Pharmacology

What is Pharmacology?

Pharmacology is the science that studies how drugs (i.e., the active ingredient in medicines, with the desired biological/treatment effect) affect the human body—and how the body, in turn, processes those drugs.

It focuses on two key questions:

What does the drug do to the body? (Pharmacodynamics)

– This includes how drugs interact with cells, tissues, and organs to produce therapeutic or side effects.

What does the body do to the drug? (Pharmacokinetics)
– This refers to how medicines are absorbed, distributed, metabolised, and excreted.

Pharmacology also examines:

    Drug-drug interactions

     Sources of medicines – whether natural (from plants, animals, or the environment) or synthetic (produced in a lab)

    Therapeutic and diagnostic uses of drugs in real-world healthcare

Pharmacology is typically divided into:

  • Basic Pharmacology – foundational principles and mechanisms
  • Translational Pharmacology – applying lab findings to clinical settings
  • Clinical Pharmacology – real-world use of medicines in patient care

Ultimately, the goal of pharmacology is to understand drug actions so they can be used safely, effectively, and ethically to improve health outcomes.

 

        1.  

List of Pharmacology modules & lecturers

 

Semester 1

Semester 2

Year 2

Pharmacology IA (FKLG 212 – Foundational concepts, basic pharmacodynamics & -kinetics, pharmacology of the peripheral nervous system)

  • Prof Linda Brand (co-ordinator)
  • Prof Tiaan Brink
  • Prof Stephan Steyn
  • Dr Sarel Brand

Pharmacology IB (FKLG 222 – Cardiovascular pharmacology, autacoids and rhino & broncho pharmacology)

  • Dr Madeleine Uys (co-ordinator)

Year 3

Pharmacology IIA (FKLG 312 – Pharmacology of the central nervous systems, and of psychiatric and neurological conditions)

  • Prof Linda Brand (co-ordinator)

Pharmacology IIB (FKLG 322 – Pharmacology of antimicrobial drugs)

  • Prof Stephan Steyn (co-ordinator)

Year 4

Pharmacology IIIA (FKLG 412 – pharmacology of the endocrine system, hormones and hormone antagonists, drugs for sexual health)

  • Prof De Wet Wolmarans (co-ordinator)