Pharmacology is a branch of
medicine which deals with drugs.
Pharmacon-Drug
Logos-Study
Samuel Dale, 1693 – Ist book of Pharmacology
Oswald Schmiedberg (1838-1921)– Father of Modern Pharmacology.
Explore Pharmacology
Opportunities and Challenges in Pharmacology:
If you are a highly motivated and enquiring student who is seeking a career in the biomedical sciences and have a strong interest in making a major contribution to the understanding of both novel and current disease processes and the development of new therapies – then Explore Pharmacology.
In general terms, pharmacology is the science of drug action on biological systems. In its entirety, pharmacology embraces knowledge of the sources, chemical properties, biological effects and therapeutic uses of drugs. It is a science that is basic not only to medicine, but also to pharmacy, nursing, dentistry and veterinary medicine. Pharmacological studies range from those that examine the effects of chemical agents on subcellular mechanisms,
to those that deal with the potential hazards of pesticides and herbicides, to those that focus on the treatment and prevention of major diseases with drug therapy. Pharmacologists also use molecular modeling and computerized design as drug discovery tools to understand cell function. New pharmacological areas include the genomic and proteomic approaches for therapeutic treatments. In general terms, pharmacology is the
science of drug action on biological systems. Integrating knowledge in many related scientific disciplines, pharmacology offers a unique perspective to solving drug, hormone,and chemical-related problems as they impinge on human health.As it unlocks the mysteries of drug actions, discovers new therapies,and develops new medicinal products, pharmacology inevitably touches all our lives.While remarkable progress has been made in developing new drugs and in understanding how they act, the challenges that remain are endless. Ongoing discoveries regarding fundamental life processes will
continue to raise new and intriguing questions that stimulate further research and evoke the need for a fresh scientific insight.This booklet provides you with a broad overview of the discipline of pharmacology. It describes the many employment opportunities that await graduate pharmacologists, and outlines the academic path that they are advised to follow. If you enjoy problem solving, feel a sense of excitement and enthusiasm about understanding both drug action and the potential of drugs to offer new insights into disease mechanisms, then you have little choice but to …
Explore Pharmacology
This will be the first step into an absorbing,
challenging, productive, and rewarding scientific career.
Opportunities and Challenges in Pharmacology:
If you are a highly motivated and enquiring student who is seeking a career in the biomedical sciences and have a strong interest in making a major contribution to the understanding of both novel and current disease processes and the development of new therapies – then Explore Pharmacology.
In general terms, pharmacology is the science of drug action on biological systems. In its entirety, pharmacology embraces knowledge of the sources, chemical properties, biological effects and therapeutic uses of drugs. It is a science that is basic not only to medicine, but also to pharmacy, nursing, dentistry and veterinary medicine. Pharmacological studies range from those that examine the effects of chemical agents on subcellular mechanisms,
to those that deal with the potential hazards of pesticides and herbicides, to those that focus on the treatment and prevention of major diseases with drug therapy. Pharmacologists also use molecular modeling and computerized design as drug discovery tools to understand cell function. New pharmacological areas include the genomic and proteomic approaches for therapeutic treatments. In general terms, pharmacology is the
science of drug action on biological systems. Integrating knowledge in many related scientific disciplines, pharmacology offers a unique perspective to solving drug, hormone,and chemical-related problems as they impinge on human health.As it unlocks the mysteries of drug actions, discovers new therapies,and develops new medicinal products, pharmacology inevitably touches all our lives.While remarkable progress has been made in developing new drugs and in understanding how they act, the challenges that remain are endless. Ongoing discoveries regarding fundamental life processes will
continue to raise new and intriguing questions that stimulate further research and evoke the need for a fresh scientific insight.This booklet provides you with a broad overview of the discipline of pharmacology. It describes the many employment opportunities that await graduate pharmacologists, and outlines the academic path that they are advised to follow. If you enjoy problem solving, feel a sense of excitement and enthusiasm about understanding both drug action and the potential of drugs to offer new insights into disease mechanisms, then you have little choice but to …
Explore Pharmacology
This will be the first step into an absorbing,
challenging, productive, and rewarding scientific career.
