14163 - Pharmacology I

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student has the basic knowledge of the mechanisms that regulate the kinetics of a drug in the body as well as the drug interactions with the biological targets responsible for its activity. In particular, the student: - knows the essential pharmacokinetic elements, - understands the general bases of biotransformation, - knows how drugs interact with their biological targets and the biological outcomes of these interactions.

Course contents

The Course of Pharmacology I is made up by two parts (modules) covering the principles of General Pharmacology:
Pharmacodynamics (Module 1) and Pharmacokinetics (Module 2). 
 
Program Module 1 - Pharmacodynamics 
 

Pharmacodymamics: sites and mechanisms of actions of drugs; drug-receptor interactions and their cellular consequences; dose-response relationships; drugs acting as agonists, antagonists or partial agonists; factors modifying drug actions (e.g. age, pathologies, drug interactions, tolerance, placebo). Drug interactions. General Toxicity: adverse effects; overdose effects; idiosyncratic or allergic reactions; abuse liability. Preclinical and clinical drug development. Pharmacovigilance.

 

Program Module 1 - Pharmacokinetics

General principles about transfer of drugs across membranes for drug absorption. Administration routes and drug absorption. Distribution: volume of distribution, binding to plasma proteins. Biotransformations: phase 1 and phase 2 reactions; biotransformations outside the liver; pharmacometabolic induction and inhibition. Drug excretion. Pharmacokinetic parameters (clearance, half-life, single or repeated administrations, bioavailability). Individual variability in responding to drugs (age, ethnicity, pregnancy, disease, pharmacologic interactions).

Readings/Bibliography

Rang & Dale Farmacologia; Edra, 2016

Govoni S. et al., "Farmacologia", Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, 2024

FURLANUT - Farmacologia Generale e Clinica per le Lauree Sanitarie, III Edizione – Ed. Piccin

RD. HOWLAND, MJ. MYCEK - Le basi della farmacologia. - Edizioni Zanichelli

F. Clementi, G. Fumagalli, "Farmacologia Generale e Molecolare", CEA, 2018

Katzung BG, "Farmacologia Generale e clinica", 11th Ed. Piccin. 

Teaching methods

Oral lessons

Assessment methods

The learning assessment of the Pharmacology I Course is done through an oral exam on each of the two teaching modules (taken on the same or on different dates), which aims to verify and evaluate the achievement of the learning objectives.

For Module I, the following is required: knowledge of the pharmacokinetic processes that govern the presence of the drug in the body, from its entry to its elimination.

For Module II, the following is required: knowledge of the principles of the mechanism of action of drugs, the characteristics and pharmacodynamic consequences of their interaction with the  biological structures responsible for their therapeutic / toxic effects, as well as their variability.

The final grade of the Pharmacology I Course is defined by the average of the evaluation of the answers to the exam interviews of each of the two modules (taken on the same or on different dates).

Since the Pharmacology I Course is integrated (I.C.) with the Pharmacology II Course, it is necessary to take and pass the two exams according to their sequence, on separate dates or on the same date.

 

Teaching tools

Oral lessons will be given with the aid of multimedial tools (MS Power Point presentations, etc.).

Office hours

See the website of Sanzio Candeletti

See the website of Laura Rullo