Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy with Laboratory
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The course intends to prepare the student to understand the pharmacological bases of therapy and the pharmacological profiles of the most commonly used drugs. Each individual topic will be treated in terms of pathophysiological description of the disease, the mechanism of action of the mainly used drugs and their profile of undesirable effects.
Laboratory
The aim is to provide students with the basic tools of biomolecular technologies used for the development of biotechnological drugs (RNA extraction, reverse transcription and PCR; plasmid DNA purification, digestion with restriction enzymes, ligation and transformation of bacteria).
Laboratory
The aim is to provide students with the basic tools of biomolecular technologies used for the development of biotechnological drugs (RNA extraction, reverse transcription and PCR; plasmid DNA purification, digestion with restriction enzymes, ligation and transformation of bacteria).
Expected learning outcomes
The candidate must be able to demonstrate that he/she has understood, for each drug, the pharmacological profile and rationale for use, demonstrating the ability to evaluate the benefit/risk ratio inherent in their use.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Linea AK
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The aim of the course is to prepare the student to understand (i) the general mechanisms that regulate the drug-organism relationship, (ii) the mechanism of action and the therapeutic use of drugs. Furthermore, the laboratory activity will provide the student with the basic tools of biomolecular technologies used for the development of biotechnological drugs
Course program
General Pharmacology - Pharmacokinetics: absorption, distribution, biotransformation, elimination, interactions.
Central Nervous System Drugs - Etiology of psychiatric disorders, Mood disorders and antidepressant drugs; Schizophrenia and antipsychotic drugs; Bipolar disorder - antimanic drugs and mood stabilizers; Anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic drugs; Substances of abuse and drug addiction; Pharmacotherapy of Parkinson's disease; Pharmacotherapy of Alzheimer's disease and dementia; Pharmacotherapy of epilepsy: anticonvulsant drugs
Anesthetic Drugs; Pain pharmacotherapy: narcotic analgesics and opioids.
Cardiovascular drugs - Atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease. Lipid-lowering drugs. Treatment of obesity, diabetes mellitus, gout. Antihypertensive drugs: adrenergic agonists and antagonists; calcium antagonists; potassium channel modulators; nitroderivatives; diuretics; renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors. Thrombolytics, antithrombotics and anticoagulants. Treatment of acute coronary syndromes and heart failure.
Autacoids and Inflammation - Nonsteroidal and steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Asthma therapy.
Gastrointestinal System Drugs - Emetics and antiemetics, gastric secretion and intestinal motility drugs.
Chemotherapeutic Drugs - Immunomodulatory drugs. Antitumor drugs: alkylating agents, antimetabolites, topoisomerase inhibitors, alkaloids, new approaches to tumor therapy. Antiviral drugs. Antimicrobial drugs: principles of antibiotic therapy; sulfonamides and trimethoprim; drugs that inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis; drugs that inhibit protein synthesis: aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, chloramphenicol, macrolides, oxazolidinones. Drugs that inhibit nucleic acid synthesis: rifamycins, quinolones and fluoroquinolones.
Eating Disorders Drugs
Female Gonadal Axis Pharmacology
Adrenal Pharmacology
Course program
General Pharmacology - Pharmacokinetics: absorption, distribution, biotransformation, elimination, interactions.
Central Nervous System Drugs - Etiology of psychiatric disorders, Mood disorders and antidepressant drugs; Schizophrenia and antipsychotic drugs; Bipolar disorder - antimanic drugs and mood stabilizers; Anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic drugs; Substances of abuse and drug addiction; Pharmacotherapy of Parkinson's disease; Pharmacotherapy of Alzheimer's disease and dementia; Pharmacotherapy of epilepsy: anticonvulsant drugs
Anesthetic Drugs; Pain pharmacotherapy: narcotic analgesics and opioids.
Cardiovascular drugs - Atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease. Lipid-lowering drugs. Treatment of obesity, diabetes mellitus, gout. Antihypertensive drugs: adrenergic agonists and antagonists; calcium antagonists; potassium channel modulators; nitroderivatives; diuretics; renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors. Thrombolytics, antithrombotics and anticoagulants. Treatment of acute coronary syndromes and heart failure.
Autacoids and Inflammation - Nonsteroidal and steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Asthma therapy.
Gastrointestinal System Drugs - Emetics and antiemetics, gastric secretion and intestinal motility drugs.
Chemotherapeutic Drugs - Immunomodulatory drugs. Antitumor drugs: alkylating agents, antimetabolites, topoisomerase inhibitors, alkaloids, new approaches to tumor therapy. Antiviral drugs. Antimicrobial drugs: principles of antibiotic therapy; sulfonamides and trimethoprim; drugs that inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis; drugs that inhibit protein synthesis: aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, chloramphenicol, macrolides, oxazolidinones. Drugs that inhibit nucleic acid synthesis: rifamycins, quinolones and fluoroquinolones.
