TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGICAL METHODOLOGIES
Academic year and teacher
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2022/2023
- Teacher
- SILVIA ZUCCHINI
- Credits
- 9
- Didactic period
- Primo Semestre
- SSD
- BIO/14
Training objectives
- - Knowledge of targets and mechanisms of toxic actions. Knowledge of methods for the experimental assessment of acute and chronic toxicity. Knowledge of the toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics of the principal environmental toxic agents, of adverse drug reactions, and possible intervention.
- Ability in acquisition, evaluation and extrapolation to human of toxicity data obtained in laboratory.
- Ability in recognizing and monitoring human health risks deriving from non appropriate use of drugs, additives and other potentially toxic substances Prerequisites
- The student should have acquired and assimilated knowledge of the anatomy of different organs and systems, and their physiology. Knowledge of biochemistry and cell biology, as well as the general mechanisms of damage (general pathology) are fundamental to be able to understand the mechanism of action and toxicity of drugs. In addition, the student should have acquired and assimilated knowledge of pharmacology
Course programme
- - General toxicology: Toxicokinetics. Reaching the target site; bioactivation and detoxification. Toxicdynamics. Mechanisms of action of toxic substances. Preclinical evaluation of toxicity: acute and chronic toxicity. Mutagenial substances and mutagenesis tests; carcinogens and carcinogen tests; Teratogen aact substances and teratogenesis tests. Variations in toxicity: allergy, idiosyncrasy, tachyphylaxis, tolerance, addiction. Interactions between xenobiotics. External and systemic antidotes.
Systemic toxicology. Experimental methods for the evaluation of toxicity.
Toxicity at the expense of various tissues, organs and apparatuses, with methods of study. Toxicity of blood and the hematopoietic system; respiratory system; liver and kidney. Toxicity of the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and nervous system.
Determining the characteristic parameters of acute, subacute, chronic toxicity. Preclinical and clinical testing of new drugs.
- Special toxicology: Acute and chronic, accidental and professional intoxications: drugs, fungi, metals, fibrous materials. Workplace safety. Ecotoxicology: air pollutants, water, food pollutants; Pesticides. Drug addiction. Reinforcement mechanisms and cravings. Role of the mesolimbic dopaminergic neuronal system. Heroin and opiates, cocaine and psychostimulants, ecstasy, hallucinogens, nicotine, alcohol, cannabis, dissociative anesthetics (ketamine, PCP). New psychoactive substances: synthetic cannabinoids, catinons, new fenetilamines (e.g. 25n-BOMe), etc. Didactic methods
- The teacher explains the program topics by viewing slides and educational videos. In addition, the teacher interacts with students to assess the degree of learning/understanding during the course. The teacher also recommended some texts on which to deepen the course content.
Learning assessment procedures
- The learning test is in written form and is divided into two parts: (1) a multiple choice test on the whole of Toxicology, which aims to verify the level of learning of the subject, to follow (2) an open question to check in more depth student preparation on various topics, particularly special toxicology.
The final vote will be the sum of the vote of the part of the multiple choice test (20/20) and that of the second written test with an open question (11/11). Reference texts
- CASARETT & DOULL. ELEMENTI DI TOSSICOLOGIA (ed. 2013, CEA) di John B. III Watkins, Curtis D. Klaassen
G. CANTELLI FORTI et al.: TOSSICOLOGIA MOLECOLARE E CELLULARE, UTET, 2006
DROGHE E FARMACI PSICOATTIVI (ed. 2012, Zanichelli), Robert M Julien, Claire D. Advokat, Joseph E. Comaty, Seconda edizione italiana condotta sulla dodicesima edizione americana
