Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (D076)

DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACOLOGY AND TOXICOLOGY (PCO) COURSE DESCRIPTION FOR PHARMD PROGRAMME

Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II (2 Units) – Team-taught                                       PCO 211
  • Basic Anatomy: Basic organization of the human body: a study of human biological structure at various levels of complexity: from sub cellular to gross and microscopic structure of individual organ systems. Cells (cells and its membrane, division, junctions, movement of substances) and tissues (epithelial, connective, nervous, muscle). Structure function correlations are emphasized: Integumentary system, Circulatory system, Lymphatic system, Immune system, Digestive system, Muscular system, Skeletal system, Respiratory system, Urinary system, Endocrine system, Reproductive system, Nervous system, and Organs of special sense.
  • Neuroanatomy: Basic structural organization of the nervous system: The neuron (Soma and neuritis) Centralization and Telensphalization; Neural Circuitry (Receptors, effectors, and the synapse), Spinal cord and brain vesicles, fate of the Neural Crest. Spinal Cord: General Topography; Grey matter; Ascending and Descending pathways. Brain: General Topography; Brainstem; Cerebellum; Diencephalons; Cerebrum. Meninges and Ventricular system: Pia, Arachnoids Barrier. Peripheral Nervous System: Basic plan; Afferent and Efferent cerebrospinal peripheral nerve endings, Ganglia. Autonomic Nervous system: Basic plan; Sympathetic system; Parasympathetic system; Autonomic effector endings.
Introduction to Physiology I (2 Units)                                                PCO 213
  • Excitable cells, contractile tissues.
  • Cardiovascular Physiology: Cardiac muscle, ECG. Hemodynamics, Systemic Circulation, Events in Cardiac cycle, Heart rate and its control, Blood Pressure, Cardiac output.
  • Respiratory Physiology: Introduction to Mechanics of respiration, Lung Carbon dioxide transport, carbon dioxide dissociation curve, Nervous regulation of respiration, Chemoreceptors, Hypoxia, hyperpnoea, Apnoea;
  • Renal system.
General Principles of Physiology (2 units)                                                                   PCO 215
  • Introduction and history of physiology, cells and organelles, transport across cell membranes, homeostasis and control system, compartments, electrolytes.
  • Body fluids, blood, and its composition, erythropoeisis, homeostasis, antigenicity, immunity, and reticuloendothelial system.
  • Blood grouping and transfusion, hematological indices, and their measurements.
Practical Human Anatomy and Histology (1 Unit)                                                     PCO 217

This will involve the use of plastic models and slides for histology and class demonstrations.

