Farmakologia

Farmakologia, or pharmacology, is the branch of science that studies how chemical substances interact with living organisms. It covers the discovery, characterization, and action of drugs, including their mechanisms of action at molecular and cellular targets, and how the body absorbs, distributes, metabolizes, and eliminates these substances (pharmacokinetics), as well as the physiological and biochemical effects they induce (pharmacodynamics). The field also considers how genetic and environmental factors influence drug response (pharmacogenomics) and how drugs are used to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease (pharmacotherapeutics).

Clinical pharmacology applies pharmacological concepts to patient care, guiding dosing, safety, and the avoidance of adverse effects. Toxicology studies harmful effects and risk assessment, while pharmacovigilance monitors drug safety after market approval and informs regulatory action. Drug development encompasses preclinical research, multiple phases of clinical trials, and regulatory review to establish safety and efficacy.

Subfields include medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics (formulation and delivery), biopharmaceutics, and pharmacoeconomics. Pharmacology requires collaboration across disciplines—biology, chemistry, medicine, and public health—and plays a central role in education, research, and policy. In many languages, including farmakologia, the term reflects a global scientific tradition that underpins rational therapy and drug safety.