Pharmacology
Its Scope:
Pharmacology is the study of the therapeutic value and/or potential toxicity of
chemical agents on biological systems. It targets every aspect of the mechanisms for
the chemical actions of both traditional and novel therapeutic agents. Two important
and interrelated areas are: pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. Pharmacodynamics
is the study of the molecular, biochemical, and physiological effects of drugs on cellular
systems and their mechanisms of action. Pharmacokinetics deals with the absorption,
distribution, and excretion of drugs. More simply stated, pharmacodynamics is the study
of how drugs act on the body while pharmacokinetics is the study of how the body acts on
drugs. Pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic aspects of the action of chemical agents
are applicable to all related areas of study, including toxicology and therapeutics.
Toxicology is the study of the adverse or toxic effects of drugs and other chemical agents.
It is concerned both with drugs used in the treatment of disease and chemicals that may
present household, environmental, or industrial hazards. Therapeutics focuses on the
actions and effects of drugs and other chemical agents with physiological, biochemical,
microbiological, immunological, or behavioral factors influencing disease. It also considers
how disease may modify the pharmacokinetic properties of a drug by altering its
absorption into the systemic circulation and/or its tissue disposition. Each of these areas is
closely interwoven with the subject matter and experimental techniques of physiology,
biochemistry, cellular and molecular
biology, microbiology, immunology,
genetics, and pathology.
chemical agents on biological systems. It targets every aspect of the mechanisms for
the chemical actions of both traditional and novel therapeutic agents. Two important
and interrelated areas are: pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. Pharmacodynamics
is the study of the molecular, biochemical, and physiological effects of drugs on cellular
systems and their mechanisms of action. Pharmacokinetics deals with the absorption,
distribution, and excretion of drugs. More simply stated, pharmacodynamics is the study
of how drugs act on the body while pharmacokinetics is the study of how the body acts on
drugs. Pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic aspects of the action of chemical agents
are applicable to all related areas of study, including toxicology and therapeutics.
Toxicology is the study of the adverse or toxic effects of drugs and other chemical agents.
It is concerned both with drugs used in the treatment of disease and chemicals that may
present household, environmental, or industrial hazards. Therapeutics focuses on the
actions and effects of drugs and other chemical agents with physiological, biochemical,
microbiological, immunological, or behavioral factors influencing disease. It also considers
how disease may modify the pharmacokinetic properties of a drug by altering its
absorption into the systemic circulation and/or its tissue disposition. Each of these areas is
closely interwoven with the subject matter and experimental techniques of physiology,
biochemistry, cellular and molecular
biology, microbiology, immunology,
genetics, and pathology.
The pharmacological sciences can be further subdivided:
Neuropharmacology is the study of drugs on components of the nervous system,
including the brain, spinal cord, and the nerves that communicate with all parts of the
body. Neuropharmacologists study drug actions from a number of differing viewpoints.
They may probe new ways to use drugs in the treatment of specific disease states of the
nervous system. Alternatively, they may study drugs already in use to determine more
precisely the neurophysiological or neurobiochemical functions of the nervous system
that are modified by drug action. Neuropharmacologists also use drugs as tools to
elucidate basic mechanisms of neural function and to provide clues to the underlying
neurobiological nature of disease processes.
Cardiovascular pharmacology concerns the effects of drugs on the heart, the vascular
system, and those parts of the nervous and endocrine systems that participate in
regulating cardiovascular function. Researchers observe the effects of drugs on arterial
pressure, blood flow in specific vascular beds, release of physiological mediators, and on
neural activity arising from central nervous system structures.
Molecular pharmacology deals with the biochemical and biophysical characteristics of
interactions between drug molecules and those of the cell. It is molecular biology
applied to pharmacological and toxicological questions. The methods of molecular
pharmacology include precise mathematical, physical, chemical and molecular biological
techniques to understand how cells respond to hormones or pharmacologic agents , and
how chemical structure correlates with biological activity
Biochemical pharmacology uses the methods of biochemistry, cell biology, and cell
physiology to determine how drugs interact with, and influence, the chemical
“machinery” of the organism. The biochemical pharmacologist uses drugs as probes to
discover new information about biosynthetic pathways and their kinetics, andinvestigates how drugs can correct the biochemical abnormalities that are responsible for
human illness.
