Pharmacology

The Pharmacology ( gr φάρμακον drug, agent ',' substance ', and -logy ) is the science of the interaction of substances and organisms.

Demarcation

The pharmacology considers the interaction of substances and living beings initially neutrally, without regard to the usefulness or harmfulness of the substances examined. In a second step, a distinction can be counted and between substances with medicinal effect ( medicines) and substances with harmful effects ( poisons ), the separation is often blurred.

History

The pharmacology ranges in approaches to antiquity back ( Galen ).

Modern scientific pharmacology emerged in the 19th century in parallel with the development of physiology, physiological chemistry and pathology.

Interactions

According to Rudolf Buchheim the interaction between drug and organism goes in two directions:

Subjects

• The General Pharmacology examines the general principles of the interaction between drug and organism, regardless of the drug.
• In experimental pharmacology is attempted based on model systems to simulate the pharmacological properties of a drug.
• Clinical pharmacology is concerned with the effect of drugs on human use ( pharmacotherapy ).
• In toxicology, the harmful effects on the human or animal body are examined ( poisoning).
• In the Chrono Pharmacology recurring and predictable temporal variations in the action and the pharmacokinetics of drugs in humans and animals are studied.
• Pharmacogenetics deals with the influence of different genetic makeup of patients on the effect of drugs.