Eating Disorders Drugs
Female Gonadal Axis Pharmacology
Adrenal Pharmacology
Prerequisites for admission
Notions of physiology, pathology and biochemistry
Teaching methods
The aim of the course is to enable students to understand the general mechanisms that regulate the drug-organism relationship and the action of drugs in various disorders. At the end of the course, the student should be able to know and understand the general and specific mechanisms of action of drugs and the pharmacotherapeutic guidelines in the main diseases. He should also have the cultural tools that enable him to independently study the areas of pharmacology not covered during the course, to follow the evolution of a discipline in continuous and rapid renewal and to understand the motivations behind the development of new drugs.
The course provides notions on the action of drugs in terms of pharmacokinetics (absorption, distribution, biotransformation, excretion), pharmacodynamics (molecular, cellular, organ and system mechanism of action; toxicity) and pharmacotherapy (dosage; combination therapies; notions of special pathology, indications, side effects, contraindications).
The laboratory activity of the course provides students with the basic tools of biomolecular technologies used for the development of biotechnological drugs (RNA/DNA extraction, reverse transcription and PCR; agarose gel electrophoresis and quantification of messenger RNA expression)
The course provides notions on the action of drugs in terms of pharmacokinetics (absorption, distribution, biotransformation, excretion), pharmacodynamics (molecular, cellular, organ and system mechanism of action; toxicity) and pharmacotherapy (dosage; combination therapies; notions of special pathology, indications, side effects, contraindications).
The laboratory activity of the course provides students with the basic tools of biomolecular technologies used for the development of biotechnological drugs (RNA/DNA extraction, reverse transcription and PCR; agarose gel electrophoresis and quantification of messenger RNA expression)
Teaching Resources
Basic and Clinical Pharmacology 14/e (LANGE Basic Science) Last edition
Bertram Katzung
· Goodman & Gilman's: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, Last Edition
Bertram Katzung
· Goodman & Gilman's: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, Last Edition
Assessment methods and Criteria
In order to access the oral exam, the student must prepare a short thesis on the techniques used in the laboratory. If the exam is not passed, an oral question will be asked about the practical activities. Once the laboratory part has been passed, the student will be able to access the oral exam in a single solution. The grade will be recorded in thirtieths.
During the oral exam, questions will be asked regarding the different categories of drugs that have been discussed during the lessons. Particular attention will be paid to the mechanism of action of the drugs, therapeutic dosages, side effects and potential interactions with other drugs. Brief notes on the pathologies for the treatment of which the drugs are used will obviously be required (extensively explained during the lessons).
During the oral exam, questions will be asked regarding the different categories of drugs that have been discussed during the lessons. Particular attention will be paid to the mechanism of action of the drugs, therapeutic dosages, side effects and potential interactions with other drugs. Brief notes on the pathologies for the treatment of which the drugs are used will obviously be required (extensively explained during the lessons).
BIO/14 - PHARMACOLOGY - University credits: 9
Single bench laboratory practical: 16 hours
Lessons: 64 hours
Lessons: 64 hours
Professors:
Bonacina Fabrizia, Fumagalli Fabio
Linea LZ
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Inglese:
The aim of the course is to prepare the student to understand (i) the general mechanisms that regulate the drug-organism relationship, (ii) the mechanism of action and the therapeutic use of drugs. Furthermore, the laboratory activity will provide the student with the basic tools of biomolecular technologies used for the development of biotechnological drugs
Course program
General Pharmacology - Pharmacokinetics: absorption, distribution, biotransformation, elimination, interactions.
Central Nervous System Drugs - Etiology of psychiatric disorders, Mood disorders and antidepressant drugs; Schizophrenia and antipsychotic drugs; Bipolar disorder - antimanic drugs and mood stabilizers; Anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic drugs; Substances of abuse and drug addiction; Pharmacotherapy of Parkinson's disease; Pharmacotherapy of Alzheimer's disease and dementia; Pharmacotherapy of epilepsy: anticonvulsant drugs Anesthetic Drugs; Pain pharmacotherapy: narcotic analgesics and opioids.
Cardiovascular drugs - Atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease. Lipid-lowering drugs. Treatment of obesity, diabetes mellitus, gout. Antihypertensive drugs: adrenergic agonists and antagonists; calcium antagonists; potassium channel modulators; nitroderivatives; diuretics; renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors. Thrombolytics, antithrombotics and anticoagulants. Treatment of acute coronary syndromes and heart failure.
Autacoids and Inflammation - Nonsteroidal and steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Asthma therapy.
Gastrointestinal System Drugs - Emetics and antiemetics, gastric secretion and intestinal motility drugs.
Chemotherapeutic Drugs - Immunomodulatory drugs. Antitumor drugs: alkylating agents, antimetabolites, topoisomerase inhibitors, alkaloids, new approaches to tumor therapy. Antiviral drugs. Antimicrobial drugs: principles of antibiotic therapy; sulfonamides and trimethoprim; drugs that inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis; drugs that inhibit protein synthesis: aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, chloramphenicol, macrolides, oxazolidinones. Drugs that inhibit nucleic acid synthesis: rifamycins, quinolones and fluoroquinolones.
