. Allopathy, James Gregory (1735-
PHARMACOLOGY TODAY
1831) – another term for
“conventional, modern western
medicine”
a. Evidence-based system used
by the doctors nowadays.
b. It is relying on clinical
examinations and screening to
confirm a diagnosis – focusing
with patient’s symptoms and
signs before treatment.
b. Homeopathy, Christian Friedrich
Hahnemann – The implausible
guiding principles of homeopathy:
a. Like curse like
b. Activity can be enhanced by
dilution. 1. Biotechnology
Unfortunately, the medication-consuming a. this was the production of
public is still exposed to: drugs or other useful products
by biological means.
 Module 1: Basic Principles of Pharmacology
PHARMACOLOGY NOTES
Our Lady of Fatima University – Antipolo Campus
COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

b. Biomedical sphere 5. Pharmacoeconomics

biotechnology refers mainly to a. The branch of health
the use of recombinant DNA economics aims to quantify in
technology for wide variety of economic terms the cost and
purposes. benefit of drugs used
c. Manufacture of therapeutic therapeutically.
proteins, diagnostics, b. As with
genotyping, production of pharmacoepidemiology,
transgenic animals. regulatory authorities are
2. Pharmacogenetics increasingly requiring
a. Study of genetic influences on economic analysis – it
responses to drugs. contributes for making
b. Originally focused on familial decision on licensing.
idiosyncratic drug reactions,
where affected individuals
show an abnormal – usually -------------------------------------------
adverse – response to a class
of drug.
3. Pharmacogenomics
a. Linking specific gene
variations with variations in
therapeutic or unwanted
effects of a particular drug
should enable the tailoring of
therapeutic choices on the
basis of an individual’s
genotype.
4. Pharmacoepidemiology
a. Study of drug effects at the
population level.
b. It is concerned with the
variability of drug effect
between individuals in a
population, and between
populations.
c. It is important to authorities
to give license for the
therapeutic effect of the drug.
d. It also takes into account
patient compliance and other
factors that apply when the
drug is used under real-life
conditions.