Behavioral pharmacology studies the effects of drugs on behavior. Research includes
topics such as the effects of psychoactive drugs on the phenomena of learning, memory,
wakefulness, sleep, and drug addiction, and the behavioral consequences of
experimental intervention in enzyme activity and brain neurotransmitter levels and
metabolism.
Endocrine pharmacology is the study of actions of drugs that are either hormones or
hormone derivatives, or drugs that may modify the actions of normally secreted
hormones. Endocrine pharmacologists are involved in solving mysteries concerning the
nature and control of disease of metabolic origin.
Clinical pharmacology is the application of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics
to patients with diseases and now has a significant pharmacogenetic component.
Clinical pharmacologists study how drugs work, how they interact with the genome and
with other drugs, how their effects can alter the disease process, and how disease can
alter their effects. Clinical trial design, the prevention of medication errors, and the
optimization of rational prescribing have become critical components of the work of
clinical pharmacologists.
Chemotherapy is the area of pharmacology that deals with drugs used for the
treatment of microbial infections and malignancies. Pharmacologists work to develop
chemotherapeutic drugs that will selectively inhibit the growth of, or kill, the infectious
agent or cancer cell without seriously impairing the normal functions of the host.
Systems and integrated pharmacology is the study of complex systems and whole
animal model approaches to best predict the efficacy and usefulness of new treatment
modalities in human experiments. Results obtained at the molecular, cellular, or organ
system levels are studied for their relevance to human disease through translation into
research in whole animal systems.
Veterinary pharmacology concerns the use of drugs for diseases and health problems
unique to animals.
Often confused with pharmacology, pharmacy is a separate discipline in the health
sciences. It is the profession responsible for the preparation, dispensing and appropriate
use of medication, and provides services to achieve optimal therapeutic outcomes.
THE NEW CENTURY
OF PHARMACOLOGICAL STUDIES:
Adverse Drug Reactions
Anticancer & Antiviral Agents
Behavioral Pharmacology
Cancer Chemotherapy
Cellular Pharmacology
Combinatorial Chemistry
Developmental Pharmacology
Drug Policy & Regulation
Environmental Pharmacology
Gastrointestinal Pharmacology
Gene Therapies
Immunopharmacology
New Drug Design and Development
Pharmacogenetics
Pharmacology of Aging
Pulmonary Pharmacology
Recombinant-DNA Derived
Drugs
Traditional and Herbal
Medicines.
Pharmacology:Past and Present
Although drugs have been a subject of ancient interest since ancient times,
pharmacology is a relatively new discipline in the life sciences. The term
pharmacology comes from the Greek
words pharmakon, meaning a drug or
medicine and logos, meaning the truth
about or a rational discussion.
Distinctions between the useful actions of
drugs and their toxic effects were
recognized thousands of years ago. As
people tried plant, animal, and mineral
materials for possible use as foods, they noted both the toxic and the therapeutic actions
of some of these materials.
Past civilizations contributed to our present knowledge of drugs and drug preparations.
Ancient Chinese writings and Egyptian medical papyri represent the earliest compilations
of pharmacological knowledge. They included rough classifications of diseases to be
treated, and recommended prescriptions for such diseases. While other civilizations
made their own discoveries of the medicinal value of some plants, progress in drug
discovery and therapeutics was minimal until after the dark ages.
The introduction of many drugs from the New World in the 17th century stimulated
The term pharmacology comes from
the Greek words pharmakon, meaning
a drug or medicine, and logos,
meaning the truth about or a rational
discussion.
including the brain, spinal cord, and the nerves that communicate with all parts of the
body. Neuropharmacologists study drug actions from a number of differing viewpoints.
They may probe new ways to use drugs in the treatment of specific disease states of the
nervous system. Alternatively, they may study drugs already in use to determine more
precisely the neurophysiological or neurobiochemical functions of the nervous system
that are modified by drug action. Neuropharmacologists also use drugs as tools to
elucidate basic mechanisms of neural function and to provide clues to the underlying
neurobiological nature of disease processes.
Cardiovascular pharmacology concerns the effects of drugs on the heart, the vascular
system, and those parts of the nervous and endocrine systems that participate in
regulating cardiovascular function. Researchers observe the effects of drugs on arterial
pressure, blood flow in specific vascular beds, release of physiological mediators, and on
neural activity arising from central nervous system structures.
