Learning objectives
At the end of the teaching activity, the student must have acquired chemistry knowledge of the classes of drugs treated in the program and the most important concepts in medicinal chemistry. In particular, the student should be able to:
- Understand the chemical characteristics of the drugs included in the therapeutic classes treated in the program, their uses, the biological activity and toxicity, the relationship between the chemical structure and biological activity, the mechanism of action, the chemical-physical and metabolic aspects (Knowledge and understanding).
- Be able to interpret the mechanism of action, the pharmacological profile of drugs and metabolic and toxicological characteristics; apply the acquired knowledge to the discussion of the structure of the activity; identify the structural characteristics of drugs that are important for their action; be able to use a correct nomenclature according to international rules (Ability to apply knowledge and understanding).
- Expose concepts in a clear and straightforward way and through a formally correct and proper language, be able to interact with people with scientific training in different areas. (Communication Skills)
-Draw consequences on the use of drugs based on their structural, chemical and physicochemical properties (Making judgements).
Prerequisites
Knowledge of basic concepts of pharmaceutical chemistry, biochemistry, organic chemistry is required. In particular, knowledge of the functional groups of organic chemistry and of the heterocyclic rings, necessary to understand the structure of drugs, and of the main metabolic reactions.
Course unit content
Supplement to Pharmaceutical Chemistry integrates with Pharmaceutical and Toxicological Chemistry I and II courses for the treatment of the main classes of drugs.
Includes drugs used in the treatment of hyperlipoproteinemia and antithrombotic, drugs of endocrine and metabolic system, FANS. For each class are described the chemical structures of the main drugs, the mechanisms of action and structure-activity relationships, the chemical and physical-physical properties, the metabolism, the toxicity and the therapeutic applications.
Full programme
Antilipoproteinemic drugs and inhibitors of cholesterol synthesis: Bile acid sequestrants, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, cholesterol absorption inhibitors, fibrates, nicotinic acid, PCSK9 inhibitors.
Insulin and medications used to treat diabetes.
Corticosteroids: Biosynthesis of corticosteroids. Development of corticosteroid drugs. SAR.
Thyroid function and thyroid medications.
Calcium homeostasis: pharmacological therapies for osteoporosis, for hyperparathyroidism, for hypoparathyroidism, for hypercalcaemia.
Female sex hormones: estrogenic and progestinic substances.
Male sex hormones: androgenic substances.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Antipyretic analgesics. Anti-inflammatory analgesics. COX-2 inhibitors. Anti-gout drugs. Antithrombotic drugs: anticoagulants, antiaggregants and fibrinolytics.
Bibliography
Thomas L. Lemke, David A. Williams, Victoria F. Roche, S. William Zito: Foye's Principi di Chimica Farmaceutica, Piccin.
G.L. PATRICK: "Introduzione alla Chimica Farmaceutica", EdiSES.
WILSON & GISVOLD: "Chimica Farmaceutica", casa Editrice Ambrosiana.
Alberto Gasco, Fulvio Gualtieri, Carlo Melchiorre: Chimica Farmaceutica; Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano.
Teaching methods
Through oral lessons will be presented and discussed matters relating to the course content. Lectures are conducted with the aid of slides. The slides used to support the lessons will be loaded before the lesson on the Elly platform. Registration for the course is required to download the slides. The teaching material available online is not a replacement but a supplementary of reference texts, and a guide to a better understanding of the topics to be studied.
Assessment methods and criteria
The module Supplement to Medicinal Chemistry is part of the integrated course Supplement to Medicinal Chemistry / Biotechnology Drugs.
The achievement of the objectives of the course is checked by oral examination. The mark will be averaged with that relating to the part of biotechnology drugs.
For the determination of the profit, expressed in thirtieths, the following criteria are adopted:
- acquired knowledge and understanding of the topics covered (18/30);
- ability to apply knowledge acquired with method mastery (up to 9/30); the student must be able to connect the different parts of the teaching, to interpret the pharmacological profile of the drugs, to discuss the relationships between the structure and the biological activity and the pharmacokinetic properties.
- ability to communicate knowledge and skills in a verbal form through the correct use of a specific language of the discipline (up to 3/30).
The results are reported immediately and then published on the ESSE3 portal.
Other information
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