INTRODUCTION TO PHARMACY

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Overview of the course of Pharmacy

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Pharmacy - derived from Greek word “Pharmakon”
Means medicine or drug.
 art of dispensing and preparing of medicines or drugs
 establishment and place where drugs or medicines are
solved.
Pharmacist also known as druggists or chemists, are
healthcare professionals who practice in pharmacy, the
field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective
medication use.

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 The healthcare delivery system like all systems is dynamic with
many feedbacks loops among providers, consumers and
regulators, allowing for change in the system’s performance.

History of the Ethiopian Healthcare Delivery System

 Ethiopia had one of the worst health statuses, with poor
environmental condition and inadequate health services. Long
periods of civil strife, rapid population growth and
environmental degradation have further aggravated these health
problems.

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 The major health problems of the country remain largely
preventable communicable diseases and nutritional disorders.
Despite major progresses have been made to improve the health
status of the population in the last one and half decades,
Ethiopia’s population still face a high rate of morbidity and
mortality and the health status remains relatively poor.
 The best way of understanding the healthcare delivery system is
to break down the “Essential health Service Package” provided at
hospitals, health centers and health posts.

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 A key aspect of this component is the Essential Health Service
Package (EHSP), which specifies the basic services that should
be available at a certain level of the health system.
 EHSP consists of an essential package for the community level,
plus basic curative care and the treatment of major chronic
conditions to be provided at health centers.

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Evolution of Pharmacy
Trial and error
What made the trial?
What they learn from their trial?

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Pharmacy in antiquity
Changes occurred gradually influence concepts of disease and
healing.
Apothecary
•An apothecary was a medical professional who formulated and
dispensed materia medica to physicians, surgeons and patients. The
modern pharmacist (in American English) or chemist (in
British English) has taken over this role.
The apothecaries' investigation of herbal and chemical
ingredients was a precursor to the modern sciences of chemistry
and pharmacology.
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Earliest contributors for the Development of Pharmacy
Ancient Chinese : Wrote extensively on medical subjects. Chinese
pharmacy has strong connection with Emperor Shen Nung (2700
B.C). He investigated the medicinal value of hundreds of herbs and
wrote the first native record of 365 drugs (first pen T-Sao) where he
examined the medicinal value of many roots, barks and herbs .
The pen Tsao ,
•It is the great herbal “Meteria medica” of China written about 2700
B.C which comprised forty volumes describing several thousands of
prescriptions.

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Ancient Babylon:
•Babylon ancient Mesopotamia has been called “The cradle of
civilization” a place where earliest record of the art of apothecary
originated. About 2600 B.C heating practitioners were priests,
pharmacists and physicians.
•Medical texts about symptoms of illness prescription and directions
for compounding were recorded.
•Ancient Babylonians practiced pharmaceutical medical and spiritual
care for the sick.

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Indian Records:
•Earliest Indian records of “Traditional ” medicine ,
Ayurveda dates back to 2500 B.C “Dravyaguna” is the
first Ayurvedic “material medica” which includes
sources , descriptions , criteria for identification
properties and methods of preparation and therapeutic
uses of hundreds of medicinal herbs.

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Ancient Egyptian:
• Knowledge of herbal healing power was passed down orally via
family lineage.
•Documented several medical papyri contain numerous prescriptions
the largest and perhaps the most important of these, The Ebers
papyrus (1550 B.C) contains about 500 prescriptions quite similar to
those written today in that they have .
•One or more active substances as well as vehicles (animal fat for
ointments and water milk wine beer or honey for liquids) for
suspending or dissolving the active drug.

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Greek Contributors
•Hippocrates (A Greek physician of 5th century B.C is known as
the Father of Modern Medicine )
•Dioscorides wrote , in about 65 AD a five volume book De Materia
Medica that is a precursor to all modern pharmacopcius and is one
of the most influential herbal books in history .
•Galen a G;reek pharmacist and physician (131-201 AD),
introduced the concept of polypharmacy (the concept of using
more than one type of medicament to treat a single disease).

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Notable individuals in the development of pharmacy
•Many individuals have contributed to the advancement of health
science : among those whose genus created revolutionary influence
on the development of pharmacy and medicine were
•Hippocrates  Theophrastus
•Galen  pracelsus
•Dioscorides
•Hippocrates (460-377 B.C)
•Greek physician first introduced scientific pharmacy and medicine .
He introduced the Greek word “ Pharmakone” = Drug/Reedy
•Hippocrates attributed to the real and true medicine he
is clled “the father medicine”

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•Theophrastus (about 300 B.C)
 He was among the greatest early Greek philosophers
and natural scientists and was the first person to
classify plants ; honored as the “Father of botany”
His observations and writings dealing with the medical
qualities and peculiarities of herbs are unusually
accurate , even in the light of present knowledge,
 Plants/herbs identified by hi for medicinal purpose,
among others , were belladonna sienna.

