VCP3022 - Medicinal chemistry III B

Leader: Dr. Edward Lloyd

Offered

Parkville Second semester 2007 (Day)

Synopsis

Drug design. Drugs affecting the central nervous system. Steroids and prostaglandins. Pharmacodynamic agents. Enzyme inhibitors as drugs. Peptides and proteins. Pharmaceutical biotechnology. Practical classes cover the synthesis, identification, characterisation and metabolism of compounds of medicinal interest and computer based studies of structure-activity relationships and drug design.

Objectives

Students will develop an understanding of

1. The relationship between the chemical structure and biological activity of drugs and endogenous substances

2. Mechanisms of drug action at a molecular level

3. The physiochemical basis for drug delivery; absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of drugs

4. Drug moieties and their stereochemical importance in drug-receptor interactions

5. Computer-based techniques in pharmaceutical science

6. The chemical basis for drug toxicity and drug interactions

7. Biological applications of spectroscopic techniques

8. Modern drug design and development as an integrative approach using chemistry, biochemistry and biological science.

Assessment

The end of semester paper examines material covered in the lectures and tutorials (100%)

Contact hours

The course comprises 20 hours of lectures and 4 hours of tutorials.

Prerequisites

All 2nd year B.Pharm units.