UnderGraduate Courses
PHARMACOLOGY I (Fall semester course, Third year)
Introduction to Pharmacology
Pharmacokinetics.
Pharmacodynamics: Drug receptors, principles, agonists and antagonists, quantitative
aspects.
Principles of Therapeutics
Nervous Systems
Somatic motor system, competitive and depolarizing blocking agents;
Physiology of the autonomic and somatic nervous systems;
Neurotransmitters, synthesis, storage, metabolism, classification of receptors;
Parasympathetic nervous system, cholinergic drugs, anticholinesterases, muscarinic
blocking agents;
Somatic motor system, competitive and depolarizing blocking agents;
Sympathetic nervous system, a/b-receptor stimulants and their clinical applications;
b-Blocking agents and clinical applications;
Autocoids
Histamine and its physiological effects, antagonists at H1, H2 receptors and H3 receptors;
Prostaglandins;
Serotonin, its formation and pharmacological action; 5HT antagonists;
Kinins, location, physiology, receptors, the Kallikrein/Kinin system; the renin angiotensin
system;
Central nervous system
Neurotransmission and the CNS
Parkinson's disease and its treatment;
Anxiety disorders and their treatment;
Mental illness, psychoses and relevant therapeutic agents;
Hypnotics and sedatives ; Ethanol
Epilepsy - diagnosis, classification and therapy;
PHARMACOLOGY II (Spring semester course, Third year)
Local anaesthetics, mechanism of action; Types of local anaesthesia.
Anaesthesia - different stages, anaesthetic agents;
Physiology of pain, pain pathways; Naturally occurring opioids, action on brain and
peripheral tissues; Morphine receptor antagonists; Drug dependence - psychological and physical
addiction, withdrawal symptoms; drugs and agents associated with dependence;
Non steroid-anti-inflammatory agents
Cardiovascular system
Circulation and cardiac function; cardiac action potential, cardiac homeostasis, treatment of
ischaemic heart disease; control of calcium channels, cardiac insufficiency and dysrhythmias, and
drugs used in treatment.
Lipids and lipid lowering drugs.
Renal physiology and diuretics;
Hypertension - aetiology, diagnosis, essential and renal hypertension; acute hypertension;
drugs used in treatment;
Blood, coagulation, clotting factors, role of platelets, haemophilia, anticoagulants,
antiaggregatory agents, physiological clot dissolution, plasmin, streptokinase, tPA;.
Respiratory physiology; drugs used in respiratory conditions.
Physiology of the gastrointestinal tract and drugs used in conditions such as ulcers, constipation, gallstones, haemorrhoids, diarrhoea, inflammatory bowel disease.
Endocrinology - the role of the hypothalamus and pituitary; hormones:
Drugs affecting corticosteroid synthesis and their uses; Mineralocorticoids;
Structure, action and release and therapeutic use of growth hormone;
Disorders of the thyroid gland and therapy;
Pancreas, insulin structure, mechanism of action; glucagon and its effects; Diabetes
Mellitus and its treatment;
Male and female reproductive system, control of reproduction;
Hypothalamus and pituitary systems; Therapeutic uses of oestrogens and progestagens;
Treatment of menopausal symptoms; Hormonal and non-hormonal contraceptive agents and
devices;
Chemotherapy
Antimicrobial therapy including mechanisms of action of the main antimicrobial agents.
Fungal diseases and their treatment; Protozoal diseases and treatment; Malaria and
antimalarial drugs.
Neoplastic diseases and their treatment;
Drug interactions;
Environmental toxicology including heavy metals, food additives, solvents and industrial diseases;
Graduate courses are under development Our post-graduated program has two directions: Pharmacokinetics and Toxicology leading after twoyears in MSc that can be extented to Ph.D. This program has been introduced this year and the courses to be taught are under development.