farmakologian

Farmakologian, or pharmacology in English, is the scientific discipline that studies the interactions between chemical substances and living organisms, with emphasis on the effects, mechanisms, and uses of drugs. It covers how drugs influence physiological and cellular processes and how organisms absorb, distribute, metabolize, and eliminate substances (pharmacokinetics). It also investigates the relationship between drug concentration and effect (pharmacodynamics), genetic factors that modulate response (pharmacogenomics), and the potential for toxicity and adverse reactions (toxicology).

Subfields include clinical pharmacology, pharmacovigilance and drug safety, pharmacogenomics, pharmacognosy, and organ-system pharmacology such as neuropharmacology, cardiovascular pharmacology, and immunopharmacology. Experimental approaches range from in vitro assays and animal models to human clinical trials and population studies, often supported by computational modeling and PK/PD analysis. Ethical and regulatory considerations guide drug development, testing, and monitoring.

Historically, pharmacology emerged in the 19th century from physiology and materia medica, with figures such as Rudolf Buchheim contributing to its development as a distinct discipline; later milestones include the work of Paul Ehrlich and others on receptors and drug action.

Professionals may specialize as researchers, clinicians, or educators. Educational pathways typically involve degrees in pharmacology or related fields, leading to careers in academia, the pharmaceutical industry, hospital clinical pharmacology, or government agencies concerned with drug policy and safety.