Learning objectives
This practice section of the course of EXPERIMENTAL PHARMACOLOGY aims at making the student know and understand the techniques of pharmacological investigation applied to the characterization of receptor ligands and to the study of gastrointestinal motor alterations through in vitro functional assays.
In detail, the student should be able to:
Understand the basic principles to set up in vitro smooth muscle preparations, know the methods to evaluate the pharmacodynamic profile of receptor ligands, know the techniques to investigate changes in gastrointestinal motility (Knowledge and understanding)
Set up in vitro a smooth muscle preparation, build and analyse concentration-response curves, recognize and face the most common issues concerning in vitro experimental methods (Applying knowledge and understanding).
Choose and rationally justify the experimental approaches to be adopted in drug pharmacological characterization. To correctly and critically interprete the results of the studies, showing problem solving skills and demonstrating independence of judgment and learning abilities (Making judgements)
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. The students will be constantly invited to use the terms of the specialistic communication, to recognize the connections with the theory section of the course and of the course of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy. They will be encouraged to take active part to the course.
Assessment methods and criteria
The achievement of the objectives of the course will be assessed through an oral examination. After registration, the exam will be performed during the rounds of exams according to the official timetable of the Food and Drug Department. 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, rationally and exhaustively present and discuss the conclusions.
The result of the exam will be immediately communicated to the student and then published on ESSE3 website (https://unipr.esse3.cineca.it/Home.do).
Other information
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