OVERVIEW

The General Pharmacology teaching module will cover topics related to the study of the mechanisms of action of drugs and all the factors that influence their effects on humans. The Pharmacognosy teaching module proposes to characterise the main derivatives of natural origin, reviewing their active constituents, the therapeutic/toxic effects they exert both at the cellular level and in the various apparatuses and systems of the body: central nervous, gastroenteric, cardiovascular, genitourinary, respiratory, immune and skin systems, describing the pharmacological basis of their therapeutic use and the molecular mechanisms of their effects.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The General Pharmacology teaching module aims at providing students with a solid foundation regarding the definition of a drug and everything related to pharmacological disciplines, the principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, the factors influencing the variability of drug response and the main mechanisms and effects of drug-drug interactions. All aspects of drug development processes from design to the post-marketing phase will also be covered.

With regard to the Pharmacognosy teaching module, skills will be provided on the general principles of pharmacognosy, the main plant, animal and mineral drugs, with particular reference to those in the European and Italian Pharmacopoeia.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The educational objectives of pharmacokinetics will address qualitative and quantitative concepts related to the processes of ADME, i.e. the set of events that bring a drug into the human body (Absorption), distribute it to the various organs and tissues (Distribution), bio-transform it (Metabolism) and remove it from the body itself (Elimination). The educational objectives of pharmacodynamics will address the study of how drugs interact with the human body, with particular attention to the mechanisms of action of drugs (e.g. interactions with receptors, enzymes, transporters, etc.), dose-effect relationships, duration and intensity of therapeutic effects and adverse effects, as well as the potency and efficacy of drugs. The study of the variability of response to drugs aims to identify genetic and non-genetic factors that can modify the expected effects following the administration of a drug, including drug interactions.

PREREQUISITES

Contact the teacher for further information not included in the teaching sheet.

TEACHING METHODS

The General Pharmacology module includes 20 lectures lasting an average of 2 hours. During the lessons, all the topics included in the program will be illustrated in a complete and detailed way. During the lectures, active learning techniques may be applied that involve students with questions and scientific reasoning, flipped classrooms, etc.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Introduction to pharmacology and general concepts. 

Definition of drug. Specific and non-specific effects of drugs. Drug constituents, drug classification and nomenclature, therapeutic, toxic, placebo and nocebo effect; equivalent drugs. The development of a drug and notes on the different branches of pharmacology. The different phases that characterize the development of a drug (Preclinical phases, clinical phases and post-marketing phases). Definitions and hints of pharmacognosy, pharmacovigilance, pharmacoepidemiology, pharmacoeconomics, digital pharmacology, toxicology, pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics.

Pharmacokinetics.

Pharmaceutical phase. Basic principles and mechanisms of passage of drugs through biological membranes. Routes of drug administration and factors affecting drug absorption. Drug distribution and binding to plasma and tissue proteins; factors that influence distribution. Drug metabolism: phase I and phase II reactions. Factors that affect metabolism. Drug elimination routes and factors affecting elimination. Clinical pharmacokinetics: uni- and bicompartmental models. Bioavailability. Apparent volume of distribution, clearance and plasma half-life. Kinetics of single and repeated administrations. Attack and maintenance dose.

Pharmacodynamics.

 Mechanisms of action of drugs. Basic principles and qualitative-quantitative aspects of drug-receptor interaction. Phenomena Drug-receptor interaction and the concept of affinity and binding selectivity. Receptor theories: occupational theory, intrinsic activity theory, two-stage model theory, and allosteric theory. Total, partial and reverse agonists. Concept of power, efficacy and safety. Competitive, non-competitive antagonists and allosteric modulators. Synergy and additivity. Dose/concentration-response curves, desensitization, tolerance, up- and down-regulation receptors. Reserve receptors/transporters. Receptors: classification, macromolecular structure and signal transduction systems. Examples of the main receptor subtypes. Ion channels and the mechanisms that regulate calcium ion balances. Membrane conveyors.

Variability of response to drugs.

Variability and factors influencing drug response - possible applications for simulated pharmacy exercises. Predictable and unpredictable factors. Individual variability. Gender pharmacology, in the elderly, in children and in overweight people. Genetic alterations, polymorphisms and the variability of the response to drugs. Variability of response to repeated dosing: allergy, tolerance, tachyphylaxis, idiosyncrasy and adverse reactions in general. Drug resistance. 

Drug interactions.

The importance and problems of drug interaction studies. Concept of clinically relevant interaction. Mechanisms of interaction at the pharmaceutical, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic levels. Hints of the interactions between drugs and herbal products. Hints of the interactions between drugs and food.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

- Farmacologia generale e molecolare, (Clementi, Fumagalli), EDRA EDITORE

- Farmacologia generale, (M. Collino, C. Cicala, A. Ialenti), UTET UNIVERSITÀ EDITORE

- Farmacologia generale e clinica, (Bertram G. Katzung, Preziosi -Curatore), PICCIN EDITORE

- Farmacologia, (Rang & Dale), EDRA EDITORE

- Goodman & Gilman. Le basi farmacologiche della terapia, (Brunton, Hilal-Dandan, Knollmann), ZANICHELLI EDITORE

- Farmacologia - Principi di base e applicazioni terapeutiche, (Rossi, Cuomo, Riccardi), MINERVA MEDICA EDITORE

- Farmacologia.  Con Contenuto digitale, (Govoni), AMBROSIANA EDITORE

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

The timetable is available on the CdS web page Timetable and Academic Calendar (https://corsi.unige.it/corsi/11947/studenti-orario)

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam is divided into modules and for both will be oral. The exam is conducted by the course owner, supported by a commissioner (if necessary, the exam is conducted by the professor and a PhD student/research fellow, recognised as a Subject Expert by the Degree Course Council), and lasts from 20 to a maximum of 40 minutes, considering both modules. The exam questions focus on all the topics covered during the lectures and will allow the commission to verify the achievement of the educational objectives of the course.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The final grade will take into account the level of preparation, reasoning skills and correlation between the different topics of the program and the appropriate scientific language used during the interview. If the evaluation criteria are not sufficiently met, the student will be rejected and invited to deepen the study using, if necessary, further explanations by the professor. The exam will specifically assess (a) the level of preparation and the notions acquired, (b) the ability to associate compounds of natural origin with their mechanism of action and the correct therapy according to the therapeutic indications, (c) the ability to link the different topics, reasoning and the use of a professionally appropriate language. In detail, a grade between: - 18 and 21 will indicate a modest knowledge of the topics covered and a sufficient ability to place knowledge in the correct clinical context; - 22 and 24 will indicate sufficient knowledge of the topics covered, an adequate ability to deal with the topics transversally and to place knowledge in a clinical context; - 25 and 27 will indicate a good knowledge of the topics covered, a good ability to deal with the topics transversally and to place knowledge in context and more than good ability to place knowledge for therapeutic use; - 28 and 30 will indicate an excellent knowledge of the topics covered, excellent ability to deal with topics transversally and to place knowledge in context and excellent ability to place knowledge for therapeutic use; Honors are provided if the student stands out for an in-depth knowledge of the topics covered in the course.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Contact the teacher for further information not included.