  • Experiments 1: Identification of muscular system, front view
  • Experiment 2: Identification of muscular system, back view
  • Experiment 3: Identification of the human parts using the human plastic model
  • Experiment 4: Slides for human histology I
  • Experiment 5: Slides for human histology II
  • The Tissues. The lymphatic system. The alimentary system. The exocrine glands. The urinary glands. The reproductive system.
  • Organs of special senses will be studied.
  • And other experiments
Human Genetic Anatomy and Histology        (2 Units)                                              PCO 212
  • General Embryology, Teratology and Genetic Anatomy General embryology – Male gamete, female gamete, fertilization (gametogenesis). Development of early embryo and developmental malformations. Systemic embryology – musculoskeletal system, respiratory system, cardiovascular system, nervous system, urogenital system, and developmental malformations.
  • Genetic anatomy – genetic apparatus, and genetically related malformations. Influence of drugs on development.
  • Histology: Histology of the tissues; the lymphatic system; alimentary system; the exocrine glands. Histology of the urinary glands; the reproductive system; Organs of special senses
Neurophysiology and Special Senses (2 Units)                                                            PCO 214
  • Gastrointestinal physiology: Introduction Mastication, deglutation; Salivation, Stomach and its emptying, small intestine, Large intestine, Salivary, Gastric and Pancreatic juices, Reflexes, Digestion, Absorption and Assimilation, Bile, general features,
  • Thyroid; Parathyroid and calcium metabolism, Pituitary, Adenohypophysis, Neurohypophysis, Adrenal Cortex and Medulla. Pancreas, Thymus, Pineal Gland, Male and Female Reproductive systems.
  • Special Senses: Eyeball, retina, sight, accommodation, Photochemical mechanism, receptor potential, light reflexes, adaptation, Ear, Sound waves, Hearing, Taste, Smell.
  • Neurophysiology and Special Senses: Organization of the NS and CNS control systems, Spinal reflexes, Excitation, Inhibition. Localization of functions in the cortex, Motor system, Pyramidal and Extra pyramidal Sensory system, Reticular formation, Cerebellum, Control of posture, Neurobiology rhythms, sleep and unconscious states, Memory, Learning.
  • Autonomic Nervous System: Parasympathetic and sympathetic neuroeffectors, Cholinergic mechanisms, Adrenergic mechanisms, Autonomic reflexes, Adrenal medulla, autonomic drugs.
General Practical Human Physiology (1 Unit)                                                             PCO 216
  • Special exercises to illustrate various aspects of theoretical classes on physiology above. Experiments to demonstrate the various physiological functions using isolated tissues, whole animals, man, urine and blood analysis: Determination of blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate and effects of exercise and drugs on them;
  • Experiments on urinalysis (pH, colour, protein, ketone, sugar, specific gravity);
  • Experiments on blood and blood chemistry (blood group, microscopy, blood count, haematocrit, packed cell volume, hemoglobin content);
  • Evaluation of renal function; effects of drug on urine flow.
General Principles of Pharmacology (2 Units)                                                                         PCO 351
  • Definition of pharmacology. Scope and sub-divisions of pharmacology.
  • Methods and measurements in pharmacology: Biological assays. Measurement and evaluation of toxicity.
  • Pharmacokinetics: routes of drug administration, drug absorption, distribution. Blood-brain-barrier, placental barrier, biotransformation, and elimination.
  • Pharmacodynamics: mechanisms of drug action, drug receptors, signal transduction and second messengers, selectivity of drug action, factors affecting drug action  in  man,  dose-response  relationships, agonists, antagonists and their interactions with receptors.
  • Drug toxicity and adverse drug reactions.
General Pharmacology (2 Units) PCO 353
  • Renal Pharmacology: Diuretics: osmotic diuretics, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, thiazides, loop diuretics, potassium-sparing diuretics. Urine-pH altering agents.
  • Drugs acting on the Haemopoietic System: (i) Haematinics, (ii) Anticoagulants, Vitamin K and hemostatic agents, (iii) Fibrinolytic and anti-platelet drugs, (iv) Blood and plasma volume expanders. Drugs acting on urinary system: (i) Fluid and electrolyte balance, diuretics.
  • Respiratory Pharmacology: Asthma and antiasthmatic drugs. Expectorants, mucolytics and antitussives.
  • Pharmacology of GIT System: (i) Ulcer-Antacids, Anti-Secretory and Anti-ulcer drugs; (ii) Laxatives and purgatives; (iii) anti-diarrhoeal drugs and Oral rehydration therapy; (iv) Appetite Stimulants and Suppressants; (v) Emetics and anti-emetics; (vi) Spasmolytics; and (vii) Miscellaneous-Carminatives, demulcents, protectives, adsorbents, astringents, digestants, enzymes, and mucolytics.
Practical Pharmacology I (1 Unit)                                                                   PCO 354
  • Experiments should cover the areas taught in the theory classes.
Screening Methods in Pharmacology (2 units) PCO 551
  • Principles of biochemical pharmacology.
  • Introduction to qualitative and quantitative pharmacological screening in drug development.
  • Common sources of error and avoidance of bias in Pharmacological screening,
  • Controls in Pharmacological screening,
  • Pharmacological methods of screening various drugs e.g., analgesics. Screening of sedatives, hypnotics, neuroleptics, diuretics, muscle relaxants, local and general anaesthetics, antimalarial.
  • Use of in vitro, in vivo, ex vivo models including drosophila, elegans.
  • General principles of drug evaluation: clinical trials, potency, and toxicity.
  • Statistical calculations of LD50, ED50, and data comparison (Student t-test).
  • Application of Cell and tissue culture in drug screening,
  • Drug antagonism and determination of pA values – Schild plot.
Veterinary Pharmacy and Agrochemicals (1 Unit) PCO 552
  • Introduction to Veterinary Pharmacy.
  • Formulation and storage of veterinary drugs (Pharmaceutics).
  • Veterinary dosage forms and routes of drug administration in veterinary practice (Pharmaceutics)
  • Compounding and Dispensing of medicines to animal (Pharmaceutics).
  • Administration of veterinary drugs. Growth promoters.
  • Common animal diseases of ruminants (sheep, goats, and cattle), horses, pigs, fish, small animals (cats and dogs) and poultry. Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, foot, and mouth disease, sleeping sickness, African swine fever, rhinderpest, rabies, fowl cholera, Salmonellosis, and coccidiosis.
  • Therapy of common animal diseases. Treatment of Sheep and goat disease; Treatment of poultry Disease, Treatment of Swine Disease, Treatment of small animal (Dogs and Cats disease),
  • Common veterinary drugs – antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiprotozoan and anthelmintics. Vaccines and other biological (Microbiology)
  • Insecticides, ascaricides and rodenticides (Microbiology)
  • Disinfectants (antiseptics – topical and urinary) (Microbiology)
  • Anti-inflammatory agents and corticosteroids. Vitamins, heamatinics, dietary supplements, digestants, and other feed additives.
  • Compliance of animals with medications; (v) Poisons in animal feeding stuffs; (vi) Therapeutic substances in animal feeding stuffs; (vii) Poisoning with carbon tetrachloride, phenothiazines, insecticides, Toxic plants.
  • Definitions of agrochemicals. Drug residuals in tissues
  • Pesticides
Clinical and Environmental Toxicology (1 Unit)         PCO 554
  • Definition of toxicology and toxicant.
  • Definition of poison.
  • Management of acute drug poisoning with reference to barbiturates, opioids, organophosphorous and atropine poisoning.
  • Plant, bacterial and animal poisoning. Solvent poisoning.
  • Pesticides and herbicides.
  • Radiation toxicology.
  • Air-borne poisoning.
  • Food additives and food poisoning.
  • Poisoning caused by animal bites.
  • Heavy metals and chelating agents.
  • Toxicity of drug-drug interactions.
  • Management of poisoning.
  • Adverse drug interactions and generic components in clinical practice.
  • Agricultural, environmental, and industrial toxicology:
  • Principles of antidotal treatment,
  • Carcinogenesis and teratogenesis