INTRODUCTION TO
PHARMACOLOGY (2008)
,By
Dr.Abdul latif Mahesar
Department of Medical Pharmacology
King Saud medical university
?WHAT IS PHARMACOLOGY
WHY WE WANT TO LEARN
?PHARMACOLOGY
: PHARMACOLOGY •
is the science that deals with the knowledge
. and application of the drugs
• WORD PHARMACOLOGY
Has been derived from the words
pharmacon drug
logos study
• it is the study (knowledge) of the
drugs
• WHAT IS A DRUG?
• Drouge Dry herb
• It is chemical agent which is used for the
prevention, cure , and control of the disease,
aslo used in some cases for diagnostic
purposes.
• eg β-blockers control
Chloroquine prevention, cure
Barium meal diagnosis
• DRUG does not create a new function but it
only alters the function.
• It simply modifies the physiological
function and pathological state in a patient
• Generally it has a place between
PHYSIOLOGY and PATHOLOGY.
? What knowledge about drug
• Origin
• Chemistry
• Uses/application
• Activity in the body
• Mechanism of action
• Dosage
• Undesirable effects.
PHARMACOTHERAPY
• It is the art of treatment of disease with
medicines.
e.g Aspirin use
• An inter-relation ship b/w physician and
pharmacologist for the clinical application of
drugs in diseases.
1. Proper selection of drug for particular patient
in a underlying disease (Pharmacotherapy)
? What should be the criteria for proper selection
1. Proper indication for the particular drug in a
particular diseases.
2. Preferred /correct route of administration
3. Accuracy / safety of the dose
4. Knowledge about the adverse and toxic effects
5. How it will produce its effects in body after
administration (pharmacodynamics)
6. How absorption, distribution, metabolism and
excretion occurs after administration.
(pharmacokinetics)
PHARMACODYNAMICS
• It is the study of biochemical and
physiological effects of drugs and mechanisms
of their action, including the correlation of
actions and effects of drugs with their
chemical structure.
PHARMACOKINETICS
• The action of drugs in the body over a period
of time including the process of absorption,
distribution, localization in tissues ,
biotransformation and excretion
(to observe the movements of drug in the body
compartments)
PHARMACOGENTICS
• It is the study of the relationship b/w genetic
factors and nature of response to drugs
• TOXICOLOGY:
it is the knowledge about the toxic effects
produced by the drugs in the body
PHARMACOPEIAS
• It is an authoritative treatise on drugs and
their preparations.
• British pharmacopeia (B.P)
• United state pharmacopeia (U.S.P)
• British national pharmulary B.N.F)
• others
NOMENCLATURE
• It is a classified system of names of drugs.
1. The full chemical name. It describes the
compound for chemists. It is unsuitable for
prescription
2. A nonproprietary (official, approved, generic)
name. this is given by an official
(pharmacopoeia) such as WHO.
3. The proprietary name: is a trade mark applied to
a particular formulation(s) of a particular
substance by a particular manufacturer.
NOMENCLATURE
• It is a classified system of names of drugs.
1. The full chemical name. It describes the
compound for chemists. It is unsuitable for
prescription
2. A nonproprietary (official, approved, generic)
name. this is given by an official
(pharmacopoeia) such as WHO.
3. The proprietary name: is a trade mark applied to
a particular formulation(s) of a particular
substance by a particular manufacturer.
Three names Example: one drug
1.Chemical name: 3-(10-11 dihydro-
5H-dibenz{b’f}-azpein-5-yl) propyl-
dimetylamine.
2. Non proprietary name: Imipramine
3. Proprietary name: Tofranil( UK)
Deprinol, Surplix, Prodepress(in various other
countries)
Just miuute modifcations in structure
changes the properties of drugs
TYPES OF DRUG
REGULATIONs
1. OVER THE COUNTER: These are drugs which
are available at pharmacies with out the prescription of a
doctor.
eg. Paracetamol
2. PRESCRIPTION DRUGS: Drugs
which can be available only with the written order by the
qulified/registered medical practioner
3. CONTROLLED DRUGS: only available in
speical cases,which are only written by specialists
(consultants)doctors who are allowed to
e.g Opioid derivatives like morphine
Tranquilizers like diazepam –
ORIGION AND SOURCES OF
DRUGS
• PLANSTS: Alkaloids, Glycosides, Volatile
Oils, Gums, Morphine
• Animals: Vitamin A from Cod liver oil
Insulin
• Minerals : Iodine, iron, Gold, Al(OH3)
• Semi synthetic : Penicillin
• Synthetic : large variety of drugs
• Microrganisms : antibiotics
