Course Contents

1. GENERAL PHARMACOLOGY: a. Pharmacology: Definition, History, and its various branches. Drug: Definition and its various sources. b. Routes of drugs administration, advantages and disadvantages. c. Pharmacokinetics: Drug solubility and passage of drug across the biological membranes. Absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination of drugs and factors affecting them. Various pharmacokinetic parameters including volume of distribution (Vd), clearance (Cl), Biological half life (t1/2β), Bioavailability and various factors affecting it. Dose, Efficacy and potency of drugs. Hypersensitivity and Idiosyncratic reactions, drug tolerance and dependence. Drug interactions. Plasma protein binding. d. Pharmacodynamics: How drugs act? Receptors and their various types with special reference to their molecular structures. Cell surface receptors, signal transduction by cell surface receptors, signaling Mediated by intra cellular receptors, target cell and hyper sensitization, Pharmacological effects not Mediated by receptors (for example anesthetics and cathartics) Ion channel, enzymes, carrier proteins, Drug receptor interactions and theories of drug action. Agonist, antagonist, partial agonist, inverse agonist. Receptors internalization and receptors co-localization. Physiological Antagonism, Pharmacological Antagonism (competitive and noncompetitive), Neutralization Antagonism, Neurotransmission and neuro-modulation. Specificity of drug action and factors modifying the action & dosage of drugs. Median lethal dose (LD:50), Median effective dose (ED:50) and Therapeutic Index, Dose-response relationships. 2. DRUGS ACTING ON AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM (ANS): a. Organization of ANS its subdivisions and innervations. b. Neurotransmitters in ANS, their synthesis, release and fate. c. Sympathetic agonist drugs: Catecholamines and Non-catecholamines. d. Sympathetic antagonist drugs: Adrenergic receptor Blockers and neuron blockers. e. Parasympathetic (Cholinergic) agonists and Anticholinestrase inhibitors. Parasympathetic antagonists. f. Ganglion stimulants and Ganglion blockers g. Neuromuscular Blockers 3. DRUGS ACTING ON GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT: a. Emetic and anti-emetics. b. Purgatives. c. Anti-diarrheal agents. d. Treatment of Peptic ulcer: Antacids, H2-Receptor antagonists, antimuscarinic agents, proton pump inhibitors, prostaglandin agonists, gastrin receptor antagonist and cytoprotective agents. e. Drug treatment of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. f. Drugs affecting bile flow and Cholelithiasis. 4. AUTACOIDS AND THEIR ANTAGONISTS: Histamine and Anti-histamines, Serotonin and Serotonin Antagonists, Prostaglandins and their antagonists. 5. DRUGS ACTING ON RESPIRATORY SYSTEM: a. Drugs used for cough (Anti-tussives, Expectorants and Mucolytic Agents). b. Drugs used for Bronchial Asthma (Bronchodilators, Cromoglycate, Nedocromil, Cortecosteroids & other Anti-inflammatory drugs and Muscarinic receptor antagonists. Cromoglycate, Nedocromil, Cortecosteroids & other Anti-inflammatory drugs. 6. DRUGS ACTING ON CARDIO-VESCULAR SYSTEM: a. Angina pectoris and its drug treatment b. Congestive heart failure & its treatment c. Anti-arrhythmic drugs d. Anti-hyperlipidemia e. Coagulants and Anti-coagulants f. Anti-hypertensives g. Diuretics 7. DRUGS ACTING ON GENITO-URINARY SYSTEM: Oxytoxic drugs, Ergot alkaloids and uterine relaxants. 72 8. ANTI-ANAEMIC DRUGS: 9. HORMONES, ANTAGONISTS AND OTHER AGENTS AFFECTING ENDOCRINE FUNCTION: Endocrine function and dysfunctions. Drug used for therapy of Diabetes Mellitus: Insulin and Oral Hypoglycemic agents, Corticosteroids, Thyroid hormone and antithyroid drugs.