PHARMAMA MO

Veterinary Pharmacology

Study of how drugs interact with animals, drugs are used to prevent, diagnose, treat, and control disease, scientific basis for choosing the right drug, patient, dose, route, and time

Species Differences in Veterinary Medicine

Drug use is more complex because veterinarians treat multiple species, requires understanding of species differences, drug disposition, drug action, toxicity, and public health concerns

Paracetamol Toxicity in Cats

Cats lack glucuronyl transferase, cannot properly metabolize paracetamol, drug accumulates and becomes toxic

Pharmacology

Study of substances that interact with living systems through chemical processes, drugs bind to regulatory molecules and activate or inhibit normal body processes

Drug

Any substance that changes biological function through chemical action, may be beneficial or harmful depending on use, all substances can be toxic under certain circumstances

Pharmacology (Basic Term)

Study of drugs and their effects on living organisms

Drug (Basic Term)

Substance that changes body function through chemical action

Medicine

Drug used for diagnosis, prevention, treatment, or control of disease

Therapeutics

Use of drugs to treat disease

Toxicology

Study of harmful or undesirable effects of chemicals or drugs

Pharmacy

Preparation, dispensing, and proper handling of medicines

Pharmacokinetics

What the body does to the drug

Pharmacodynamics

What the drug does to the body

Pharmacokinetics vs Pharmacodynamics

Pharmacokinetics = ADME (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion), Pharmacodynamics = Receptors, Mechanism of Action, Therapeutic and Toxic Effects

Pharmacokinetics (Detailed)

What the body does to the drug, sequence is administration, absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, focuses on drug movement through the body

Pharmacodynamics (Detailed)

What the drug does to the body, sequence is drug, receptor, effect, focuses on drug effects on the body

Mineral Sources of Drugs

Drugs obtained from mineral sources, examples: sulfur, iron, electrolytes

Botanical Sources of Drugs

Drugs obtained from plants, examples: digitalis, opioids

Animal Sources of Drugs

Drugs obtained from animal tissues or secretions, examples: insulin, thyroid hormone, lanolin

Synthetic Sources of Drugs

Man-made or engineered drugs, examples: aspirin, steroids, procaine

Biological Sources of Drugs

Drugs obtained from molds, bacteria, or other biological systems, examples: antibiotics, ergot

Why Veterinary Pharmacology is Unique

Veterinary pharmacology is not simply human pharmacology applied to animals

Multiple Species

Different species may absorb, metabolize, and eliminate drugs differently

Breed Differences

Some breeds have genetic differences affecting drug response

Food-Producing Animals

Drug residues may affect meat, milk, eggs, and other animal products

Herd/Flock Medicine

Treatment may involve groups of animals rather than individuals

Different Dosage Forms

Veterinary drugs may be administered as injections, tablets, drenches, feed additives, pour-ons, implants, or medicated water

Owner Compliance

Treatment success depends on correct drug administration by the owner

Public Health

Antimicrobial resistance and drug residues can affect humans

Drug Therapy as a Clinical Responsibility

Drug therapy requires careful clinical decision-making to ensure safe and effective treatment

What is the Diagnosis?

Identify the disease or condition being treated, examples: bacterial pneumonia, parasitism, inflammation

What is the Target?

Identify the target of therapy, examples: bacteria, parasites, pain pathways, inflammatory mediators

Which Animal Species is Involved?

Drug selection depends on species, examples: cat, dog, horse, goat, cattle, poultry

What is the Safest Effective Drug?

Choose based on efficacy and safety

What Route is Appropriate?

Select suitable route, examples: oral, injectable, topical, intramammary

What Adverse Effects are Possible?

Consider risks such as vomiting, nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and residues

Is the Animal Used for Food?

Consider withdrawal time and residue avoidance

Are There Legal Restrictions?

Consider prescription status, extra-label use, and controlled drugs

Therapeutic Effect

Desired beneficial effect of a drug, example: antibiotic kills susceptible bacteria

Adverse Effect

Undesired effect occurring at a normal dose, example: vomiting after medication

Toxic Effect

Harmful effect often related to excessive dose, example: kidney damage from overdose

Side Effect

Secondary effect that may or may not be harmful, example: sedation from an antihistamine

Contraindication

Situation where a drug should not be used, example: certain NSAIDs in severe renal disease

Difference Between Medicine and Poison

Depends on dose, patient factors, and clinical context

Ebers Papyrus (1550 BCE)

Ancient Egyptian medical text containing remedies and formulas, one of the earliest organized records of drug knowledge

Dioscorides: De Materia Medica (50–70 CE)

Described medicinal plants, minerals, and animal products, became an influential pharmacology reference for centuries

Publius Vegetius Veterinary Compilations (5th Century CE)

Early veterinary treatment compilations for farm animals, established animal medicine as a distinct therapeutic tradition

Paracelsus (1493–1541)

