TOXICOLOGY

To provide the basis for a correct evaluation of drug side effects. To provide the notions for understanding how to use chemotherapeutic drugs and biological drugs. Understanding of the mechanisms underlying addiction and abuse.

Learning skills: the student will be able to learn the bases of action of the various classes of drugs, their interactions within the organism and their adverse effects.

Making judgments: the student will develop critical skills useful for assessing the side effects and risks of drugs and substances of abuse.

Ability to solve a problem: the student will be stimulated to propose solutions to questions asked by the professor.

Classroom lessons

Principles of toxicology – Therapeutic index and margin of safety; unwanted side effects; acute, subacute and chronic toxicities, toxicological aspects of drug absorption, distribution and excretion.

Cellular and molecular toxicology – Mechanisms of cell death; molecular basis of programmed cell death; pharmacological regulation of cellular toxicity; molecular mechanisms of cancerogenesis and teratogenesis; drug metabolism-induced toxicity; genetic polymorphism and drug interactions; molecular mechanisms of immunotoxicity; molecular mechanisms of neurotoxicity.

Drugs with selective toxicity: 1) a detailed compendium of all antibacterial, antiviral, antimycotic, and anti-malaric drugs; 2) antineoplastic drugs; 3) immunosupressants and biological modifiers.

Drug abuse - The neurobiology of drug abuse; effects of psycostimulants, allucinogens, cannabis derivatives, opioids, anabolic steroids, ethanol, nicotine.

Goodman & Gilman's - The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics.

Casarett and Doulls Toxicology - The Basic Science of Poisons.