Week 1 Flashcards
(38 cards)
Define pharmacology
A research discipline that focuses on defining the mechanisms of action of drugs and the biological systems they act upon.
Define pharmacy.
Profession responsible for preparation, dispensing and appropriate use of medicines.
Define Pharmacognosy.
Knowledge of medicines that derive from plants and other natural sources.
Define Pharmaceutics.
Turning a new chemical or old drugs into new drugs that can be used safely by patients.
Define Toxicology.
Field of science that assesses the toxic effects of drugs on the organism in questions.
What types of drugs must be toxicologically tested.
All drugs
Define Pharmacotherapeutics
The study of therapeutics effects and uses of drugs.
Define pharmacokinetics.
How the body processes drugs.
What are the steps of pharmokinetics?
Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion.
What are the ADME properties of drugs?
Their pharmacokinetics - absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion.
Define Pharmacodynamic.
Dealing with what drugs do to the body.
Drug effects and how they result from interaction of the drug with its receptor and other target molecules.
Why is clinical outcome often difficult to determine?
Clinical outcomes are often non-quantitative for example pain may be different for each individual.
What do all medicines contain?
The drug
Excipients
What is the API of a drug?
The active pharmaceutical ingredient.
What are excipients in a medication?
Everything excluding the API in a medicine but they enhance the product performance by altering the ADME properties.
What effects do excipients have on medicines?
Enhance product performance by altering the ADME properties.
What can be the possible effects if excipients in medicines deteriorate ?
Pharmokinetic changes
What features must excipients have to be used in medicine?
They must be inert and non-toxic.
Name the different types of excipients.
Diluents Disintegrants Granulants Lubricants Coatings Colourings Flavourings
What are diluent excipients in medicines?
A substance with no pharmacological properties that is used to dilute or bulk up a tablet.
What are ‘disintegrates’ excipients in medicines?
Used to dissolve the drug when wet so that it is able to be efficiently absorbed.
What are ‘granulant’ excipients in medicines?
Helps bind tablet together.
What are ‘lubricant’ excipients in medicine?
Stop tablets sticking together and to machinery during manufacture.
What are coating excipients used for in medicine?
Delays the release of drugs if necessary - delayed onset.
Prevents atompsheric disintegration of the drug by oxygen.
