TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY DUBLIN

TALLAGHT CAMPUS

Bachelor of Science (Honours)

Bachelor of Science

DNA and Forensic Analysis

Bioanalysis
Bioanalytical Science
Pharmaceutical Science

Full Time

Semester Six: May 2023

Pharmacology
(SESSIONAL)

Internal Examiners
Dr Margaret Dunne

External Examiners

Day Tuesday
Date 16th May 2023
Time 15.30-17.30

Instructions to Candidates

This is a 2 hour exam.

Answer question 1 (compulsory) and any of the other two

questions from a total of four.

Each question is worth 100 marks.

The total number of marks is 300 marks

 Question 1 (compulsory)
Please answer all of the following:

(A) Explain drug half-life (10 marks)

(Week 5A – drug elimination/excretion I)
Definition (incl. “during elimination”) (5)
Used for/Measured by… (3)
Include example (2)

(B) Using diagrams, give a brief account of each of the following, as it relates to
drug action. Use the ________ class of drugs as examples to illustrate your
answer:

1) Agonist

2) Partial agonist

3) Antagonist

4) Reversible competitive antagonist (4x10 = 40 marks)

(Week 6A – Drug action I)

For each:
Define what it is (terminology slide) (4)
Draw dose response curve (linear or semilog) with explanation (4)
Example (1)

Specific marks for each: (2)

(1) Occupy receptor -> activate
(2) Can compete
(3) Can compete OR work non-competitively
(4) Surmountable

(C) Drug desensitization/tolerance can result from repeated or prolonged

drug exposure. Give an account of this process, including five reasons
why this can occur.

(50 marks)
Week 6B – drug action II)

Define, including diagram (10)

Semilog diagram showing higher EC50 (5)

(a) Change in receptor (6)

(b) Loss of recepors (6)
(c) Exhaustion of mediators (6)
(d) Increased metabolism (6)
(e) Homeostasis (6)

Include at least 2 examples (5)

 Question 2

Removal of drugs and drug metabolites from the body is an important step in reducing
toxicity.

Using diagrams as appropriate, please answer all of the following:

(A) Briefly define the concepts of drug elimination and excretion. (10 marks)

(Week 5A/B – Elimination and excretion)

Define the difference (sum of M+E/all processes to eliminate vs the process of removal vis specific
organs) (10)

(B) Discuss drug excretion by each of the following routes, with respect the
physicochemical properties of drugs and their metabolites: (i) renal, (ii) biliary, and
(iii) respiratory (exhaled). (3x20 marks)

Explain why free vs bound (12)

Explain why hydrophilic vs lipophilic (12)
Explain why small vs big (and conjugates) (12)

Specific:
Kidney and charge/pH (7)
Liver and polymers (7)
Lung and volatile/poor blood solubility (7)

Examples of each (3)

(C) Discuss the role of enterohepatic recirculation, and its resultant impact on the
biological half-life of a drug or its metabolites. (30 marks)

Explain process (15)

Acts as short term “reservoir”(10)
Show effect on plasma concentratinos (5)
 Question 3

Paracetamol is one of the most common causes of drug poisoning worldwide.

Discuss paracetamol toxicity under all of the following headings:

Week 9 – toxicology

(A) Metabolism and toxicity/pathophysiology (20 40 marks)

Explain normal routes of metabolism (secondary conjugates) (15)
Overwhelm -> explain primary P450 metabolism to toxic byproduct (15)
Exhausted GSH and buildup of NAPQI (10)

(8) Signs and symptoms (10 20 marks)

Stages include latent stage (and why)
Explain why/how symptoms are due to loss of liver function

(C) Pathophysiology (20 marks)

(D) Risk factors (10 15 marks)

Time/dosage and why (5)
Alcohol/other P450 inducers and why (7)
Malnutrition and why (3)

(E) Diagnosis and prevention (20 15 marks)

Blood levels/liver enzyme elevations and nomograms to follow (9)
Access to pack sizes/sales restrictions and their effectiveness (4+2)

(F) Treatment (20 10 marks)

Aims = remove (in time) or help to remove
Replenish GSH

Question 4

Phased clinical trials are designed to investigate the safety, tolerance and efficacy of drugs.

Please answer all parts for full marks:

1} Explain what is meant by phase I, II and Ill clinical trials, in terms of what
each trial aims to assess, and typical volunteer numbers required. (30
marks)
Aims of each/what is measured (3 x 7)
Numbers in each ( 3 x 3)

2) Discuss how absorption and elimination profiles could be determined for the
phase I metabolite of a pro-drug. (30 marks)
Absorption: blood plasma levels of each after different routes of administration (e.g. vs
IV) (10)
Metabolism: Blood plasma levels, isolated liver perfusion tests (8)
Elimination: Urine levels of unchanged and metabolite. Stool/breath samples (depending
on drug). (8)
Extra: elimination rate after distribution graph (4)

3) Outline the types of pre-clinical studies performed using in vitro testing, prior to
using animal models. (40 marks)
What does in vitro mean/what does it provide? (5)
Types of assay systems (continuous, primary, co—culture, tissue
slices, isolated organs, homogenates, bacterial mutations, embryo
cells) – outline 5 of them (25)
Toxicity assays – mention MTT and what it gives us, and one other (10)