malaria-endemic area and continuing for

7 days after leaving the area.

3. Diagnosing Diseases

-Example: Angiography: This is a type of

X-ray that uses a dye to visualize the
blood vessels. The dye is injected into a
vein and then travels through the
bloodstream, allowing the doctor to see
the blood vessels on the X-ray.
 The nurse is often the health care
provider most directly involved with 4. Enhancing Physical or Mental
patient care and is active in educating, Performance
managing, and monitoring the proper
-Examples: Anabolic Steroids: These
use of drugs.
are synthetic versions of the hormone
testosterone, which is responsible for
promoting muscle growth and
increasing strength.
Stimulants: Stimulants like
amphetamines, ephedrine, and caffeine
can increase alertness, energy, and
focus.

5. Altering Consciousness
- Example: Opioids: Opioids interact with
opioid receptors in the brain and can
induce pain relief, euphoria, and
sedation.
(oxycodone, hydrocodone, and
Drugs can be used for a variety of morphine, heroin).
purposes, including:
PHARMACOTHERAPEUTICS OR
 Treating Diseases CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
-Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial
infections. Antifungals are used to treat - The branch of pharmacology that
fungal infections. Antivirals are used to uses drugs to treat, prevent, and
treat viral diagnose disease.
infections. Antihistamines are used to
treat allergies. Some common
antihistamines include
diphenhydramine, loratadine, and
cetirizine. Pain relievers are used to
relieve pain.

 Preventing Disease
-In Greek, phylax means "guard",
so prophylactic measures guard against
disease by acting ahead of time.
Example: Atovaquone-proguanil
(Malarone). This is taken once daily,
starting 1-2 days before travel to a
 Sumerians were already aware of
Examples: the medicinal properties of cannabis
and morphine.

 The Babylonians recorded the

1. Paracetamol is extensively earliest surviving “prescriptions” on
metabolized, and the plasma half-life clay tablets in 3000 B.C.
is 1.5-2.5 hours.
(Pharmacokinetics)  Egyptians left copious logs of their
discoveries by way of
2. The drug’s side effects are more pharmacopoeia.
pronounced in people with liver disease
than in people with normal liver Pharmacopoeia - Refers to books
function. and other documents containing lists
(Pharmacodynamics). of medicinal drugs, along with their
effects and instructions for their
3. Oral administration of medication is a usage.
convenient, cost-effective, and most (Papyrus Ebers, 1500 BC)
commonly used medication
administration route.  At about the same time, the Chinese
(Pharmacokinetics) recorded the Pen Tsao (Great Herbal),
a 40-volume compendium of plant
4. Blood pressure must be checked first remedies dating to 2700 B.C.
before administering furosemide.
(Pharmacodynamics). Pen Tsao (Great Herbal)- 40-
volume compendium of plant
5. Warfarin is a blood thinner, and remedies dating to 2700 B.C.
ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory drug.
Taking these two drugs together can  The ancient Egyptian physicians
increase the risk of bleeding. belong to the middle class, much like
(Pharmacodynamics). modern western societies and they
were highly respected. They
THE HISTORY OF PHARMACOLOGY embrace magic and sorcery, but they
incorporated pharmacy more and
 As soon as human civilizations more as time pass.
invented some form of written Asclepius- A hero and god of
language and began documenting medicine in ancient Greek religion
their activities, early examples of and mythology. He is the son of
applied medicine began to Apollo and Coronis,
materialize.

 The first known civilization emerged

in what is now Iraq. These were the
Sumerian who developed urban
civilization around 4,000 BC in
Ancient Mesopotamia. Their
document show that they studied
astronomy, metallurgy, geology,
mathematics and also, pharmacy.

 The typical pharmacy compendia

around 2,000 BC involved plant
ointments, infusions, and
concoctions from many herbs. The
 Greek physician Pedanius
The Temple of Asclepius in Dioscorides in the 1st century AD,
Epidaurus is one of the most famous
healing sanctuaries of the ancient  The first recorded reference to the
world, located in the region of Argolis word pharmacology was found in a
in Greece. The sanctuary is text entitled “Pharmacologia sen
dedicated to Asclepius, the Greek Manuductio and Materiam Medicum,”
god of healing and medicine. by Samuel Dale, in 1693.

HIPPOCRATES is considered to be  Rudolf Buchheim and his well-known

the father of modern medicine student, chemist Oswald
because in his books, which are more Schmiedeberg, are considered to be
than 70. He described in a scientific the founders of modern
manner, many diseases and their pharmacology. The first university
treatment after detailed observation. chair in pharmacology was
He lived about 2400 years ago. established in 1847 at the University
of Dorpat in Estonia (then part of
PRIMUM NON NOCERE Russia), with Rudolf Buchheim as the
-First Do No Harm appointed professor of the
-Principle of Nonmaleficence department. One of his students,
Oswald Schmiedeberg, was going to
The Hippocratic Oath is an oath of be known as the founder of modern
ethics historically taken by pharmacology.
physicians. It is one of the most
widely known of Greek medical texts.  Pharmacology as a distinct discipline
In its original form, it requires a new was officially recognized when the
physician to swear, by a number of first department of pharmacology
healing gods, to uphold specific was established in Estonia in 1847.
ethical standards. John Jacob Abel, who is considered
the father of American pharmacology
The Hippocratic Corpus, or owing to his many contributions to
Corpus Hippocraticum, is a the field, founded the first
collection of around 60 early Ancient pharmacology department in the
Greek medical works strongly United States at the University of
associated with the physician Michigan in 1890.
Hippocrates and his teachings.

 Galen
- A Greek physician, surgeon, and
philosopher who lived in the 2nd
century AD. He was a very influential
figure in the development of
medicine, and his work was widely
read and studied for centuries. Galen
was the first physician to use the
pulse as a sign of illness. Examples:

MATERIA MEDICA is a Latin term Plants: Digitalis is used to treat

that means "medical material". It is congestive heart failure (CHF) and
the body of knowledge about the heart rhythm problems (atrial
therapeutic properties of any arrhythmias). Marijuana (dronabinol
substance used for healing (i.e., (Marinol®) and nabilone (Cesamet®))
medications). The term derives from
the title of a work by the Ancient
Animals: Insulin for treating
diabetes was obtained exclusively
from pancreas of cows and pigs.

Inorganic compounds: Electrolytes

Synthetic: Genetic engineering, the

process of altering DNA-permits
scientists to produce human insulin
by altering Escherichia Coi bacteria,
making insulin a better product
without some of the impurities with
animal products.