Learning objectives
This practice section of the course of EXPERIMENTAL PHARMACOLOGY aims to enable the student to know and understand the pharmacological investigation techniques, represented by in vitro functional studies, applied in the pharmacological characterization of receptor ligands and in the study of the alterations of gastrointestinal motility, making him/her able to devise and suggest original and alternative approaches. At the end of the course, the student will be able to choose and rationally justify the experimental approaches to be adopted in the characterization of drugs and should correctly and critically interpret the results of virtual experiments, showing problem solving skills and demonstrating independence of judgment, learning ability and specialistic communication
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy
Course unit content
During the practice exercises of Experimental Pharmacology course, the students will take part to the set-up and execution of in vitro motility studies on gastrointestinal tissues. The study of the motor responses of gastrointestinal tissues pharmacologically or electrically stimulated, in basal or non-adrenergic non-cholinergic conditions, will be useful to investigate the pharmacodynamic activities of the tested receptor ligands and to unravel the motor alterations induced in pathophysiological conditions.
Full programme
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Bibliography
DOLARA P, FRANCONI E, MUGELLI A: Farmacologia e Tossicologia Sperimentale Pitagora Editrice, Bologna.
Teaching methods
This laboratory course will be performed through practice group exercises: the students will have the chance to follow the set-up of the in vitro preparations, to prepare and administer the compounds in study and to preliminarily analyze the collected results.
Assessment methods and criteria
The assessment of the achievement of the objectives of the course consists of an oral examination: through questions regarding virtual experimental situations it will be determined whether the student knows and would be able to correctly apply the pharmacological assays and interpret the results, to solve the related problems, to conceive original and alternative approaches and to clearly, consciously and exhaustively present and discuss the conclusions.
Other information
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