Promoted specific drug use for specific conditions, introduced the principle that the dose determines whether a substance is a remedy or poison

Valerius Cordus: Dispensatorium (1547)

Created the first printed pharmacopoeia, standardized medicinal preparations, uses, and dosages

Sir Christopher Wren (1656)

Performed one of the earliest intravenous injections using opium in a dog

William Withering (1783)

Reported use of foxglove (digitalis) for dropsy, later linked to cardiac effects

Friedrich Sertürner (1805)

Isolated morphine from opium, major milestone in isolating active compounds from plants

Mathieu Orfila (1813)

Published Toxicologie Generale, established toxicology as a scientific discipline

François Magendie (Early 1800s)

Demonstrated systemic absorption of chemicals into the bloodstream, advanced experimental pharmacology methods

Claude Bernard (Mid-1800s)

Advanced experimental physiology and pharmacology, established controlled experimental methods for studying drug actions

Rudolf Buchheim

Published an 1849 pharmacology text classifying drugs by action in living tissues, helped separate pharmacology from related fields

Oswald Schmiedeberg

Established one of the first experimental pharmacology laboratories, helped make pharmacology an independent experimental science, strengthened the discipline through research and publishing

John Jacob Abel

Established pharmacology in the United States, considered the father of American pharmacology, helped found the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (1908)

Paul Ehrlich (1909–1910)

Developed the magic bullet concept and introduced Salvarsan for syphilis

Alexander Fleming (1928)

Discovered penicillin after observing mold inhibiting bacterial growth

Gerhard Domagk (1932–1935)

Demonstrated antibacterial activity of sulfonamides, pioneer of antibacterial chemotherapy

Howard Florey and Ernst Chain (1939–1941)

Purified and developed penicillin into a clinically useful antibiotic

Abelardo Aguilar and Eli Lilly Research Team (1949–1952)

Aguilar sent soil samples from Iloilo, leading to the isolation of erythromycin, later marketed as Ilosone

Drug source

Origin of a drug substance, classified by mineral, plant, animal, microbial, synthetic, semi-synthetic, or biotechnology-derived sources

Mineral drug source

Drugs obtained from inorganic/mineral materials, including iron salts, magnesium sulfate, calcium salts, iodine, sulfur

Plant/Botanical drug source

Drugs derived from plants or plant extracts, including atropine, morphine, digitalis, vincristine

Animal drug source

Drugs obtained from animal tissues or secretions, including insulin, thyroid extract, heparin

Microbial/Biological drug source

Drugs produced by microorganisms or biological systems, including penicillins, tetracyclines, macrolides

Synthetic drug source

Drugs that are completely man-made chemicals, including sulfonamides, NSAIDs, anesthetics

Semi-synthetic drug source

Drugs derived from natural compounds chemically modified, including ampicillin, amoxicillin

Biotechnology-derived drugs

Drugs produced using recombinant DNA or monoclonal antibody technology, including recombinant hormones and vaccines

Active pharmaceutical ingredient (API)

The therapeutic chemical substance responsible for drug effect

Excipient

Inactive substances added for stability, taste, appearance, or formulation support

Vehicle

Liquid or solid carrier medium for drug delivery

Formulation

Complete drug product containing API plus excipients and vehicle

Dosage form

Physical form of a drug product such as tablet, capsule, liquid, injection

Drug strength

Amount of active drug per solid unit dose

Drug concentration

Amount of drug per unit volume of liquid preparation

Chemical drug name

Name describing the drug’s chemical structure and composition

Generic drug name

Official non-proprietary name of the active ingredient

Brand/Trade name

Company-owned proprietary product name for marketing

Code name (drug development)

Temporary research identifier used during drug development

Generic name importance

Used in prescriptions, medical records, drug orders, and exams

Brand name variability

Brand names differ across companies, countries, and suppliers

Drug classification

System of grouping drugs based on use, mechanism, chemical structure, source, legal status, or route

Therapeutic drug classification

Classification based on clinical effect or intended use

Body system classification

Classification based on organ system affected

Mechanism of action classification

Classification based on how the drug produces its effect

Chemical class classification

Grouping based on molecular or chemical structure

Legal classification of drugs

Classification based on regulatory status (prescription, OTC, controlled)

Route-based classification

Classification based on route of administration or dosage form

Dosage form

Physical form in which a drug is prepared for administration and delivery

Tablet

Solid dosage form of compressed drug powder with excipients

Capsule

Solid dosage form containing drug in a gelatin shell

Bolus

Large tablet designed for large animal administration

Powder dosage form

Dry drug form that can be mixed with feed or liquid

Granules

Aggregated powder particles used for better handling and mixing

Solution (liquid dosage form)

Liquid containing completely dissolved drug, uniform mixture

Suspension

Liquid containing undissolved drug particles that must be shaken

Emulsion

Liquid mixture of oil and water phases