Pharmacology

57 AD Dioscorides - Materia Medica over 500 plants and
remedies
130-201 Galen - Theory of disease
1493-1541 Paracelsus – Grandfather of Pharmacology, “All
things are poisons…..depends upon the dose”
1805 Serturner – Isolated Morphine
1909 Ehrlich - Chemotherapy
1935 Domagk – discover first sulfonamide
1950’s Beyer – development of thiazides & others
Pharmacology
The study of substances (drugs) on living systems
Pharmacokinetics deals with the absorption, distribution, biotransformation and
excretion of drugs
Pharmacodynamics deals with the study of the biochemical and physiological
effects of drugs and their mechanism of action
Toxicology deals with adverse effects of drugs and chemicals
Pharmacotherapeutics the use of drugs in the prevention and treatment of
disease
Virtually all drugs produce more than one effect yet one effect that
predominates over a particular dose range is referred to the therapeutic
window.
1960/70’s
development of Propanolol and Cimetidine
Drugs are used to prevent, diagnose and/or treat disease. Drugs modify
physiological processes-they DO NOT create new processes or effects
General Drug Mechanism
Drugs are used to correct defects in physiology
Deficiency of some essential component – replacement therapy
Most Drugs act at Receptors to produce and effect
In order for drugs to interact “bind” with receptors they should have:
-Shape
-Size
-Charge
-Atomic Composition
Affinity
Excess Action of some normal or even essential ingredient –
chemical antagonist or exogenous substances
The Physiochemical Environment of the specific part of the body
may be altered by a drug – “nonspecific”