What is Pharmacology?

The study of how drugs effect a biological system

What is a drug?
Chemical agent which effects any biological
process
 What is Pharmacology…..?
The study of how drugs effect biological systems

Pharmacokinetics Pharmacodynamics
What the body does to drug What the drug does to body

Pharmacology

Pharmacotherapeutics Pharmacocognosy
The study of the use of drugs Identifying crude materials as drugs

Toxicology
Pharmacocognosy
Sources of Drugs

- Plants: Cinchona alkaloids

- Animals: Insulin
- Minerals: Aluminum
hydroxide
- Microbes: Vaccines
- Synthetics: Sulphonamide
Pharmacodynamics
What the drug does to the
body
(Mechanism of action)
- Drug receptors (serotonin, dopamine)
- Effect of drug - efficacy
- Responses to drugs
- Toxicity and adverse effects of
drugs
 Receptor vs. Drug = Response
 Agonists = Complete attachment + response.

 Antagonists = Does not elicit a response.

 Partial Agonists = Elicit a very small response,

but may block other responses.
 DRUGS AND RECEPTORS

DRUG-RECEPTOR INTERACTIONS: DEFINITIONS

 COMMON RESPONSES TO MEDICINES
DESIRED IDIOSYNCRATIC PARADOXIC
EFFECT RESPONSE REACTION
Therapeutic goal An unexplained / Produce the opposite of
achieved unpredicted reaction what your are trying to
to the drug. achieve.

SIDE EFFECT ALLERGIC ANAPHYLACTIC

Mild to moderate RESPONSE RESPONSE
s/s to the drugs. A reaction that cause A life threatening
ADVERSE rash, hives, swelling reaction to the
EFFECT and obstruction. medication. Shutdown
Severe s/s with
complications to
the client.
Pharmacokinetics
What the body does to the drug
- Absorption
- Distribution
- Metabolism
(Biotransformation)
- Excretion
 BREAKDOWN TO
TABLET MOUTH STOMACH SMALL
PARTICLES

ABSORBED
TO BLOOD

EXCRETION OUT OF MOVE TO SITE

BODY OF ACTION

AFTER DESIRED
METABOLISM ACTION GOSE
BIO TRANSFORMATION TO LIVER
 Pharmacokinetics
Absorption = the drugs Metabolism
process of entering the (Biotransformation)= the
system. process in which the body
(Blood & Lymph) reacts to the drug.

Distribution = refers to  Excretion = is the

the drug movement in the removal of the drug form
body to the receptor sites. the system. (GI & Urine)
Pharmacokinetics
 Bioavailability
Concentration of
biologically active drug at
the site of action
Pharmacokinetics
What the body does to the
drug
t1/2 (Half-Life) :The time required for the plasma
concentration of a drug to be reduced by 50%, from
its peak CONCENTRATION

ED50 (effective dose) :The dose of a drug that is

effective for 50% of the population exposed to the
drug
LD50 (lethal dose) :The dose at which death
occurs in 50% of subjects
 Dose Response Curve
THERAPEUTIC WINDOW

Toxic dose

Therapeutic Window
C MAX

Minimum Effective Dose

0 t1/2
T MAX
 DRUG CLASSIFICATION

1. Based on the chemical structure

2. Based on the main effect (e.g. analgesics).
3. Based on the therapeutic use (e.g.
antidepressant).
4. Based on mechanism of action (e.g. serotonin
agonist).
 Drug Nomenclature
- Chemical name - *Generic name - Trade name

Example:
Chemical Name: 2-(4-isobutylphenyl)-propionic acid

Generic Name: Ibuprofen

Trade Names: Brufen

Routes of Drug Administration
 Enteral
 within or by way of the GI tract
 Oral (PO), rectal, sublingual

 Parenteral
 Not within the alimentary canal
 Inhalation, IM, SC, IP, topical

 Central
 Into the brain or spinal cord
 Intrathecal, ICV
Routes of Drug Administration
common abbreviations…
PO = per os = oral

IV = intravenous = into the vein

IM = intramuscular = into the muscle

SC = subcutaneous = between the skin and muscle

IP = intra peritoneal = within the peritoneal cavity

ICV = intra cerebroventricular = directly into the

ventricle of the brain
 Effect on Distribution

 The circulatory system and lymphatic is the

mode of transport for the drug.
 The chemical (drug) blinds to proteins
receptors and is diffuse via tissue.
 The chemical can blind to fat and depending
on the solubility can remain in the system for
longer periods of time.
 Effects of Metabolism
 Some medications metabolize in the blood
stem, but the majority are broken down by the
liver
( First Pass).

 The first pass can effect the amount of

medication a client is to receive, and thus
medication can be given SL or IV.
First-Pass Effect
 Functions of the
Blood Brain Barrier
not fully formed at birth
Consists of tight junctions of
endothelial cells

Protects the brain from "foreign substances" in

the blood that may injure the brain.
Protects the brain from hormones and
neurotransmitters in the rest of the body.
Maintains a constant environment for the brain.
 Drug Formulation
Dosage = the amount of drug to be administered
usually based on weight
Example: mg/kg

Concentration = how the drug is formulated

into a solution
Example: mg/ml

Injection Volume = a liquid measurement

based on weight
Example: ml/kg
Factors Affecting Response to Drugs
Dosage
Route of Administration
IV IH IN subling IM, SC IP PO topical

Rate of Absorption
Rate of Elimination
Physiochemical properties of the drug
age, sex, species, metabolism, etc…