PHARMACOLOGY

 BRANCHES OF PHARMACOLOGY ::

There are six main branches of pharmacology 

1.Pharmacokinetics

2.Pharmacody namics 

3.Pharmacotherapeutics (including chemotherapy)

4.Clinical Pharmacology 

5.Toxicology 

6.Pharmacometrics 

Pharmacokinetics ::

It is that part of pharmacology which deals with absorption distribution biotransformation (metabolism) and excretion (ADME) of drugs Thus it deals with all processes involved in the changes of concentration of the drug in the body The concentration of drug available at the site of action or in the biological fluids is termed as bioavailability This is one of the important aspects of pharmacokinetics 

pharmacodynamics ::

The study of biochemical and physiological effects of drugs and their mechanism of action is termed as pharmacodynamics This is the part which explains effect of drugs (e.g.acetylsalicylic acid aspirin relieves the pain ) structure activity relationship dose response relationship drug receptor interaction and drug interaction This branch freely borrows subject matter and experimental techniques from biochemistry (biochemical pharmacology ) cellular and molecular biology (molecular pharmacology ) immunology (immunopharmacology ) genetics (pharmacogenetics) etc Pharmacokinetics tells how body reacts to the drug whereas pharmacodynamics tells how drugs reacts with the body 

Pharmacotherapeutics ::

It is the application of drugs in prevention and treatment of diseases it comprises of Rational pharmacotherapeutics and Emperical pharmacotherapeutics