Ateneo - UPO

The Course is organized in a section (4 CFU) of General Pharmacology and one (5 CFU) of Pharmacognosy. During the Course, the student will acquire specific skills on the application of pharmacological knowledge and develop independent judgment, communication skills, and ability to learn. In the first part of the Course the basis of drug activities will be treated (principles of Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacokinetics). The factors that determine the variability in drug responses, the drug to drug interactions, the adverse drug reactions, the abnormal reactions to drug delivery, as well as some principles of Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacovigilance will be also considered. The second part of the Course will be inherent in the systematic treatment of several natural compounds used in therapy.

H.P. Rang, M.M. Dale, J.M. Ritter, Farmacologia, Ed. Casa Editrice Elsevier-Masson B.G. Katzung, Farmacologia Generale e Clinica, Ed. Piccin Michelle A. Clark, Richard Finkel, Jose A. Rey, Karen Whalen, Basi della Farmacologia, Ed. Zanichelli Rossi F, Cuomo V, Riccardi C. Farmacologia edizioni minerva medica A. Bruni, Farmacognosia generale e applicata, Ed. Piccin Trease, W.C. Evans, Pharmacognosy, Ed. Elsevier Dewick P.M., Mazzanti G, Dell'Agli M, Izzo AA. Farmacognosia e fitoterapia ed. Piccin E. Ragazzi, Farmacognosia minerale, Ed. CEDA

The Course aims to give to the students the principles of Pharmacology and Pharmacognosy. To achieve this goal a section (4 CFU) of General Pharmacology, dealing with the basis of drug action, and a section (5 CFU) of Pharmacognosy, dealing with the general principles as well as the specific study of natural bioactive compounds, will be considered.

We strongly suggest to have attended the Biology, Biochemistry, Physiology, and Pathology before studying this Course

Lectures will be given throughout the October-January and March-June and they will be performed in presence or remotely as needed. The students will be constantly stimulated to participate to the lesson with questions and comments in order to ensure the achievement of the goals. Seminars on specific scientific topics will be always organized.

The Professor will receive the students for specific questions every day by appointment.

The student will be evaluated by a written test composed by open questions, question with short answers and multiple choice questions. The questions will be organized to allow students the achievement of goals.

Introduction to this discipline, general principles • Pharmacodynamics: 6. Drug-receptor interactions; 7. Receptor theories; concentration-response curves, agonists, antagonists, partial agonists, inverse agonists; 8. Drug specificity, potency, efficacy, and affinity; the median effective dose; the therapeutic index; 9. G protein-coupled receptors, ion channel-linked receptors, intracellular receptors, enzyme-linked receptors; 10. The intracellular effector systems. • Pharmacokinetics: 10. Chemical-physical properties of drugs; translocation of drugs across cell barriers; 11. Routes of drug administration; biodisponibility; 12. Drug absorption; 13. Drug-protein binding; 14. Drug distribution in the body; 15. The apparent volume of distribution; 16. Biotransformation and bioactivation; 17. Removal of drugs from the body; renal excretion, the clearance concept; 18. Kinetics of drug elimination, plasma half life. • Individual variations in drug responses • Drug interactions • Harmful effects of drugs: the median lethal dose • Abnormal drug responses • Principles of Pharmacogenetics and Pharmcovigilance PHARMACOGNOSY (5 CFU) • General principles: drugs in Pharmacognosy. Biogenesis of the main pharmacologically active compounds: synthetic pathways • Genetic and environmental factors affecting the contents of biologically active compounds • Cell cultures as methods for studying the main biosynthetic pathways and the sources of biologically active compounds • Preparation, preservation, recognition, quality determination, purity, and activity of drugs • Vegetable drugs used in the pathology of: • Central and peripheral nervous system: cognitive impairment (Ginkgo, Salvia), central stimulants (methylxanthines), anxiety and insomnia (valerian, Kava, lavender, Lemon balm, Chamomile and Passionflower), depression (St. John's wort, saffron) • Cardio-vascular system: cardiotonics (digoxin), atherosclerosis (ginkgo, pomegranate, hibiscus, cumin, flax, berberine,), hypertension (garlic, hawthorn), chronic venous insufficiency (horse chestnut, Centella, Sweet clover, Red vine, Rusco, Pine sea, Witch Hazel, Bilberry) • Metabolism: hyperlipidemias (fermented red rice, garlic, artichoke, bergamot, fenugreek), hyperglycemia (Galega, gymnema, cinnamon, onion), overweight and obesity (ephedra, bitter orange, sea oak, garcinia). • Pain and inflammation: (cannabis, poppy, devil's claw, feverfew, turmeric, chilli, arnica) • Respiratory system: cold flu (pelargonium, meadowsweet, adrographis, eucalyptus,) cough (marshmallow, thyme, plantain, primrose, ivy) • Gastrointestinal system: oral cavity (aloe, malaleuca, propolis), eupeptic (gentian, wormwood, ginger, chilli), carminative (fennel, cumin, mint), demulcent (licorice, aloe), constipation (mass-forming, osmotic, anthraquinone, emollients), diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (psyllium, peppermint oil), chronic inflammatory diseases (boswellia), antispasmodics (atropine) • Hepato-biliary system: hepatoprotectors (milk thistle, fillanthus), choleretics and cholagogues (artichoke, boldo, dandelion) • uro-genital system: water retention, infections (cranberry, bearberry), benign prostatic hypertrophy (Serenoa Repens, nettle, pumpkin, weasel), urinary tract antiseptics (arbutin) • Skin: inflammation (aloe, chamomile, calendula, oats, evening primrose oil), lesions (arnica, centella) • Galattogus (milk thistle, galega) • Adaptogens and immunomodulators: adaptogens (ginseng, eleutherococcus, rhodiola, schisandra, uncaria, malpighia), immunomostimulants (echinacea, astragalus, eleutherococcus, ginseng, uncaria), immunosuppressants • Antitumor activity (Vinca major, badger)

In order to acquire the minimum level of learning, the student must have enough: 1) knowledge of the mechanisms responsible for the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of active ingredients he will have to know what are the endogenous molecular targets of drugs and their relationship with the endogenous systems analyzed. Know the main parameters that are used to define the potency, efficacy and toxicity of an active ingredient knowledge of the main preparations that can be used in therapy, the main aspects related to the quality and safety of the preparations, the main plant extracts / active ingredients used in therapy and the respective mechanisms of action; 2) competence to be able to apply the theoretical knowledge acquired to the therapy of various pathologies; 3) ability to present the concepts studied correctly and with the right terminology. For the acquisition of the advanced level, the student must be able to: 1) knowing how to compare and understand based on the parameters of efficacy and safety the active ingredient improves to use 2) know how to explain exhaustively the use of the preparations including adverse effects and contraindications; 3) understand and correctly present the bases underlying the interaction of the active ingredients at a pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic level and the possibility or not of complementary use; 4) knowing how to indicate the correct preparation to use given a pathology and associated complications