9 mins read ·
14 questions
Outline the major milestones in the history of pharmacology, from materia medica and the isolation of active plant principles to the receptor concept (Langley, Ehrlich) and modern biologics.
13 mins read ·
12 questions
Define pharmacology and distinguish its branches: pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacotherapeutics, toxicology and pharmacogenomics.
11 mins read ·
10 questions
Distinguish pharmacology from related disciplines (pharmaceutics, pharmacognosy, medicinal chemistry, clinical pharmacy).
8 mins read ·
16 questions
Identify the sources of drugs (plant, animal, mineral, microbial, synthetic and semi-synthetic, biotechnological) with at least one example of each, including medicines derived from plants used in Ghanaian traditional medicine.
9 mins read ·
10 questions
Define drug, medicine, prodrug and placebo.
11 mins read ·
17 questions
Describe the physical nature of drugs (state, molecular size, reactivity) and explain the significance of chirality and enantiomers for drug action.
12 mins read ·
13 questions
Apply drug nomenclature correctly: chemical name, code name, generic (International Non-proprietary Name) and proprietary (brand) name; explain why generic prescribing is preferred.
10 mins read ·
14 questions
Outline the stages of drug development: discovery, preclinical testing, clinical trial phases I–IV and post-marketing surveillance.
14 mins read ·
18 questions
Describe the role of pharmacovigilance and of the national regulatory authority (Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana) in approving and monitoring medicines.
8 mins read ·
13 questions
Name the four main classes of protein target (receptors, ion channels, enzymes, carriers/transporters) and give an example drug acting on each.
12 mins read ·
15 questions
Distinguish drugs acting on specific targets from those acting by non-specific physicochemical mechanisms (e.g. antacids, osmotic diuretics, chelating agents).
11 mins read ·
5 questions
Describe the forces involved in drug–receptor interaction (ionic, hydrogen, van der Waals, hydrophobic, covalent) and relate bond type to reversibility and duration of action.