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Dioscorides
 A Greek physician and botanist the first to deal with
botany as an applied silence in pharmacy. His writings
date from 50-70 A.D and first catalogued the curative
properties of plants in his five books of “De material
Medica”

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Galen (131 -201 A.D)
 Greeck pharmacist and physician created a
systematic medicine whose ideas dominated herbal
medicine in Europe for 1500 years (i.e. Physiology ,
Phathology and treatment and formulated cotrines).
He dissected and studied the workings of human
anatomy to find real workable solutions to medical
issues.

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Separation of Pharmacy and Medicine
 In European countries exposed to Arabian influence , public
pharmacies began to appear in the 17th century
 Pharmacy was separated from medicine about 1240 A.D by
Frederic II who was emperor of Germany as well as king of
slicily . He presented subject “pharmacists” with the European
ediet completely separation their responsibilities from that of
medicine and prescribing regulations for their professional
practice .
 According to him pharmacy requires special knowledge skill
initiative and responsibility if adequate care to the medical needs
of the people was to be guaranteed.

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•Paracelsus (1493-1541 A.D)
 A Swiss physician and chemist ; often called the
“father of pharmacology” traveled extensively thought
Europe , Russian and the middle East for studying
medicine
 He opposed and challenged Galen’s theories (poly
pharmacy) opening the doors of herbal medicine in
Europe and creating a potentially new depth for
herbs.

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Introduction to Clinical Pharmacy

How does clinical pharmacy differ from pharmacy?

 The discipline of pharmacy embraces the knowledge on
synthesis, chemistry and preparation of drugs Clinical
pharmacy is more oriented to the analysis of population
needs with regards to medicines, ways of
administration, patterns of use ,drug effects on the
Patients, ‘the overall drug therapy management’.
 The focus of attention moves from the drug to the single
patient or population receiving drugs. Community
pharmacy, Hospital pharmacy, Clinical pharmacy, Ambulatory
care pharmacy, Consultant pharmacy, Internet pharmacy,
Veterinary pharmacy, Nuclear pharmacy,
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The future of pharmacy
•In the coming decades, pharmacists are expected to become more
integral within the health care system. Rather than simply
dispensing medication, pharmacists are increasingly expected to be
compensated for their patient care skills.

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History of drugs and dosage forms
 In the past, Compounding Was Pharmacy! Throughout history,
pharmacists have had to compound drugs for individualized
dosages for patients when they were prescribed by physicians.
 The origins of the earliest dosage forms are lost
in the mists of history. We can safely assume that
primitive man took parts of plants including
leaves, stems, roots and berries internally for a
range of symptoms.


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- Tablets , Capsules, Powder
- Syrups, suspensions , Elixer
- Aqueous suspension, Emulsion
- Ointment , Lotion, cream
- Suppository, pessary
- Aerosols
- Injections

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Tablet:
► Powdered drug(s) compressed into a disc

Capsule:
► Soluble small hollow container,
usually made of ------- gelatin /glycerin
used to enclose drug in
powder, granule or liquid form.

► May be used to conceal a ----- bitter taste

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Tablets & Capsule:
Enteric coated tablet / Capsules:
► coated with a substance that will not dissolve until it reaches the small
intestine
► for drugs that are irritating to stomach
or to avoid any other adverse effects in
stomach e.g. Ibuprofen
Tablets & Capsule:
Sustained-release tablet / Capsule:
for continuous release of small doses of
the drug over an extended time period to
Increase duration of action
Decrease dosing frequency
Increase compliance

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Powder:
very fine particles of drug(s) for
internal or external use

Effervescent powder / tablet:

► Drug mixed with sodium bicarbonate or citric acid.
► When mixed with liquid, release carbon dioxide,
causing effervescence (BUBBLING)
Aqueous solutions:
e.g. Enemas ----- administered rectally -- for --- local -- or---
systemic effect
Gargles
Mouth washes
Nasal solutions
Otic solutions

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Aqueous solutions:
Syrup:
aqueous solution saturated with SUGAR
usually contain a flavoring agent that assists in
disguising the taste of the drug mixed
in syrup
Alcoholic solutions:
Spirit or essence:
Volatile drug dissolved in alcohol.
Elixir:
Spirit that has been sweetened and/or flavored.
Tincture:
Solution made by extracting from the CRUDE (plant or vegetable) source those
constituents of a drug that are soluble in alcohol.

