Course Description

Credit Units: 2
Lecturer: Dr. IKWUKA A.O. (MD, Sp. Cert., PhD Medicine) Email Id: aloysiussweet@yahoo.com, College of Health Sciences, Department of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Course description:

This course is designed to enable the dental therapy student to acquire knowledge and apply the principles of pharmacology and therapeutics in drug administration and its dental implications. The course will also equip the dental therapy student with knowledge of patient safety issues through diagnosis and reporting of adverse events. Students shall also engage in the discussion of current primary research literature in the field of pharmacology and therapeutics. 

This course includes the following lecture themes: 

1. Sources of drugs: plant, animal, synthetic, bacteria and fungi; General principles of 

pharmacology: pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics 

The drugs listed below will be discussed under the following headings: 

1. Introduction/group 2. Mechanism of action 3. Pharmacological effects 4. Indication 5. Side effects 6. Contra-indications 7. Drug interactions 8. Dosage 9. Routes of administration 10. Dental implications 
2. Analgesics – Opiates: morphine, pethidine; Salicylates: aspirin; Non-steroidal anti- inflammatory agents: Aspirin, ibuprofen and diclofenac; Miscellaneous: paracetamol. 
3. Hypnotics and sedatives: diazepam, barbiturates. 

Page 1 of 3 

4. Drugs acting on the respiratory system – Bronchodilators: salbutamol, aminophylline, Analeptics/respiratory stimulants: nikethamide; Expectorant/mucolytics: benylin; Cough suppressants: codeine linctus. 
5. Drugs used in infections: Antibacterial drugs – Penicillins: benzylpenicillin, amoxicillin, cloxacillin; Tetracyclines; Aminoglycosides: streptomycin, gentamycin, neomycin, kanamycin; Macrolides: erythromycin; Cephalosporins: cefotaxime, cefuroxime, cephalexen; Sulphonamides: sulphadimidine, cotrimoxazole; Chloramphenicol; Antituberculous drugs: rifampicin, isoniazid; Antileprotic drugs: dapsone, clofazimine; Antiprotozoal drugs: metronidazole; Antimalarials: halofantrine hydrochloride, fansidar, artesunate, amodiaquine; Amoebicides: metronidazole; Antifungal drugs: nystatin, miconazole, griseofulvin, clotrimazole. 
6. Antiretrovirals (ARVs) in use (country-specific): 1st line and 2nd line drugs, Antiretrovirals used in Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT); Antihelminthics: mebendazole, albendazole. Steroids: dexamethasone, hydrocortisone. 
7. Cytotoxic drugs – Alkylating agents: busulphan; Antimetabolites: fluorouracil, methotrexate, cytosine; Alkaloids: vincristine; Antibiotics: doxorubicin (Adriamycin). 
8. Drugs acting on the digestive system – Antacids: aluminium hydroxide, magnesium trisilicate; Antispasmodics or Spasmolytics: hyoscine butylbromide; Histamine (H2) – receptor blockers: cimetidine, ranitidine; Proton pump inhibitor: omeprazole; Cytoprotectives: misoprostol; Laxatives: bisacodyl, magnesium sulphate, liquid paraffin; Antiemetics: promethazine hydrochloride, metoclopramide, hyoscine, avomine. 

Methods of Instruction: 

• Lectures 
• Tutorials 
• Discussion groups 
• Guest lectures 
• Projects (e.g. case studies, poster presentation, seminar presentation) 
• Reading of articles from relevant scientific journals 

Methods of Course Assessment: Evaluation will be carried out in accordance with the university policy. The lecturer will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. Evaluation will be based on the following: 

Criteria Marks 

Individual Works/Tasks 10 

Class Tests 10 

Page 2 of 3 

Class Assignments 10 

Final Examination 70 

TOTAL 100 

Pre-requisite courses: Medical Genetics, Human Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology 

Co-requisite course(s): None 

Recommended Reference Materials: Textbooks 

1. Karen Whalen, et al (2019) Lippincott® Illustrated Reviews Pharmacology, 7th edition 2. Katzung Bertram G. (2018) Lange® Basic & Clinical Pharmacology, 14th edition 3. Hilal-Dandan Randa, Brunton Laurence L. (2013) Goodman & Gilman’s Manual of 

Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2nd edition 4. Chekman Ivan, et al (2006) Pharmacology, 1st edition 5. Stefanov O., Kucher V. (2004) Pharmacology with General Prescription, 1st edition 

Journals 

1. Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics 2. Journal of Experimental Pharmacology 3. Biomedical and Pharmacology Journal 

Web 1. www.drugs.com 

2. www.medscape.com 3. www.en.wikipedia.org