67022 - Pharmacology

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes will be: a) basic knowledge about drug pharmacokinetics, drug action and their use in pharmacotherapy; b) identification of the most important toxic effects.

Course contents

 

A- General Pharmacology

Introduction- history of pharmacology, drugs and religion, homeopathic medicine theories and experimental evidences; placebo, theories and clinical outcomes;  generic drugs.

Pharmacokinetics- Absorption, distribution, metabolism (phase I, II and III); the role of the metabolic processes in pharmacology and toxicology; elimination, xenobiotic bioactivation and detoxification: manipolation of activity  in in vitro (mutagenesis studies) and in vivo (primary chemoprevention).

Pharmacodynamics- Targets and mechanisms of drugs, receptors, dose-response curve, agonists, partial agonists, antagonists, drug interaction, tolerance.

Pharmacogenomics-Genetic polymorphisms at metabolic and receptor level and their possible role in pharmacology (personalization of therapy) and toxicology (individual vulnerability); some examples.

B- Pharmacotherapy

General considerations, mechanism of action, clinical use and main side effects:

Cholinergic agonists and antagonists, adrenergic agonists and antagonists, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, treatment of the anxiety disorders, alcohols, treatment of depressive disorders, drugs for Parkinson's disease, treatment of psychoses, anticoagulants.

Chemotherapy- General considerations, mechanism of action, clinical use, resistence and main side effects: antibiotics, antiviral and antineoplastic agents.

Readings/Bibliography

 

 B.G. Katzung, Farmacologia generale e clinica, XI Ed. Italiana, Casa Editrice Piccin, 2021.

L.M. Fuccella, E. Perruca, C. Sirtori, Farmacologia Clinica, Casa Editrice UTET, Torino, 1998.

H. Lullmann, k. Mohr, Farmacologia e Tossicologia, Piccin, Padova, 2002.

Teaching methods

Lectures and discussion

Assessment methods

The assessment of learning takes place through a written/oral test (in case of need/clarifications, some students may be asked to take a short oral exam ) articulated on questions that will focus on the topics related to the program and objectives of the Course, during of which the use of books, notes and electronic media is not allowed, the same applies to any oral exam. The test aims to verify the knowledge of the subject gained by the student which, together with his critical ability, will determine positive evaluations. Lack of orientation in the topics covered during the course, training gaps and inappropriate language, including purely grammatical errors, will lead to negative evaluations.

 

 

Teaching tools

Overhead projector, PC

Distribution of the material projected during the lesson in electronic format

Office hours

See the website of Moreno Paolini