Pharmacologia

Pharmacologia, often rendered as pharmacology in English, is the scientific study of drugs and their interactions with living systems. It encompasses the discovery, development, characterization, and clinical use of medicines, as well as the adverse effects and safety considerations associated with drug therapy. The field seeks to understand how chemical compounds alter biological processes and how these effects can be harnessed to prevent, diagnose, or treat disease.

Key subdivisions include pharmacodynamics, which examines how drugs exert their effects at molecular and cellular targets; pharmacokinetics, which describes the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs; pharmacogenomics, which studies how genetic variation influences drug response. Clinical pharmacology applies these principles to patient care, while pharmacotherapeutics focuses on the selection and dosing of medicines in therapy. Medicinal chemistry bridges chemistry and pharmacology in the design of new agents. Toxicology studies harmful effects and risk assessment. Pharmacovigilance monitors safety post-approval.

Drug discovery and development involve preclinical testing, clinical trials, and regulatory review before a drug is approved for use. Dosing guidelines, interactions, contraindications, and individualized therapy depend on pharmacological knowledge about pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. The practice is regulated by agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency, and is informed by ethical standards and evidence from randomized trials.

Historically, pharmacologia has roots in ancient pharmacopoeias and traditional medicine, evolving with pharmacology's modern science in the 19th and 20th centuries through receptor theory, isolation of active compounds, and advances in biochemistry and physiology.