01234 - Pharmacognosy

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student: - he will beable to perform the morphological identification of drugs, the description of its origin and plant 's habitat - he will be able to recognize chemical structures that are active costituents and their pharmacological acitivities, when used in therapy, or their possibly application in other fields as well as pharmaceuticals, such as technology and cosmetology. The student also learns the basics of pharmacology and knows: - the essential elements of pharmacokinetics such as: Absorption, distribution and elimination of drugs, as well as their bioavailability 'and the general mechanisms of biotransformation;  the basis of drug selectivity; drug and variability in response to drugs.

Course contents

Pharmacology: definitions; Drug concept,

Pharmacodinamics: Mechanisms of drug action; Receptor classification; Factors-depending drug action; dose/effect ratio; Pharmacologycal and Therapeutics properties

Pharmacokinetcs: Movement  of drugs across cell membranes, blood-brain barrier and placenta filter; routes of administration and absorption; binding to plasma proteins;  bioavailability; Half life of drugs; Drug dependent effects; drug independent effects;; dose-response and time-response curves; agonists, partial agonists, antagonists; side-effects; overdose; idiosyncratic and allergic reactions; distribution of drugs in the body, volume of distribution, , drug metabolism; excretion; Drugs interactions;  Factors inducing variability in drug action (species, age, sex, gender,ect). Concept of drug addiction: tollerance, physical and psychical dependence, drugs of abuse. Drug development: Chemical and pharmacological studies; preclinical studies; Clinical Trials (phase I,II,III and epidemiological studies –IV);

DRUGS OF VEGETABLE ORIGIN
 

Definition and aim of Pharmacognosy; definition and classification of plant drug; factors affecting the activity: natural, endogenous, exogenous and preparation-dependent.

Plant of vegetable origin: conditions of preservation, analysis, identification, quality control, distinctive characters, endogenous active substances, therapeutic strategies, toxic effects, potion preparation of the following drugs of vegetable origin:

containing carbohydrates: Manna*, Starch, Hollyhock, Flax*, Agar, Arabic Gum*; Tragacanth Gum*, Cotton.

containing lipids: Castor oil*,  Cacao butter.

containing essential oils and gums: Wormwood,  Matricaria*, Roman Chamomile*, Cannabis, Camphor, Capsicum*, Fish (or Levant) Berry,  Eucalyptus*,  Male fern*, Clove*, Mint, Nutmeg, Valerian*.

containing tannins: Hamamelis*.

containing quinones: Aloe*, Cascara sagrada*, Rhamnus frangula*, Senna*, Rhubarb*,  Saint John's wort.

containing saponins: Licorice*, Ginseng.

containing cardiac glycosides: Foxgloves*, Strophanthus*, .Squill.

containing flavonoid glycosides: Maidenhair tree.

containing alkaloids: Opium poppy, Boldo*, Ipacacuanha*, Cinchona*, Rauwolfia, (xanthines Cacao*, Coffee, Tea), Tobacco, Nux vomica*, Ergot*, Ephedras, Jaborandi, Calabar bean, Deadly nightshade*, Henbane, Thorn apple, Coca, Curare, Common periwinkle, Yew.

Plant drugs containing psychotomimetic substances.

 

Drugs of animal origin: sera, vaccines, products for transfusion, heparin.

 

The students must identify the plant drugs indicated by the symbol * and the botanical features of the plants they come from.

Readings/Bibliography

Farmacologia - con sito web di Stefano Govoni - Casa Editrice Ambrosiana 2014

F. Clementi, G. Fumagalli, "Farmacologia Generale e Molecolare", UTET, 2012

Biagi GL, Speroni E, "Farmacognosia", Ed. Patron 2010.

Teaching methods

Lectures

Assessment methods

Verification of learning takes place through an oral assessment. This assessment aims to assess the knowledge on the topics covered during the course of both modules.

General Pharmacology:

The purpose of the oral examination  focuses on the ability of the candidate to have learned the basics of the mechanisms of action of drugs, how they are modified by body and how these can affect the phisiology of the body.

Pharmacognosy:

during the exam the candidate will receive questions on the morphology, active principles content, use, potential therapeutic/toxic effects of drugs reported in the program. In particular, for drugs marked with an asterisk in the program, the correct identification of vegetable-deriving drugs is requested. Finally, also questions related to general Pharmacognosy are made.

 

The approx duration of the oral exam will be 30-40 min.

For the final evaluation (XX/30) it will be taken care of the correctness of the answers, the revealed comprehension of the arguments and the quality of the presentation, also with reference to the different parts of the program as well as to the previous knowledge that is necessary for the comprehension of this specific matter.

During the oral exam, the candidate cannot use supporting material such as books, notes or computer media

Teaching tools

PC

Video projector

Lessons on CD available for students

Office hours

See the website of Gabriele Campana

See the website of Sanzio Candeletti