00118 - Pharmaceutical Chemistry

Learning outcomes

The course of Molecular Basis of Active Phytocomplexes is devoted to the study of: physico-chemical characteristics of the biological interaction and mechanism of action of some naturally-occuring active principles from phytocomplexes.

Course contents

Medicinal Chemistry. Course Content (Prof. M. Roberti 3 CF)

Definition of active principle and phytocomplex. Phytotherapy.

Definition of a therapeutic active principle. Definition of molecular target.

Physicochemical properties of therapeutic active principles and their effects on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic phases. Ionisation, acidity, basicity. Partition coefficient. Distribution coefficient. Chemical bonds involved in the interaction between therapeutic active principle and molecular target. Metabolic transformations. Oxidative Reactions, Hydrolytic Reactions, Reductive Reactions. Phase II or Conjugation reactions.

Examples regarding phytocomplex active principles.

Chemical characteristics and mechanism of action of the active principles contained in the Opium.

Chemical characteristics and mechanism of action of the active principles contained in Canapa officinalis.

Chemical characteristics and mechanism of action of Huperzine and Galantamine.

Oxidative stress. Chemical characteristics and mechanism of action of the main antioxidants of natural origin.

 

Program of Molecular Bases of Phytocomplex Activity (Prof. M. Roberti 3 credits)

Oxidative stress. Chemical characteristics and mechanism of action of the main antioxidants of natural origin.

Inflammation and cascade of arachidonic acid. Examples of of natural origin. Chemical characteristics and mechanism of action of the active principles contained in the Devil's Claw. Chemical characteristics and mechanism of action of the activeprinciplescontained in Boswellia serrata. Chemical characteristics and mechanism of action of the active principles contained in ginger.

Medicinal plants in oncology. Anti-cancer chemotherapy of natural origin. Characteristics and mechanism of action of camptothecins, epidophyl thyotoxins, vinca alkaloids, taxanes, resveratrol, curcumin, ginger.

Phytocomplexes for anxiety disorders. Features and mechanism of action of the active principles contained in the Passiflora incarnata, Scutellaria laterifolia, Valeriana officinalis.

Phytocomplexes for depressive disorders. Features and mechanism of action of the active principles contained in the Hypericum perforatum, melissa officinalis.

Features and mechanism of action of the active principles contained in the Echinacea.

Features and mechanism of action of the active principles contained in the Ginseng.

Features and mechanism of action of the active principles contained in Propolis.

Readings/Bibliography

Attendance of the lectures with the related power point presentations are part of the teaching material.

G.L. PATRICK Introduzione alla Chimica Farmaceutica
EdiSES, Napoli, 2013  

P. M. Dewick - Piccin Editore Chimica, biosintesi e bioattività delle sostanze naturali. 2/ed.- Edizione italiana a cura di Ernesto Fattorusso Piccin Editore, 2012

T.L. LEMKE, S.W. ZITO, V.F. ROCHE, D.A. WILLIAMS, Foye's Principi di Chimica Farmaceutica: L’ ESSENZIALE, I Edizione italiana, Piccin, Padova, 2017.

Teaching methods

Lectures in class.

Assessment methods

The exam consists of an oral interview. The test will be considered passed by the correct answer to various questions relating to the topics covered, also including the illustration of the structure and the molecular mechanism of action of the various active ingredients contained in the phytocomplexes covered during the course. Registration for the exam is carried out via Almaesami. The final mark is calculated as the weighted average of the marks obtained in the oral tests of the individual modules (Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Chemistry of natural organic substances). The minimum grade to pass the test is 18/30 for each module.

Teaching tools

Video projector - PC system - connection to specific websites.
The slides presented in class are made available to the student in electronic format, on the online support platform for teaching (IOL). Username and password are reserved for students enrolled at the University of Bologna.

Office hours

See the website of Marinella Roberti