🏥 Medical Encyclopedia

Pharmacology

Pharmacology – The science of drugs

Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology that studies drug action, including the sources, chemical properties, biological effects, and therapeutic uses of drugs.

💊 Key Fact: The global pharmaceutical market is worth over $1.8 trillion, with over 20,000 prescription drugs approved worldwide.

Drug Categories

Category	Examples	Mechanism
Analgesics	Morphine, ibuprofen	Pain relief
Antibiotics	Penicillin, amoxicillin	Kill bacteria
Antivirals	Acyclovir, remdesivir	Inhibit viruses
Antihypertensives	Lisinopril, amlodipine	Lower blood pressure
Antidepressants	Fluoxetine, sertraline	Regulate serotonin
Antidiabetics	Metformin, insulin	Control blood sugar
Anticoagulants	Warfarin, heparin	Prevent blood clots
Immunosuppressants	Cyclosporine, tacrolimus	Suppress immune response

Pharmacokinetics

Absorption: How the drug enters the bloodstream
Distribution: How the drug spreads through the body
Metabolism: How the body breaks down the drug (liver)
Excretion: How the body eliminates the drug (kidneys)

Key Pharmacological Concepts

Potency: The amount of drug required to produce a specific effect
Efficacy: The maximum effect a drug can produce
Therapeutic Index: The safety margin (effective dose / toxic dose)
Drug Interactions: Effects of one drug on another
Half-life: Time for drug concentration to decrease by 50%

Drug Development Process

Discovery: Identification of potential drug targets
Preclinical: Laboratory and animal testing
Phase I: Safety testing in healthy volunteers (20-80 participants)
Phase II: Efficacy testing in patients (100-300 participants)
Phase III: Large-scale efficacy and safety (1,000-3,000 participants)
FDA Approval: Regulatory review and approval
Phase IV: Post-marketing surveillance

Top 10 Best-Selling Drugs (2024)

"The right drug for the right patient at the right time – that's the promise of modern pharmacology." – Dr. Janet Woodcock FDA Commissioner

Rank	Drug	Brand Name	Annual Sales
1	Keytruda	Pembrolizumab	$25 Billion
2	Humira	Adalimumab	$21 Billion
3	Eliquis	Apixaban	$20 Billion
4	Dupixent	Dupilumab	$14 Billion
5	Biktarvy	Bictegravir/TAF/FTC	$12 Billion