Department

Pharmacology

Scope of the department

• Drug Action Mechanisms: Understanding how drugs interact with biological systems to produce effects, including receptor binding, enzyme modulation, and ion channel activity.
• Pharmacokinetics: Study of the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) of drugs, focusing on how the body processes them over time.
• Pharmacodynamics: Investigation of the biochemical and physiological effects of drugs on the body and their mechanisms of action.
• Drug Development and Discovery: Involves the creation, testing, and approval of new medications, including preclinical and clinical trials.
• Toxicology: Study of the harmful effects of drugs and chemicals, including side effects, toxicity, and overdose management.
• Clinical Pharmacology: Application of pharmacological principles to clinical practice, including drug selection, dosing, and monitoring of patient responses.
• Pharmacogenomics: Study of how genetic variations affect individual responses to drugs, aiming for personalized medicine.
• Pharmacotherapeutics: Focus on the therapeutic use of drugs for treating diseases, including choosing the right drug, dose, and treatment regimens.
• Drug Interactions: Understanding how different drugs interact with each other, with food, or with underlying medical conditions.
• Public Health Impact: Examining the role of drugs in disease prevention, health promotion, and their impact on public health policy.
• Pharmacovigilance: Monitoring the safety of drugs post-market to detect adverse effects and ensure ongoing public health safety.

Pharmacology is a vital branch of medicine that studies drugs and their interactions with living organisms. It encompasses how drugs exert their effects, how they are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted, and their clinical and toxicological implications. This discipline bridges the gap between basic science and clinical medicine, contributing significantly to the development and rational use of medicines.

Pharmacology is broadly divided into several key subfields:

Pharmacodynamics focuses on the effects of drugs on the body, examining their interactions with biological targets such as receptors, enzymes, and ion channels, and the mechanisms leading to therapeutic or adverse effects.
Pharmacokinetics studies the movement of drugs through the body, including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME), to understand how these processes influence drug action over time.
Therapeutic Uses applies pharmacological knowledge to select the right drug, dosage, and treatment plan, ensuring efficacy while minimizing side effects.
Toxicology explores the harmful effects of drugs and chemicals, addressing overdose risks, long-term use impacts, and adverse drug reactions.
Pharmacogenomics examines genetic factors that influence individual drug responses, paving the way for personalized medicine by tailoring treatments to genetic profiles. By integrating these subfields, pharmacology advances the safe and effective use of drugs, contributing to better healthcare outcomes.