Basic Principles of Pharmacology Notes

Basic Principles of Pharmacology

  • Instructor: Dr Graeme Sills
  • ** Date**: September 23, 2024
  • Institution: University of Glasgow, School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health

Organisation of Teaching

  • Teaching is structured into 2- to 3-week blocks, focusing on specific pharmacology topics:
    • Each block starts with an introduction and ends with a recap/Q&A session.
    • Semester 1: PHAR3A
    • 0: Introductory week
    • 1-2: Principles of Pharmacology
    • 3-4: Autonomic Pharmacology
    • 5-6: CNS Pharmacology
    • 7-8: Cardiovascular & Respiratory Pharmacology
    • 9-10: Pharmacokinetics & Drug Disposition
    • 11: Revision & Class Test
    • Semester 2: PHAR3B
    • 0: NA
    • 1-2: Endocrine Pharmacology
    • 3-4: Immunopharmacology
    • 5-7: Molecular Pharmacology
    • 8-10: Selective Toxicity
    • 11: Revision & Creative Assignment

What is Pharmacology?

  • Definition: The study of drug actions on living systems.
    • Drug: A bioactive chemical substance affecting cells, organs, or entire body functions.
    • Includes studies of pharmacokinetics (drug disposition) and pharmacodynamics (drug effects).

Development of Pharmacology

  • Emerged as a scientific discipline in the mid-19th century, emphasizing experimentation over dogma.
  • Significant historical milestones:
    • 1799: Discovery of nitrous oxide (Davy)
    • 1805: Isolation of morphine (Sertürner)
    • 1899: Introduction of aspirin (Bayer)
    • 1935: Development of sulphonamides (Domagk)

Sources of Drugs

  • Natural Products: Extracted from plants and animals (e.g., aspirin from willow bark, morphine from poppies).
  • Serendipity: Accidental discoveries (e.g., penicillin by Alexander Fleming).
  • Re-purposing: Existing drugs used for new applications (e.g., sildenafil for erectile dysfunction).
  • Computer-Aided Design: Rational drug design based on structure-activity relationships.

Drug Formulations

  • Types of Drug Names:
    • Chemical Name: IUPAC name detailing structure.
    • Generic Name: International non-proprietary name (e.g., fluoxetine).
    • Proprietary Name: Manufacturer's trade name (e.g., Prozac).

Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics

  • Pharmacokinetics: What the body does to the drug;
    • Processes: Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion (ADME).
  • Pharmacodynamics: What the drug does to the body;
    • Effects on receptors, organs, and overall organisms.

Measuring Drug Effects

  • Varies by level of biological organization:
    • Cellular Responses: Binding, enzyme activity.
    • Organ/Systems Responses: Physiological changes in the target organs.
    • Societal Impacts: Costs, addiction, misuse, resistance.

Pharmacological Variability

  • Variability in drug response due to:
    • Genetic factors
    • Age and fitness
    • Disease states
    • Environmental influences.

Drug Action Mechanisms

  • Drug Targets: Predominantly proteins; drugs interact chemically to produce effects.
    • Binding Forces: Ionic bonds, hydrogen bonds, van der Waals forces, covalent bonds.
  • Importance of drug structure in mimicking or blocking endogenous molecules.

Summary

  • Pharmacology entails the investigation of bioactive compounds using principles from various disciplines (e.g., chemistry, biology).

  • Core aspects include understanding drug mechanisms, interactions, and varied responses in different populations.

  • Emphasis on using generic names in clinical practice to standardize information and reduce errors.

  • Core Concepts:

    • Drug pharmacokinetics
    • Drug pharmacodynamics
    • Drug-target interactions and binding mechanisms.