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Aqueous suspension:
Finely divided SOLID PARTICLES (POWDERS)
of a drug suspended in a FLUID.
They are NOT DISSOLVED in the fluid.
Emulsion:
A preparation of one LIQUID distributed in
small globules throughout the body of a
second LIQUID
The dispersed liquid is the discontinuous phase, &
the dispersion medium is the continuous phase.
Emulsion:

Oil-in-water emulsion
Oil --- is the --- dispersed liquid &
aqueous solution -- is the --
continuous phase.
Water -in-oil emulsion
Aqueous solution -- is the –
dispersed phase &
oil --- is the ---- continuous phase

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Ointment
Drug or mixture of drugs added to a semisolid base,
such as petroleum jelly or lanolin.
Some ointments contain a water soluble
base. For local effects
skin
eye
- systemic effect
transdermal application
(e.g., nitroglycerine)
Lotion:
Liquid medicinal suspension applied
externally.
Various lotions are designed for
protection, lubrication, cleansing, cooling, or antipruritic effects.
Cream:
emulsions that contain an aqueous
base

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Suppository:
► Drug mixed with a fatty base and molded into shapes suitable for insertion
into the
rectum,
vagina, or
urethra.
► A urethral suppository is called a ---- bougie.
► A vaginal suppository is called a ----- pessary.
for a local or systemic effect.
Aerosols:
Aerosols are particles dispersed in a gas,
the particles being small enough to remain in suspension for a long time instead of
sedimenting rapidly under the influence of
gravity; the particles may be liquid (fog) or solid (smoke)

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COMPOSITION OF TABLET

Diluent:

Binder:

Lubricant:

Disintegrator:

Coloring agent:

Flavoring agent:

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Commonly used pharmaceutical and medical
terminologies
Latin terms and abbreviations, types of dispensed
pharmaceutical preparations
Latin terms and abbreviations, types of dispensed pharmaceutical
preparations
For a technician to become proficient, it is necessary to interpret
orders correctly.
Many doctors’ handwriting is referred to as “chicken scratch,” and
it is the responsibility of the pharmacy to interpret and clarify
orders if necessary.
Many abbreviations used in prescribing medication look very much
alike.
This is a list of abbreviations used in medical prescriptions and
hospital orders (sometimes referred to as sig codes).

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Abbrevation Explanation Abbrevation Explanation
a before Pc After meals
ac Before meals po By mouth
agit Shake,stir PR Per rectum
Aq water prn When needed
Aq dest Distilled water q every
bid Twice a day Qam,om Every morning
c with qd Every day but write ,daily,

cap capsule Qh,q1h Every hour

D5W,D5W Dextrose 5% in water Q2h,q3h,etc Every 2 hours,every 3 hours,etc

dil Dissolve,dilute qhs Every night at bed time

Disp,dis dispense qid Four times a day

elix elixir qod Every other day
ext extract qs Sufficient quantity
g gram Rept,repet May be repeated
gtt drops Rx take
h hour s With out
hs At bed time SC,SQ subcutaneous
IA Intra-arterial sid Once a day
IM Intramuscular Sig,s label
IV Intravenous Sos If needed
kg kilogram Ss,ss One-half
meq miliequivalent stat At once
mg miligram Sup,supp suppository
µg microgram susp suspension
no number tab tablet
Non rep Do not repeat tbsp Tablespoon,but right,15ml,

OD Right eye tid Three times a day

OS,OL Left eye Tr,tinct tincture
OTC Over-the-counter tsp Teaspoon,but right,5ml

OU Both eyes u Units

p after vag Vaginal

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INTERPRETATION OF ORDERS FOR DRUGS
 Prescribers use abbreviations extensively in writing orders for
drugs. The enlisted soldier must be able to read such orders
accurately. Examples of some orders for drugs and the
interpretations are given below.
Example .
Order: Tab ii stat, then tab i bid
Interpretation: 2 tablets at once, then 1 tablet twice a day.
Example 2.
Order: Tsp i pc & hs
Interpretation: 1 teaspoonful after meals and at bedtime.
Example 3.
Order: 2 ml IM stat & q12h
Interpretation: 2 ml intramuscularly at once and every 12 hours.
Example 4.
Order: Tab iv stat, then tab ii q4h
Interpretation: 4 tablets at once, then 2 tablets every 4 hours
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Types of dispensed pharmaceutical preparations
Aerosols
Aromatic Waters Injections
Powders Irrigations
Tablets Ointments
Capsules Pastes
Creams Plasters
Elixirs
Emulsions
Solutions
Implants or Pellets Suppositories
Inhalations Syrups
Suspensions

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Pharmacists Career
Pharmacists in industry
Academic activities
Pharmacist in government
Pharmacists in international agencies
International agencies and professional bodies
Pharmacist role in the health care delivery
Pharmacist and public health

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