Academic Year 2018/2019
- Docente: Sanzio Candeletti
- Credits: 8
- SSD: BIO/14
- Language: Italian
- Moduli: Sanzio Candeletti (Modulo 1) Carmela Fimognari (Modulo 2)
- Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures (Modulo 1) Traditional lectures (Modulo 2)
- Campus: Rimini
- Corso: Single cycle degree programme (LMCU) in Pharmacy (cod. 8414)
Learning outcomes
At the end of the Couse, the student:
- has the knowledge to perform the morphological identification of drug of natural origin, animal or vegetal and, in this last case, he also knows the habitat of plants;
- is able to identify the chemical structure of pharmacologically active substances contained in pharmacognosy drugs and, in addition, he knows their use in the therapeutic, technological or cosmetological fields.
The student also learns the principles of General Pharmacology through which he:
- knows the different mechanisms of actions of drugs (as pharmacologically active substances), the characteristics of the drug interaction with the biological structures responsibles for their therapeutic and toxic effects as well as the pharmacodynamic consequences of these interactions and the criteria for the response quantification and analysis;
- is able to evaluate and to apply the pharmacokinetic principles related to the drug administration, absorption, metabolism and elimination;
- is able to evaluate the consequences of possible interactions between different drugs and the individual variability of drug effects.
Course contents
The Course is made by two parts (modules):
General Pharmacology (Module 1) and
Pharmacognosy (Module 2).
GENERAL PHARMACOLOGY (Module 1)
Pharmacokinetics: routes of administration of drugs and their adsorption; drugs movement across biological membranes; bioavailability; drug distribution among body compartments, distribution volume, plasma protein binding; biotranformation; drug excretion; pattern of plasma concentrations (after single or repeated administration).
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.
PHARMACOGNOSY (Module 2)
Definition and scope of Pharmacognosy; definition and
classification of drugs. Variability in the activity of a drug:
natural endogenous factors, exogenous and preparation-dependent.
Conservation drugs. Drug analysis: identification, quality
control.
Identification, main characteristics, active principles, and
officinal preparations of the following drugs:
Carbohydrate-containing drugs: Manna*, Starch, Althaea*, Linseed*,
Agar, Gum Arabic*, Tragacanth*, Cotton, Psyllium, Heparin,
Dextran.
Lipid-containing drugs: Castor oil*, Cocoa butter.
Drugs containing resins or essential oils: Wormwood, Sweet
wormwood, Chamomille*, Matricaria recutita, Cannabis, Camphor, Fish
berries, Capsicum*, Eucaliptus leaf*, Male fern*, Clove*,
Peppermint, Nutmeg, Valerian*.
Tannin-containing drugs: Hamamelis*.
Anthraquinone-containing drugs: Aloes*, Cascara bark*, Frangula
bark*, Rhubarb*, Senna*, St. John's Wort.
Saponin-containing drugs: Liquorice*, Ginseng*.
Cardioactive glycoside-containing drugs: Digitalis leaf*,
Strophantus*, Squill*.
Flavonoid-containing drugs: Ginkgo, Psoralens.
Alkaloid-containing drugs: Opium, Boldo*, Ipecacuanha*, Chincona
bark*, Rauwolfia, Cocoa*, Coffee, Tea*, Tobacco, Ergot*, Nux
Vomica*, Ephedra*, Jaborandi, Calabar bean, Belladonna*,
Hyoscyamus, Jimson weed, Coca leaf, Curare, Vinca, Taxus.
Natural drugs endowed with psychotomimetic activity.
Natural drugs of animal origin.
*: to be identified by the student.
Readings/Bibliography
Govoni S. et al., "Farmacologia", Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, 2014
F. Clementi, G. Fumagalli, "Farmacologia Generale e Molecolare", UTET, 2012
Katzung BG, "Farmacologia Generale e clinica", Ed. Piccin, 2014
Rossi F, Cuomo V, Riccardi C, "Farmacologia", Ed. Minerva Medica, 2011
Biagi GL, Speroni E, "Farmacognosia", Ed. Patron 2010.
Teaching methods
Oral lessons. Practice sessions of macroscopic identification of drugs, marked with an asterisk in the program, are scheduled.
Assessment methods
The final test consists of an oral examination concerning both
teaching modules and aiming to verify the achievement of the
teaching goals.
For the General Pharmacology module it is requested: the knowledge
of the mechanisms of drug actions; the features and the
pharmacodynamic consequences of their interaction with the
biological structures that are responsible of their therapeutic or
toxic effects and their variability; the knowledge of
pharmacokinetic processes that regulate the presence of the drug in
the organism: from its entrance to its elimination.
As regard the Pharmacognosy module it is requested: the knowledge
of morphology, source, content in active principles, therapeutic or
non therapeutic use of drugs of natural origin. In particular, the
identification of ad hoc prepared drugs, corresponding to those
marked with an asterisk in the program.
The final score will derive from the evaluation of answers to four
principal questions on arguments of different parts of the program.
The oral exam will lasts approx 30-40 min. The final score (xx/30)
will take into account: the correctness of the given 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 topic.
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 Carmela Fimognari