The Basic Principles of Pharmacology

Full course description

The module’s subjects will be provided in an integrative setting of PBL cases, lectures and practical trainings. The PBL cases will be ammended by lectures which also hook up with topics of this module and prior modules. The presentation of a real patient case illustrates how pharmacology is implemented in clincal practice. An important part of this module consists of a practical in which students perform a clinical trial on the effects of nutrients on the kinetics of a drug. This practical will be completed by an assignment. The results of all other practicals will be presented and discussed in the tutorial group meetings enabling their seamless embedding in the other block's subjects.   This module provides an introduction into the basic principles of pharmacology and toxicology. Pharmacology and toxicology deal with the effects of biologically active compounds on (patho)physiological processes.
The disciplines are subdivided into two general subjects: (1) pharmacodynamics, which assesses the effects of a compound in the human physiology, and (2) pharmacokinetics, which assesses the fate of a compound in the human body. Both subjects determine the therapeutic effectivity and toxicity of a drug in humans and are influenced by genetic factors like polymorphisms in genes of drug metabolizing enzymes and by the concomitant intake of nutrients. Also subjects like drug development (preclinical and clinical phases) and the set-up of a clinical trial protocol for medical-ethical approval are covered.