ID:
510601
Duration (hours):
72
CFU:
9
SSD:
CHIMICA FARMACEUTICA
Year:
2025
Overview
Date/time interval
Primo Semestre (29/09/2025 - 23/01/2026)
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The learning objectives of this course contribute to the development of the professional skills required in the pharmaceutical sector. The program includes the study of the chemical structure, mechanism of action, and structure-activity relationships (SAR) of the main classes of chemotherapeutic drugs and drugs for pathologies resulting from hormonal and metabolic disorders.
At the end of the Medicinal and Toxicological Chemistry 2 course, students will be able to:
-Know and understand the fundamental principles of pharmaceutical and toxicological chemistry, with particular emphasis on the mechanisms of drug action.
-Understand how the structural properties of drugs influence their biological activity, chemical and physical stability, manipulability, and toxicity in different biological systems.
-Analyze and interpret the factors that influence the bioavailability of drugs, including routes of administration, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination.
-Recall and comment in detail on the chemical structure, mechanism of action, and structure-activity relationships (SAR) of the main classes of drugs studied during the course.
-Communicate effectively using appropriate and critical terminology in the field.
-Present the structure-activity relationships (SAR) of the main classes of drugs in a clear, effective, and critical manner to both expert and non-specialist audiences, facilitating understanding and knowledge transfer.
At the end of the Medicinal and Toxicological Chemistry 2 course, students will be able to:
-Know and understand the fundamental principles of pharmaceutical and toxicological chemistry, with particular emphasis on the mechanisms of drug action.
-Understand how the structural properties of drugs influence their biological activity, chemical and physical stability, manipulability, and toxicity in different biological systems.
-Analyze and interpret the factors that influence the bioavailability of drugs, including routes of administration, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination.
-Recall and comment in detail on the chemical structure, mechanism of action, and structure-activity relationships (SAR) of the main classes of drugs studied during the course.
-Communicate effectively using appropriate and critical terminology in the field.
-Present the structure-activity relationships (SAR) of the main classes of drugs in a clear, effective, and critical manner to both expert and non-specialist audiences, facilitating understanding and knowledge transfer.
Course Prerequisites
To successfully attend the course of Medicinal and Toxicological Chemistry 2, it is essential that students possess solid basic and advanced knowledge in general, inorganic, and organic chemistry, as well as a good grasp of fundamental biochemical concepts. Specifically, students must be able to understand and apply the principles of organic chemistry related to the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds, with particular attention to the main functional groups, their stability, and reactivity. An in-depth understanding of biochemical processes and the interactions between drugs and biological targets is crucial, as it provides the necessary context for exploring the pharmacological and toxicological aspects covered in the course.
The content of the Medicinal and Toxicological Chemistry 1 course, with particular reference to the principles of general pharmaceutical chemistry, including the understanding of interactions between drugs and biological targets, and pharmacokinetic aspects such as absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination of drugs, as well as basic concepts of toxicology, are prerequisites for the topics covered in this course. These foundational elements provide the necessary basis to successfully comprehend and tackle the advanced content presented in Medicinal and Toxicological Chemistry 2.
The content of the Medicinal and Toxicological Chemistry 1 course, with particular reference to the principles of general pharmaceutical chemistry, including the understanding of interactions between drugs and biological targets, and pharmacokinetic aspects such as absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination of drugs, as well as basic concepts of toxicology, are prerequisites for the topics covered in this course. These foundational elements provide the necessary basis to successfully comprehend and tackle the advanced content presented in Medicinal and Toxicological Chemistry 2.
Teaching Methods
The Medicinal and Toxicological Chemistry 2 course employs a variety of integrated teaching methods to achieve the learning objectives and ensure that students acquire the necessary competencies.
Lectures are delivered using PowerPoint presentations projected on a screen, which are made available to students in the dedicated section of the KIRO UniPV multimedia platform (the educational portal of the University of Pavia). A font accessible to students with DSA (e.g. arial 12 or higher with double space). To the students that cannot attend the course will be provided additional teaching material. These lectures do not merely present the content but encourage active interaction with students.
