Medical pharmacology – Chapter 1 – Drugs
1.1 Definitions
Drug; chemical that affects physiological processes
Pharmacology; science that studies how, why and when a drug act. It covers the
interaction between chemical substances and living organisms.
o Pharmacodynamics; what does the drug do with the body (the effect of drugs
on the body)
o Pharmacokinetics; what does the body do with the drug (the journey of the
drug through the body)
Pharmacotherapy; applied pharmacology; use of knowledge and insights gained from
pharmacology for the treatment of disease human in a responsible, effective and safe
manner
1.2 History
Galenus proposed the contrario-rule; the illness needs to be counteracted or
removed
Counteracted; the 4 categories in humoral theory; dry, wet, cold and hot can
be counteracted by herbs (kruiden)
Removed; by purging (spoelen) nad bloodletting (bloedvergieten)
Paracelsus proposed that the herb is not the drug itself but is casing (omhulsing). He
turned aginast contrario-rule and endorsed the doctrine of signatures; the creator
who arranged the forces of nature created certain signs so the forces could be found
(heart shaped fruits or plants are for the heart, roots are for the feet = similia-rule)
Hahnemann focusses on toxic actions. What mimics (nabootsen) the disease
symptoms in high doses cures in low doses.
Similia-rule is reflected in the view that the plant that causes illness is the plant that
cures (homeopathy)
1.3 Pharmacological action
Primary effect; effect for which the compound is administered
Side effect; adverse/unwanted effects
Therapeutic window; difference between minimum effective
concentration and minimum toxic concentration
Iatrogenic; refers to any effect on a person
Hypersensitivity (idiosyncrasy) for certain drugs. Hypersensitivity
reaction are not dose-dependent and are not related to the mechanisms of action of
the drug
1.4 Suggestive action
Placebo; a preparation without any pharmacologically active substances
Nocebo; a placebo with unwanted effects (=side effects)
1.1 Definitions
Drug; chemical that affects physiological processes
Pharmacology; science that studies how, why and when a drug act. It covers the
interaction between chemical substances and living organisms.
o Pharmacodynamics; what does the drug do with the body (the effect of drugs
on the body)
o Pharmacokinetics; what does the body do with the drug (the journey of the
drug through the body)
Pharmacotherapy; applied pharmacology; use of knowledge and insights gained from
pharmacology for the treatment of disease human in a responsible, effective and safe
manner
1.2 History
Galenus proposed the contrario-rule; the illness needs to be counteracted or
removed
Counteracted; the 4 categories in humoral theory; dry, wet, cold and hot can
be counteracted by herbs (kruiden)
Removed; by purging (spoelen) nad bloodletting (bloedvergieten)
Paracelsus proposed that the herb is not the drug itself but is casing (omhulsing). He
turned aginast contrario-rule and endorsed the doctrine of signatures; the creator
who arranged the forces of nature created certain signs so the forces could be found
(heart shaped fruits or plants are for the heart, roots are for the feet = similia-rule)
Hahnemann focusses on toxic actions. What mimics (nabootsen) the disease
symptoms in high doses cures in low doses.
Similia-rule is reflected in the view that the plant that causes illness is the plant that
cures (homeopathy)
1.3 Pharmacological action
Primary effect; effect for which the compound is administered
Side effect; adverse/unwanted effects
Therapeutic window; difference between minimum effective
concentration and minimum toxic concentration
Iatrogenic; refers to any effect on a person
Hypersensitivity (idiosyncrasy) for certain drugs. Hypersensitivity
reaction are not dose-dependent and are not related to the mechanisms of action of
the drug
1.4 Suggestive action
Placebo; a preparation without any pharmacologically active substances
Nocebo; a placebo with unwanted effects (=side effects)