Eating Disorders Drugs
Female Gonadal Axis Pharmacology
Adrenal Pharmacology
The aim of the course is to prepare the student to understand (i) the general mechanisms that regulate the drug-organism relationship, (ii) the mechanism of action and the therapeutic use of drugs. Furthermore, the laboratory activity will provide the student with the basic tools of biomolecular technologies used for the development of biotechnological drugs
Course program
General Pharmacology - Pharmacokinetics: absorption, distribution, biotransformation, elimination, interactions.
Central Nervous System Drugs - Etiology of psychiatric disorders, Mood disorders and antidepressant drugs; Schizophrenia and antipsychotic drugs; Bipolar disorder - antimanic drugs and mood stabilizers; Anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic drugs; Substances of abuse and drug addiction; Pharmacotherapy of Parkinson's disease; Pharmacotherapy of Alzheimer's disease and dementia; Pharmacotherapy of epilepsy: anticonvulsant drugs Anesthetic Drugs; Pain pharmacotherapy: narcotic analgesics and opioids.
Cardiovascular drugs - Atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease. Lipid-lowering drugs. Treatment of obesity, diabetes mellitus, gout. Antihypertensive drugs: adrenergic agonists and antagonists; calcium antagonists; potassium channel modulators; nitroderivatives; diuretics; renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors. Thrombolytics, antithrombotics and anticoagulants. Treatment of acute coronary syndromes and heart failure.
Autacoids and Inflammation - Nonsteroidal and steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Asthma therapy.
Gastrointestinal System Drugs - Emetics and antiemetics, gastric secretion and intestinal motility drugs.
Chemotherapeutic Drugs - Immunomodulatory drugs. Antitumor drugs: alkylating agents, antimetabolites, topoisomerase inhibitors, alkaloids, new approaches to tumor therapy. Antiviral drugs. Antimicrobial drugs: principles of antibiotic therapy; sulfonamides and trimethoprim; drugs that inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis; drugs that inhibit protein synthesis: aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, chloramphenicol, macrolides, oxazolidinones. Drugs that inhibit nucleic acid synthesis: rifamycins, quinolones and fluoroquinolones.
Eating Disorders Drugs
Female Gonadal Axis Pharmacology
Adrenal Pharmacology
Prerequisites for admission
Notions of pathology, physiology and biochemistry
Teaching methods
The aim of the course is to enable students to understand the general mechanisms that regulate the drug-organism relationship and the action of drugs in various disorders. At the end of the course, the student should be able to know and understand the general and specific mechanisms of action of drugs and the pharmacotherapeutic guidelines in the main diseases. He should also have the cultural tools that enable him to independently study the areas of pharmacology not covered during the course, to follow the evolution of a discipline in continuous and rapid renewal and to understand the motivations behind the development of new drugs.
The course provides notions on the action of drugs in terms of pharmacokinetics (absorption, distribution, biotransformation, excretion), pharmacodynamics (molecular, cellular, organ and system mechanism of action; toxicity) and pharmacotherapy (dosage; combination therapies; notions of special pathology, indications, side effects, contraindications).
The laboratory activity of the course provides students with the basic tools of biomolecular technologies used for the development of biotechnological drugs (RNA/DNA extraction, reverse transcription and PCR; agarose gel electrophoresis and quantification of messenger RNA expression)
The course provides notions on the action of drugs in terms of pharmacokinetics (absorption, distribution, biotransformation, excretion), pharmacodynamics (molecular, cellular, organ and system mechanism of action; toxicity) and pharmacotherapy (dosage; combination therapies; notions of special pathology, indications, side effects, contraindications).
The laboratory activity of the course provides students with the basic tools of biomolecular technologies used for the development of biotechnological drugs (RNA/DNA extraction, reverse transcription and PCR; agarose gel electrophoresis and quantification of messenger RNA expression)
Teaching Resources
Basic and Clinical Pharmacology 16/e (LANGE Basic Science) last Bertram Katzung ·
Goodman & Gilman's: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 14e 2022
Laurence L. Brunton, Björn C. Knollman
Goodman & Gilman's: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 14e 2022
Laurence L. Brunton, Björn C. Knollman
Assessment methods and Criteria
: In order to access the oral exam, the student must prepare a short thesis on the techniques used in the laboratory. If the exam is not passed, an oral question will be asked about the practical activities. Once the laboratory part has been passed, the student will be able to access the oral exam in a single solution. The grade will be recorded in thirtieths During the oral exam, questions will be asked regarding the different categories of drugs that have been discussed during the lessons. Particular attention will be paid to the mechanism of action of the drugs, therapeutic dosages, side effects and potential interactions with other drugs. Brief notes on the pathologies for the treatment of which the drugs are used will obviously be required (extensively explained during the lessons).
BIO/14 - PHARMACOLOGY - University credits: 9
Single bench laboratory practical: 16 hours
Lessons: 64 hours
Lessons: 64 hours
Professors:
Bonacina Fabrizia, Corsini Alberto
Professor(s)
Reception:
By appointment
Reception:
Lunedì 2-3 pm
Balzaretti Street n.9