Molecular pharmacology deals with the biochemical and biophysical characteristics of
interactions between drug molecules and those of the cell. It is molecular biology
applied to pharmacological and toxicological questions. The methods of molecular
pharmacology include precise mathematical, physical, chemical and molecular biological
techniques to understand how cells respond to hormones or pharmacologic agents , and
how chemical structure correlates with biological activity
Biochemical pharmacology uses the methods of biochemistry, cell biology, and cell
physiology to determine how drugs interact with, and influence, the chemical
“machinery” of the organism. The biochemical pharmacologist uses drugs as probes to
discover new information about biosynthetic pathways and their kinetics, andinvestigates how drugs can correct the biochemical abnormalities that are responsible for
human illness.
Behavioral pharmacology studies the effects of drugs on behavior. Research includes
topics such as the effects of psychoactive drugs on the phenomena of learning, memory,
wakefulness, sleep, and drug addiction, and the behavioral consequences of
experimental intervention in enzyme activity and brain neurotransmitter levels and
metabolism.
Endocrine pharmacology is the study of actions of drugs that are either hormones or
hormone derivatives, or drugs that may modify the actions of normally secreted
hormones. Endocrine pharmacologists are involved in solving mysteries concerning the
nature and control of disease of metabolic origin.
Clinical pharmacology is the application of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics
to patients with diseases and now has a significant pharmacogenetic component.
Clinical pharmacologists study how drugs work, how they interact with the genome and
with other drugs, how their effects can alter the disease process, and how disease can
alter their effects. Clinical trial design, the prevention of medication errors, and the
optimization of rational prescribing have become critical components of the work of
clinical pharmacologists.
Chemotherapy is the area of pharmacology that deals with drugs used for the
treatment of microbial infections and malignancies. Pharmacologists work to develop
chemotherapeutic drugs that will selectively inhibit the growth of, or kill, the infectious
agent or cancer cell without seriously impairing the normal functions of the host.
Systems and integrated pharmacology is the study of complex systems and whole
animal model approaches to best predict the efficacy and usefulness of new treatment
modalities in human experiments. Results obtained at the molecular, cellular, or organ
system levels are studied for their relevance to human disease through translation into
research in whole animal systems.
Veterinary pharmacology concerns the use of drugs for diseases and health problems
unique to animals.
Often confused with pharmacology, pharmacy is a separate discipline in the health
sciences. It is the profession responsible for the preparation, dispensing and appropriate
use of medication, and provides services to achieve optimal therapeutic outcomes.
THE NEW CENTURY
OF PHARMACOLOGICAL STUDIES:
Adverse Drug Reactions
Anticancer & Antiviral Agents
Behavioral Pharmacology
Cancer Chemotherapy
Cellular Pharmacology
Combinatorial Chemistry
Developmental Pharmacology
Drug Policy & Regulation
Environmental Pharmacology
Gastrointestinal Pharmacology
Gene Therapies
Immunopharmacology
New Drug Design and Development
Pharmacogenetics
Pharmacology of Aging
Pulmonary Pharmacology
Recombinant-DNA Derived
Drugs
Traditional and Herbal
Medicines.
Pharmacology:Past and Present
Although drugs have been a subject of ancient interest since ancient times,
pharmacology is a relatively new discipline in the life sciences. The term
pharmacology comes from the Greek
words pharmakon, meaning a drug or
medicine and logos, meaning the truth
about or a rational discussion.
Distinctions between the useful actions of
drugs and their toxic effects were
recognized thousands of years ago. As
people tried plant, animal, and mineral
materials for possible use as foods, they noted both the toxic and the therapeutic actions
of some of these materials.
Past civilizations contributed to our present knowledge of drugs and drug preparations.
Ancient Chinese writings and Egyptian medical papyri represent the earliest compilations
of pharmacological knowledge. They included rough classifications of diseases to be
treated, and recommended prescriptions for such diseases. While other civilizations
made their own discoveries of the medicinal value of some plants, progress in drug
discovery and therapeutics was minimal until after the dark ages.
The introduction of many drugs from the New World in the 17th century stimulated
The term pharmacology comes from
the Greek words pharmakon, meaning
a drug or medicine, and logos,
meaning the truth about or a rational
discussion.
