Pharmacology is the division of biological sciences which deals with the study of the reaction of drugs on biological organisms. To be specific, it observes how chemicals react on living organisms. While some chemicals promote normal biochemical function some other contribute the abnormal biochemical function. Thus the substances which have medicinal properties are considered as pharmaceuticals. The study of pharmacology involves drug composition, interactions, therapy, toxicology, medical applications and anti-pathogenic capabilities.
Pharmacodynamics and Pharmaco kinetics are the two main sub divisions of pharmacology. While in the former studies pertaining to the affects of drugs on biological systems are carried out, in the latter the effects on biological systems on drugs are being investigated. Pharmacodynamics involves the study of associations of chemicals with biological receptors. The study about the assimilation, allocation, metabolism and emission, of chemicals on the biological systems form the main agenda of pharmacokinetics. The synonym pharmacy is usually confused with pharmacology. To be more precise, pharmacy is the name used for a profession while pharmacology deals with interaction of drugs within biological systems. Thus the study of pharmacology demands the knowledge of drugs, of the reactions of the body and drug on each other, the sources of drugs, their nature and their properties. Pharmacy on the other hand, speaks about the preparation, dispensing, dosage and the safe and the effective use of medicines. The study of pharmacology originated from the study of natural substances, mostly plant extracts. It was in the nineteenth century that pharmacology expanded as a biomedical science by applying the principles of scientific explanations to therapeutic contexts.
Pharmacology can be categorized into various divisions which are as follows: a)Clinical Pharmacology which involves the medical field of medication effects on humans; b)Neuro pharmacology that deals with the impact of medications on the nervous system of the human body; c)Psycho pharmacology involving the study of medication on the brain; d)Pharmacogenetics pertaining to the study of differing response to drugs; e)Pharmacogenomics involving the characterization of older drugs and the use of genomic technology to discover new drugs; f)Pharmocoepidemiology that deals with the effects of drugs in human body; g)Toxicology that investigates the harmful or toxic effects of drugs; h)Theoretical pharmacology that concerns with the analytical and numerical involvement of matrix in pharmacology; i)Posology involving the dosage of medicines in accordance with various factors like weight, climate, age, sex etc; j) Pharmacogenosy pertaining to the composition, usage and development of medicinal substances of biological origin; k)Behaviour pharmacology that investigates the affects of drug on behavior involving preclinical and invivo research; l) Environmental pharmacology deals with the study of pharmaceuticals and personal care products and their effects in the environment.
Due to its wide applications pharmacology is applied in many universities world wide. In pharmacology the students perform research for studying the effects of substances for understanding the mechanisms leading to new drug discoveries within laboratory settings.
Following are the Pharmacology online ebooks and pdf tutorial available in web.
- Pharmacology By Gary C. Rosenfeld, David S. Loose
- Pharmacology By Pamela C. Champe, Richard Finkel, Michelle Alexia Clark, Luigi X. Cubeddu
- Pharmacology By Joanne I. Moore, H. Dix Christensen
- Pharmacology By Franklin A. Ahrens
- Pharmacology By James S. Dawson, Magali N. F. Taylor
- Pharmacology: Pretest Self-assessment and Review By Marshal Shlafer
- Pharmacology: Principles and Practice By Miles P. Hacker, William S. Messer, Kenneth A. Bachmann
- Pharmacology demystified By Mary Kamienski, James Edward Keogh
- Pharmacology By Donald W. Barnes
- Pharmacology By Douglas
- Pharmacology edited by R H Manske, H. L. Holmes, R. G. Rodrigo
- Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics By Jim E. Riviere, Mark G. Papich
- PHARMACOLOGY: Drugs Acting on Gastrointestinal System
- Pharmacology of Medicinal Plants and Natural Products