Part of the course is seminar-based, dedicated to in-depth studies and case analyses. Seminars are organized with experts from the pharmaceutical and research sectors, offering insights into advanced topics and recent scientific developments. These seminars enrich students' academic and professional training, providing updated perspectives and stimulating continuous research interest.
Students may be assigned scientific articles to study in groups and present for common discussion. This activity allows students to engage with the latest scientific literature, developing critical thinking and synthesis skills. Discussing scientific articles promotes communication skills and the ability to effectively and critically present research findings.
To complete the educational offering, tutorial activities are provided in the classroom to prepare for mid-term tests or exam sessions. Part of the tutoring may be conducted through the KIRO multimedia platform. Tutorial activities offer additional support to students, helping them consolidate the knowledge and skills acquired during the course.
Assessment Methods
The assessment methods for the Medicinal and Toxicological Chemistry 2 course are designed to align with the learning objectives and ensure a comprehensive and accurate evaluation of the competencies acquired by students. These competencies include the knowledge of the topics covered during the course, understanding the role of structural properties of drugs in determining their activity, stability, and manipulability, and the ability to present effectively and critically the structure-activity relationships, mechanisms of action, and therapeutic uses of the main classes of drugs.
The assessments can be taken during one of the official exam sessions or as interim assessments.
The exam consists of a written test lasting 1.5 hours, during which students are required to answer 10 questions with both closed and open responses. The closed questions (multiple choice or true/false), numbering 3-5, aim to verify the student's ability to respond to specific queries related to the topics covered in the lectures and to recognize the structure of the drugs discussed. The open questions (short answer questions), numbering 5-7, require students to report the structure of one or more classes of drugs covered during the course and to briefly describe their mechanisms of action, structure-activity relationships, and therapeutic uses.
Each question is assigned a score between 1 and 6, depending on the difficulty of the question and the type and level of detail of the information required from the student. The total score for all questions in an assessment is 32. The overall score for the written test will be expressed in thirtieths (0-30). Honors will be awarded to students who achieve a total score of 31 or higher. In the case of interim assessments, the final score corresponds to the average of the scores obtained in the individual partial tests.
No consultation materials are allowed during the written test. For students with DSA, the exam will be performed according to the indication provided by the SAISD center.
The results of the written tests will be announced within one week from the date of the exam, through the esse3 platform, through which students can communicate their intention to accept or reject the grade. In the absence of explicit feedback from the student, the rule of implied acceptance applies.
Texts
Study texts furnished by the teacher are available on Kiro platform (https://elearning.unipv.it/).
Foye's Principles of Medicinal Chemistry – V.F Roche, S. W. Zito, T. L. Lemke, D. A. Williams
VIII English Edition, 2019, Wolters Kluwer, Philadelphia.
Contents
The program covers in detail the discovery, chemical structure, mechanisms of action, and structure-activity relationships (SAR) of the following classes of drugs:
-Drugs for the treatment of parasitic infections such as trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, trichomoniasis, amebiasis, giardiasis, and malaria;
-Drugs for the treatment of Mycobacterial infections (e.g., tuberculosis and leprosy);
-Chemotherapeutic antibacterial drugs (e.g., sulfonamides and quinolones);
-Antibacterial antibiotics, including beta-lactam antibiotics (e.g., penicillins, cephalosporins, and other peptidoglycan biosynthesis inhibitors), transcription inhibitor antibiotics (e.g., rifamycins), and protein synthesis inhibitor antibiotics (e.g., tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, macrolides, streptogramins, lincosamides, and amphenicols);
-Antifungal drugs for the treatment of fungal infections;
-Antiviral drugs for the treatment of infections caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis, herpes, and influenza;
-Antitumor chemotherapeutic drugs (e.g., alkylating agents, topoisomerase inhibitors, antimetabolites, antimitotics, and antineoplastic antibiotics);
-Antitumor therapeutic strategies through targeted therapy;
-Drugs for the treatment of metabolic disorders (e.g., diabetes, hyperlipidemia).
Course Language
Italian
Degrees
Degrees
PHARMACY
Single-cycle Master’s Degree
5 years
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