Basic Pharmacology and Toxicology

At the end of this course students should be able to; 1. identify the factors that influence the absorption of an orally administered drug; 2. relate the factors that influence the rate of drug elimination; 3. define drug distribution and factors that influence it; 4. describe the major toxicities of the drugs prescribed; 5. explain the role of the Medical Laboratory in the evaluation of exposure to poisons; and 6. define pathologic mechanisms of toxicants.

Scope of Pharmacology. Origin and sources of drugs, routes of administration of drugs, drug receptors and receptor isolation. Pharmacokinetics, absorption of drugs excretion, biotransformation. Structure-activity relationship. Mode of action of drugs. Types of drug action. Drug action in man-compliance, individual variations, presence of other drugs, genetic effects, tolerance and tachyphylaxis, effects of diseases, drug toxicity adverse drug reactions, drug dependence and drug interactions. Antimicrobial Pharmacology chemotherapeutic agents, anti- metabolic base analogues, mitotic inhibitors, antibiotics, enzymes, alkylating agents and hormones. Radiation therapy, immune therapy and cancer therapy, synthesis and physiology of neurotransmitters Biochemical basis of depression. Marcotics-Mechanism of action. Fluorescent, radio and chromatographic methods in drug studies. Methods of evaluation of toxins mutagens and carcinogens. 400 Level