46248 - General Pharmacology

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student knows the general  principles of drug administration, the concepts of risk-benefit of drug therapy, the health risk of doping.

Course contents

Classification of drugs

Pharmacokinetic

Routes of administration of drugs. Enteral versus parenteral administration.

The dynamics of drug absorption, Transfer of drugs across membranes. Distribution and bioavailability of drugs.

Metabolism of drugs

Excretion of drugs: renal excretion, biliary excretion

Pharmacokinetic parameters.

Pharmacodynamic

Mechanisms of drug action. Drug effects. Drug receptor interaction. Agonist and antagonist. Drug therapy. Relationship between the therapeutic effects and the adverse effects of drug.

Potency and relative efficacy of drug. Adverse drug reactions and drug toxicity.

The safety of dietary supplements for athletes.

Therapeutic treatment of athletes: correct use of drug. Risk/benefit of drug.  Doping epidemiology.  Concepts of doping risk. Principles of antidoping.

Drug therapy of inflammation: non steroinal anti-inflammatory drugs. Corticosteroids.

Pulmonary pharmacology

Ashma: bronchodilators; corticosteroids.

Drugs of cough. Drug of rhinitis.

Readings/Bibliography

Howland R.D., Mycek M.J. – Le basi della Farmacologia – Zanichelli, Bologna, 2006

Mottram D.R. - Farmaci e Sport – Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano, 2003

Teaching methods

Lectures with multimedia aids

Assessment methods

The final test of the course includes  an oral interview of PHARMACOLOGY. Two questions related to  the topics of the pharmacology  program will be asked to the student. Others specific  questions can be asked for evaluating the student's preparation. The student  will get a mark, for each course. The partial marks, in proportion to the number of credits, contribute to the final mark.

Teaching tools

Teaching aids: The teaching material presented at the lectures is available as electronic format on internet. The material should be printed and brought in class.  

To get teaching material: http://campus.unibo.it/.

Username e password are restricted for students enrolled at University of Bologna.

Office hours

See the website of Francesca Maffei