Pharmacology

• What is the etymology of the word pharmacology?

  Pharmakon means medicine, drug; logos means science
• What is pharmacology?


  Science/knowledge of drugs and their effects
• What is clinical pharmacology?


  Branch of pharmacology for treating patients
• What defines a drug?


  A chemical substance producing biological effects
• What are the classifications of drugs?

  • Traditional drugs (small molecule drugs)
  • Biologics
• What is an example of a prototypical drug?

  Calcium channel blocker
• What are the branches of pharmacology?

  • Pharmacodynamics: action of drugs on the body
  • Pharmacokinetics: action of body on drugs
  • Pharmacogenomics: influence of genome on drug response
• What does pharmacodynamics study?


  Effects of drugs on patients and mechanisms
• What does pharmacokinetics study?

  Absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination
• Why is pharmacogenomics important?


  Avoiding adverse reactions and deciding dosage
• What are the main stages of drug discovery and development?

  Animal and human studies in pharmacology
• What is the most frequently used animal in pharmacological studies?

  Mice
• What are the advantages of using mice in research?

  • Easy to keep and handle
  • Large similarity to human genome
  • Short gestation times
  • Knockout and knock-in models can be developed
• Why are rats preferred in biomedical research?

  Genetic similarity and ease of handling
• What type of pig is increasingly used in pharmacology?

  Minipig
• What are the ethical implications of using animals in research?


  • Replacement: Use alternatives if available
  • Reduction: Minimize number of animals used
  • Refinement: Enhance animal welfare and minimize distress
• What are the types of experimental techniques in pharmacology?

  • In vitro techniques: studies in glass
  • In vivo techniques: studies in living organisms
• What is the purpose of in vitro techniques?


  Toxicity testing and studying drug effects
• What is the significance of in vivo studies?


  Evaluate safety, toxicity, and efficacy of drugs
• What is the importance of pharmacology in medicine?


  • Understanding drug mechanisms
  • Safe and effective use of medications
  • Drug development and innovation
  • Personalized medicine
  • Combating drug resistance
• What are the four levels at which drugs can act?

  Molecular, cellular, tissue, system levels
• What are key drug targets?


  Proteins: receptors, enzymes, transport systems
• What is the role of receptors in pharmacology?


  Coordinate function of different cells in the body
• Where are receptors located?

  On cell surface or intracellularly
• What are the types of receptors?

  • Ligand-gated ion channels
  • G-protein-coupled receptors
  • Intracellular (nuclear) receptors
  • Enzyme-linked transmembrane receptors
• What is the difference between agonists and antagonists?


  Agonists activate receptors; antagonists block them
• What type of bonds do most drugs use to bind to receptors?

  Weaker intermolecular bonds
• What is the function of G-protein-coupled receptors?


  Stimulate GTP-binding signal transducer proteins
• What is the role of enzyme-linked transmembrane receptors?

  Regulate enzyme activity through ligand binding
• At what levels can drugs act as targets?

  • Molecular
  • Cellular
  • Tissue
  • System
• What is the immediate target for most drugs?

  Molecular level
• What effect does propanolol have at the cellular level?

  Reduces $Ca^{2+}$
• How does propanolol affect myocardial contractility?

  It decreases myocardial contractility
• What is the effect of propanolol on cardiac output?

  Reduces need for cardiac output
• What are the key targets for most drugs?

  • Receptors
  • Enzymes
  • Transport systems
  • Ion channels
  • Substrates
  • Second messengers
  • Antibodies
  • Nucleic acids
• What are receptors in pharmacology?

  Sensing elements in chemical communication
• What is a receptor in biochemical terms?

  A molecule that receives external signals
• Where can receptors be located?

  Cell surface or intracellular
• What type of transmitters act on cell surface receptors?

  Hydrophilic transmitters
• What type of transmitters act on intracellular receptors?

  Hydrophobic (lipid soluble) transmitters