pharmacology
Study of medications
Pharmacology is the science of drugs—their composition, effects, and therapeutic uses.
It studies how substances interact with living systems: how the body absorbs, distributes, metabolizes, and eliminates drugs, and how drugs produce their effects.
She studied pharmacology before becoming a pharmaceutical researcher.
Related fields include pharmacokinetics (drug movement through the body) and pharmacodynamics (drug effects on the body).
Signal-receiving molecule
- agonistReceptor-binding trigger molecule
- antagonistOne who opposes another
- ligandMolecule that binds centrally
- modulatorDevice that varies signals
inhibitor · activator · enzyme · substrate · affinity · potency · efficacy · selectivity
Biological-origin harm agent
- poisonHarmful ingested substance
- venomInjected animal poison
- carcinogenCancer-promoting agent
- mutagenAgent causing genetic change
teratogen · neurotoxicity · cytotoxicity · antidote · overdose · LD50 · side-effect · idiosyncratic
Combined effect exceeding components
- antagonismActive opposition or hostility
- potentiationIncreased effect through interaction
- inhibitionMental check on behavior
- inductionFormal admission process
contraindication · polypharmacy · cytochrome · metabolism · clearance · displacement · additive · cross-reactivity
Bacteria-destroying medicines
- chemotherapyAnti-cancer drug treatment
- antidepressantsMedications treating clinical despair
- analgesicsDrugs that reduce pain
- anxiolyticsDrugs reducing pathological worry
antipsychotics · antiretrovirals · biologics · corticosteroids · insulin · anticoagulants · antihistamines · immunosuppressants
Measuring concentration by addition
- regimenPrescribed course of treatment
- dosageMeasured medicine amount
- milligramsThousandths of grams
- microgramsMillionths of a gram
frequency · route · intravenous · oral · subcutaneous · intramuscular · topical · maintenance
Process of taking in
- distributionAllocation across recipients
- metabolismCellular nutrient conversion
- excretionRemoval of metabolic waste
- half-lifePeriod for fifty-percent reduction
bioavailability · clearance · steady-state · peak · trough · compartment · elimination · renal
Before human trials
- in-vitroIn artificial environment
- placebo-controlledTested against inactive substance
- bioassayTest using living tissue
- translationalRelating to straight movement
U.S. health regulator
- formularyApproved medication inventory
- genericNot brand-name
- patentObvious; inventor's monopoly
- blockbusterEnormously successful entertainment property
pipeline · GMP · regulatory · approval · recall · compounding · biosimilar · OTC
receptor
Signal-receiving molecule
- agonistReceptor-binding trigger molecule
- antagonistOne who opposes another
- ligandMolecule that binds centrally
modulator · inhibitor · activator · enzyme · substrate · affinity · potency · efficacy · selectivity · pathway
toxin
Biological-origin harm agent
- poisonHarmful ingested substance
- venomInjected animal poison
- carcinogenCancer-promoting agent
mutagen · teratogen · neurotoxicity · cytotoxicity · antidote · overdose · LD50 · side-effect · idiosyncratic
synergy
Combined effect exceeding components
- antagonismActive opposition or hostility
- potentiationIncreased effect through interaction
- inhibitionMental check on behavior
induction · contraindication · polypharmacy · cytochrome · metabolism · clearance · displacement · additive · cross-reactivity · competition
antibiotics
Bacteria-destroying medicines
- chemotherapyAnti-cancer drug treatment
- antidepressantsMedications treating clinical despair
- analgesicsDrugs that reduce pain
anxiolytics · antipsychotics · antiretrovirals · biologics · corticosteroids · insulin · anticoagulants · antihistamines · immunosuppressants · statins
titration
Measuring concentration by addition
- regimenPrescribed course of treatment
- dosageMeasured medicine amount
- milligramsThousandths of grams
micrograms · frequency · route · intravenous · oral · subcutaneous · intramuscular · topical · maintenance · tapering
absorption
Process of taking in
- distributionAllocation across recipients
- metabolismCellular nutrient conversion
- excretionRemoval of metabolic waste
half-life · bioavailability · clearance · steady-state · peak · trough · compartment · elimination · renal · hepatic
preclinical
Before human trials
- in-vitroIn artificial environment
- placebo-controlledTested against inactive substance
- bioassayTest using living tissue
FDA
U.S. health regulator
blockbuster · pipeline · GMP · regulatory · approval · recall · compounding · biosimilar · OTC · brand-name
- nursingnurse, nursing, nurses, RN, LPN
- fields of studyart, music, mathematics, history, biology
- medicinedoctor, doctors, hospital, medicine, surgery
- sciencebiology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, geology
- sciencesbiology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, geology
- STEMscience, engineering, mathematics, math, technology
pharmacologysurgery
Invasive medical procedure
physiotherapy · psychotherapy · radiation therapy · physical therapy · surgical intervention
pharmacologyanatomy
Study of organism structure
physiology · pathology · toxicology · biomechanics · kinesiology
pharmacologynaturopathy
Alternative healing using nature
homeopathy · holistic medicine · natural medicine · alternative medicine · faith healing
pharmacologist, pharmacological, psychopharmacology, pharmacologically, pharmacologists