Class notes
Introduction to Pharmacology
- Course
- Institution
It includes all lecture notes and diagrams
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
khambkamandeep40
Content preview
Introduction to PharmacologyWhat is Pharmacology?
Chemically interfering with cellular/ biological systems to enhance, modify or block their activity
This can be level of:
o Whole body
o Isolated organs or tissues
o Cells
o Cellular components
What is a drug?
Compounds which interact with biological systems, changing them
Drugs have direct effects in treatments and prevention of disease and amelioration of suffering
Endogenous ligands
o E.g. Hormones
Natural compounds
o E.g. Atropine- deadly nightshade bella donna, digitalis, opium, penicillin
Synthetic compounds
o E.g. salbutamol,
propranolol…..
Semisynthetic compounds
o E.g. Ampicillin
Problems with willow bark preparation:
o Varied hugely in amounts of salicylate
o Hundreds of unwanted contaminants
Problems with purified salicylic acid:
o Not very effective
o Toxic, unpalatable, poorly-tolerated (nausea)
In 1897, F. Hofmann of Bayer Pharmaceuticals created aspirin
o It has high purity- no contaminants
o Much more efficacy (works better) and less
toxicity (fewer side effects)
o Consistent amount of active ingredients
and reproducible effect in patients
Drug development
, Over past 100 years or more, pharmacology has brought about a revoluti on in medicine and surgery
radically transforming the way humans experience diseases that have existed for centuries
General anaesthetics- make surgery humane
Antibiotics- eliminate lethal bacterial infections
Vaccines- conquered smallpox
Cyclosporin- makes organ transplantation possible
Lipid lowing statins- slash risk of heart attacks and strokes
Cytotoxic drugs- cure many cancers
Anti-retrovirals- provide hope for AIDS patients
Old drugs find new uses- aspirin in prevention of heart attacks
Immunobiological agents- fight against allergies and arthritis
Roles of pharmacological agents
Reversible blockade of physiological responses
o Muscle relaxants, oral contraceptives
Regulation of normal physiological responses
o Neurotransmitters and disease
Parkinson’s disease- low dopamine
Depression- low noradrenaline, low 5-HT
o Acid secretion- cimetidine- Tagamet
Supplementation of normal physiological processes
Elimination of non-self
o Antibacterials, antivirals, anticancer
Where do drugs act
Receptors
o Located in membranes or in cytoplasm
o Usually these are proteins, though they can be nucleic acids or lipids
Dose Responsive Curves
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller khambkamandeep40. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $13.69. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
75323 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now