OVERVIEW

The Fundamentals of Pharmacology module is intended to provide students with the basic knowledge of the drug and, in particular, of the interactions that occurs between chemicals and the living organism and that determine the therapeutic effects but also toxicological events.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Knowledge of the pharmacokinetic (time-action) properties of drugs, including rates of absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion. Knowledge of the pharmacodynamic principles of drug action including: receptors, dose-response curves, biochemical and physiological effects of drugs and the molecular mechanisms by which these effects are produced. Explore the pharmacological concepts and effects / side effects of certain drug classes.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The Fundamentals of Pharmacology module aims to provide students with basic knowledge to understand how drugs act in the body, both at the molecular level (i.e. mechanisms of action) and at the clinical level (i.e. observable drug effects in patients).

Specifically, the module aims to describe:

- the general principles of pharmacokinetics, i.e. how administered drugs are absorbed, distributed in organs and tissues, metabolixed, and eliminated from the body);

- the general principles of pharmacodynamics, i.e. how drugs act and interact with their biological targets to generate therapeutic effects, as well as side and toxic effects.

- factors influencing variability in response to drugs and the main mechanisms underlying drug-drug interactions.

By the end of the course, students will be expected to:

- understand the pharmacokinetic parameters, routes of administration and elimination of drugs, metabolic reactions, and factors influencing drug distribution in the body.

- be able to describe the mechanisms of action of drugs, their biological targets, and the effects they may have on the body.

- be able to apply the general concepts of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics to molecules belonging to specific classes of drugs.

Moreover, the students will acquire a proper scientific language to  describe clearly the acquired notions of pharmacology.

TEACHING METHODS

The module comprises 4 CFU, corresponding to 32 hours of teaching activities. The teaching methods include frontal lessons with insights related to the program (28 hours).  Specific topics will be introduced through icebreaker activities. The peer education and peer evaluation methods could also be used to allow students to actively learn and acquire the ability to communicate effectively using appropriate terms; these activities could be carried out in groups or alone, and may require the creation of a final presentation to the class. The student would receive feedback from the teacher and/or from the other classmates, and a debate could be sparked in the classroom. In addition, exercises using data from scientific literature will be carried out to consolidate and encourage the application of theoretical knowledge acquired during lectures. These interactive teaching activities will account for approximately 4 hours of the module.

To facilitate the achievement of the expected learning outcomes, attendance of lectures is highly recommended.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

- Introduction to Pharmacology. Definition of drug, phases of pharmacological action, effects of drugs, disciplines studying drugs.

- History, discovery and development of drugs.

- Qualitative and quantitative aspects of drug-receptor interaction. Definition of target and receptor. Characteristics of drug-receptor binding. The dose-effect relationship of a drug. Receptor occupancy theory. Intrinsic activity. Two state receptor model. Affinity, efficacy and potency of a drug. Total agonists, partial agonists, competitive and non-competitive antagonists, and inverse agonists. Drug tolerance.

- Drug targets. Receptors: classes and signal transduction pathways. Ionotropic receptors: nicotinic, GABA A, NMDA, AMPA and Kainate. Metabotropic receptors: muscarinic, glutamatergic metabotropic receptors, GABA B and adrenergic receptors. Kinase-coupled receptors. Nuclear receptors. Ion channels. Enzymes: cyclo-oxygenases. Transporters: monamine transporters and proton pumps.

- Absorption and distribution of drugs. Routes of administration, passage of drugs across biological membranes, binding to plasma proteins and tissues.

- Drug metabolism. Phase 1 and Phase 2 reactions, induction and inhibition of metabolic enzymes, first-pass metabolism.

- Drug elimination.

- Quantitative pharmacokinetics: pharmacokinetic parameters. Plasma concentration-time curve (single or repeated administration), bioavailability, apparent volume of distribution, plasma clearance, area under the curve, half-life, steady-state plasma concentration.

- Interindividual variability in drug response.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Rossi, Cuomo, Riccardi. Farmacologia. Principi di base e applicazioni terapeutiche. Edizioni Minerva Medica

Govoni, Spampinato, Navarra, Corsini, …. Farmacologia, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana 

Rang HP, Dale MM, RitterJM, Flower RJ - Farmacologia - Ed. Elsevier Masson

Goodman and Gilman. Le basi farmacologiche della terapia. Zanichelli

Notes of Lessons

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

From March 2, 2026

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The Fundamentals of Pharmacology module assessment can only take place at the same time as the Fundamentals of Physiology module.  Only in case of positive results for both evaluations the examination will be passed.

The examination consists in an oral session of about 30 minutes for each module, always in presence of the examination board consisting of at least of two lecturers (or sometimes in presence of a lecturer and an expert subject designated by the CCS). 

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The examination board will verify the achievement of educational objectives with high accuracy collecting information about the nature and extent of learning outcomes, as well as students ability to reasoning and make connections within topics of the module. When the educational objectives will be not achieved, students will be invited to verify better the knowledge and possibly to use supplemental explanations contacting the lecturer.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Professor Sergio Di Domizio (sergio.didomizio@unige.it), the Department’s disability liaison.