Pharmacology - Section 1 Vocabulary Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key pharmacology concepts from the lecture notes, including drug sources, naming, FDA processes, drug safety, formulations, and administration.

Pharmacology

The study of drugs and their interactions with living organisms.

Drug

Any substance used in diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention that alters the function of living organisms.

Medicine / Medication

Terms commonly used interchangeably with drug to refer to therapeutic substances.

Mineral-derived drugs

Drugs obtained from minerals (e.g., liquid paraffin, magnesium sulfate, kaolin).

Animal-derived drugs

Drugs obtained from animals (e.g., insulin, thyroid extract, antitoxin sera).

Plant-derived drugs

Drugs obtained from plants (e.g., morphine, digoxin, atropine, castor oil).

Synthetic drugs

Drugs produced from synthetic chemicals (e.g., aspirin, sulphonamides, paracetamol).

Micro-organism-derived drugs

Antibiotics produced by microbes (e.g., penicillin, streptomycin).

Genetic engineering drugs

Drugs produced using genetic engineering (e.g., human insulin, human growth hormone).

Drug categorization by molecule type

Classification based on the chemical nature of the molecule (e.g., steroids, benzodiazepines, beta-lactam antibiotics).

Drug categorization by clinical effect

Classification by the therapeutic effect (e.g., antihypertensives, antidepressants, sedatives).

Drug categorization by mechanism of action

Classification by how the drug works (e.g., Ca2+ channel blockers, beta-adrenergic blockers, serotonergics).

Addiction (drug abuse)

Dependency involving physical, psychological, or both components.

Physical dependency

A physiological state where withdrawal symptoms occur if drug use stops.

Psychological dependency

A mental craving or compulsion to use a drug despite harm.

Scheduled drugs

Drugs that can cause addiction and are placed on schedules with varying abuse potential.

Schedule I

Highest abuse potential, no accepted medical use; examples include heroin, Ecstasy, LSD; severe penalties for possession/distribution.

Schedule II

High abuse potential with accepted medical use; examples include cocaine, oxycodone, fentanyl; significant penalties for abuse.

Schedule III

Moderate abuse potential with medical use; examples include anabolic steroids, ketamine, buprenorphine; substantial penalties for abuse.

Schedule IV

Lower abuse potential with medical use; examples include Xanax, Valium, Ativan, tramadol, Ambien; moderate penalties for abuse.

Schedule V

Lowest abuse potential with wide medical use; examples include codeine-containing cough syrups and some anti-diarrheals; minor penalties for abuse.

IUPAC chemical name

The one specific chemical name for a molecule, defined by IUPAC rules.

Generic name (USAN)

Official nonproprietary name assigned to a drug; short and memorable; one per molecule.

Brand / Trade name

Trademarked names that can be marketed by different companies; multiple names per molecule.

FDA (Food and Drug Administration)

US federal agency that ensures safety and effectiveness of foods, drugs, devices, cosmetics, tobacco; reviews/approves products, inspects facilities, and monitors products post-market.

IND (Investigational New Drug Application)

Submission to request permission to begin clinical trials in humans.

NDA (New Drug Application)

Submission to obtain FDA approval to market a new drug.

BLA (Biologics License Application)

Submission for licensing biologic products (e.g., vaccines, biologic therapies).

Clinical trial phases

Phase I (safety, dosage), Phase II (efficacy, side effects), Phase III (large-scale efficacy and safety); Phase IV (post-approval monitoring).

Thalidomide disaster

Thalidomide (1957) linked to birth defects in 10,000–20,000 infants globally; prompted major drug safety reforms.

MedWatch

FDA safety program for reporting serious reactions, product quality problems, and other safety concerns; voluntary for reporters, mandatory for manufacturers.

Boxed Warning (Black Box Warning)

FDA's most stringent warning; placed in a bold box on the label to indicate serious or life-threatening risks.

Boxed warning criteria

Assigned if a drug has a serious risk (potentially fatal) or if risk can be mitigated with proper use/dosing/guidelines.

Examples of boxed warnings

Accutane (isotretinoin) for birth defects risk; Methotrexate liver toxicity; Ciprofloxacin tendon rupture; Opioids' addiction/overdose risk.

Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API)

The drug substance that provides the intended therapeutic effect.

Excipients

Inactive ingredients added to a drug formulation to aid stability, solubility, bioavailability, taste, manufacturing, or patient acceptability.

Excipients: preservatives

Inhibit microbial growth to maintain product safety, especially in liquids.

Excipients: flavoring and sweeteners

Improve taste and palatability of oral formulations.

Excipients: coloring agents

Enhance visual appeal and identification of formulations.

Excipients: binders

Hold together ingredients in solid dosage forms like tablets.

Excipients: disintegrants

Help tablets break apart in the body for faster drug release.

Excipients: stabilizers

Protect the drug from degradation.

Other formulation components: coatings

Coatings on tablets/capsules to protect the drug or control release.

Other formulation components: vehicles/solvents

Liquids used to dissolve or suspend the drug in solutions or injections.

Other formulation components: polymers

Polymers used in controlled-release formulations to control drug release rate.

Tablet

Solid dosage form produced by compression; contains API and excipients.

Capsule

Solid dosage form with API enclosed in a shell.

Solution

Liquid dosage form where the API is dissolved in a solvent.

Suspension

Liquid dosage form where the API is dispersed in a vehicle.

Cream / Ointment

Semi-solid topical dosage forms for application to the skin.

Bioavailability

The extent and rate at which the active drug reaches systemic circulation.

GI barrier

Gastrointestinal barrier that can impede drug absorption.

Sustained-release vs controlled-release

Sustained-release extends the duration of drug release; controlled-release precisely modulates the release rate.

Bloodstream

The circulatory system where drug concentration is measured and distributed.

Patient compliance

Adherence to prescribed therapy and dosing schedules.

Side-effects

Unintended adverse effects of a drug.

Half-life

The time required for a drug's blood concentration to decrease by half.

Six rights of medication administration

Right Patient, Right Drug, Right Dose, Right Route, Right Time, Right Documentation.