Pharmacology - terminology
„pharmacon“ + „logos“ / „logia“
= scientific discipline dealing with
INTERACTIONS BETWEEN SUBSTANCES..
introduced into the organism from the environment
..AND THE LIVING ORGANISM on all levels of complexity:
molecular, cellular, organ, or on the level of the organism as a whole
Subfields of pharmacology:
• Pharmacodynamics
– systematic study of the effects of drugs on living
systems
• Pharmacokinetics
– systematic study of the effects of living systems
on drugs
Drug Names:
- Chemical Name
- Generic Name
- Trade Name
Chemical Name
• describes its molecular structure and distinguishes it
from other drugs
• Chemical Name: 2-(diethylamino)-2’,6’-
acetooxylid monohydrochloride
monohydrate
Generic name
• often determined by the pharmaceutical company
(investigator)
• Generic Name: lidocaine hydrochloride
• Officinal Name: Lidocaini Hydrochloridum
(Czech Pharmacopoea 2009)
• Brand (Trade) Name: Xylocaine®
Trade Name
• or brand name - the manufacturer selects alone; the
brand name can become a registered trademark (this
pharmaceutical company is the only one who can
advertise and market the drug under that name)
International Nonproprietary Name (INN)
• official non-proprietary or generic name given to
a pharmaceutical substance, as designated by
the World Health Organization (WHO)
• provides a standard name for each substance
~ IUPAC names in chemistry
• WHO issues INN names in English, Latin, French,
Russian, and Spanish • Arabic and Chinese versions,
although not included in the original scheme, are now also
being issued
Example:
IUPAC name: N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-acetamide
INN: Paracetamol
British Approved Name (BAN): Paracetamol
United States Adopted Name (USAN): Acetaminophen
Other generic names: N-acetyl-p-aminophenol, APAP, p-
Acetamidophenol, Acetamol
Proprietary names: Tylenol®, Panadol®, Panamax®, Perdolan®,
Calpol®, Doliprane®, Tachipirina®, Benuron®, Atasol®
Reasons for drug administration:
- therapeutic
- diagnostic
- preventive
Therapeutic use:
- suppression or mitigation of the cause
or unpleasant symptom(s) of the disease
substitution of endogenous substance
(hormones, vitamins, bile salts, HCl, etc.)
modulation of the organ function
Therapeutic use of drugs can be: „empiric“ or „aimed“
performed on the base of knowledge of the mechanism
of the therapeutic effect and/oradverse effects,
comparison with the effect of other drugs
„Evidence – based therapy“
Diagnostic use:
- functional tests (dexamethazone, histamin)
- substrates (markers, probe drugs)
for biochemical examinations or phenotype
determination (CYPs)
Prevention / Prophylaxis:
- vaccination
- immunoprofylaxis
- prophylaxis of myocardial infarction with ASA
- prophylaxis of Str. endocarditis, meningitis
with penicillin
Drug Dosage Forms
• drug substances are seldom administered alone, but
rather as a part of a formulation in combination with one or
more nonmedical agents that serve varied and specialized
pharmaceutical functions
Doses
•
DTS – dosis therapeutica singula
•
DTD – dosis therapeutica pro die
•
DMS – dosis maxima singula
•
DMD – dosis maxima pro die
ED 50, LD50, TD50
Factors Determining Drug Dose
•
Body Weight, Surface Area, Sex, Tolerance
•
Concomitant Drug Therapy
•
Time of Administration
•
Dosage Form and Route of Administration
