Basics of

Pharmacology
 BASIC PHARMACOLOGY
 The word Pharmacology is derived from Greek words
PHARMAKON meaning ‘a study of drug remedy to do good’.
 Definition: Pharmacology is a subject of medical science which
deals with the study of drugs or medicines that interact with the
living system through chemical processes, specially by binding to
regulatory molecules and activating or inhibiting body process.
 Medical Pharmacology: Branch of pharmacology deals with the use
of drugs in human body for diagnosis, prevention, suppression and
treatment of the diseases.
 Clinical Pharmacology: Deals with the scientific study of drugs
(pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic parameters) in the
patients and also in the healthy persons for the safe and effective
use of drugs (Therapy).
 PHARMACOKINETICS
 Greek word pharmaco means drugs, kinetics
means to move.
 It deals with-
 ABSORPTION- taken into the body.
 DISTRIBUTION- moved into tissues.
 METABOLISM- changed so can be excreted.
 EXCRETION- removes from the body.
 ABSORPTION OF DRUGS
It is the process by which the drug enters into
the systemic circulation from the site of
administration (except intravenous or intra-
arterial routes) through the biological membrane
is called absorption of drugs.
 DISTRIBUTION OF DRUGS

All the consequences of delivery of drug to the

tissue is called distribution of drug. Distribution
of drug means dividing and spreading of drugs
to the tissue.
BIO-TRANSFORMATION OF
DRUGS (METABOLISM)
 BIO-TRANSFORMATION OF
DRUGS (METABOLISM)
Molecular alteration of drugs in a living
body with or without enzyme.
WHY NECESSARY-
Drugs are chemical substance and interact
with living organism. As we need drugs for
treatment of diseases similarly we also
want to get rid of them from the body to
overcome their persistent effects.
 ELIMINATION OF DRUG

 Elimination includes all the processes that

terminate the presence of the drug in the body
 Drugs are excreted from the body after being
partly or wholly converted into polar
metabolites.
 ROUTES OF EXCRETION OF
DRUG
 MAJOR PROCESSES-
 Kidney
 Hepato-biliary process
 Gastro-intestinal
 Pulmonary
 MINOR PROCESSES-
 Skin/Sweat glands
 Saliva
 Breast
 Vagina
 Tear
FACTORS AFFECTING ELIMINATION
 Disease: Heart, liver or kidney disease lowers
perfusion to organs of elimination.
 Age: Reduced glomerular filtration, and liver
metabolism.
 Obesity: Slows elimination of lipid soluble
drugs.
 Presence of other drugs: phenobarbital
induces liver oxidizing enzymes. Cimetidine
inhibits liver oxidizing enzymes.
PHARMACODYNAMICS

It is a branch of pharmacology
which deals with the effects of
drug and mechanism of
action.
 EFFECTS OF DRUGS

 Therapeutics (beneficial effects)

 Toxicology (adverse effects)
 WHAT IS A DRUG?
 Drug is derived from French word DROUGE meaning A DRY
HERB.
 DEFINATION- ‘A drug is any substance or product that is used or
intended to be used to modify or explore physiological system or
pathological states for the benefit of the recipient’
 AIM OF DRUGS- TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE.
 BASIC USE OF DRUGS-
 DIAGNOSIS: BaSo4- GIT LESION
 PREVENTION: Vaccine, Contraceptives, toxins
 SUPPRESSION: Insulin for DM, Anti-hypertensive drugs
 TREATMENT: Antibiotics for infections, Diuretics for edema,
analgesic for pain.
 PRODRUG

The drugs which do not produce any pharmacological effects until

they are chemically altered within the body.
PURPOSE OF PRODRUG:
 TO MODIFY ABSORPTION.
 TO MODIFY DISTRIBUTION.
 TO MODIFY THE DURATION OF ACTION.
 TO REDUCE ADVERSE EFFECTS.
EXAMPLES- CASTOR OIL, LEVODOPA ETC.
 RECEPTOR
Receptor are macromolecular structures with which the drug binds
and form a drug-receptor complex that initiates a chain of events
leading to the pharmacologic/therapeutic actions.
RECEPTORS ARE-
 PROTEINS OR LIPOPROTEINS IN NATURE.
 SITUATED ON THE CELL MEMBRANE OR WITHIN THE CELL
(CYTOPLASM, NUCLEUS).
 BOUND MOSTLY REVERSIBLY.
 THERAPEUTIC INDEX

Therapeutic Index is the ratio between

the median lethal dose and the
median effective dose.
ROUTES OF DRUG ADMINISTRATION
 ORAL
 INTRAVENOUS
 INTRA-ARTERIAL
 INTRAMUSCULAR
 SUBCUTANEOUS
 INTRAPERITONEAL
 TOPICAL
 SUPPOSITORY
 INHALATION
 SUB-LINGUAL
 LOCAL INJECTION
Thankyou