PAC2232 - Drug delivery and disposition - 2017

6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

Undergraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Faculty

Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Coordinator(s)

Dr Joseph Nicolazzo (Parkville)

Dr Manish Gupta (Malaysia)

Unit guides

Offered

Malaysia

  • Second semester 2017 (Day)

Parkville

  • Second semester 2017 (Day)

Synopsis

This unit builds upon the fundamental concepts of drug delivery with a major focus on oral drug absorption and pharmacokinetics.

Specifically, the unit aims to:

  • provide an understanding of theoretical concepts and formulation principles of pharmaceutical dosage forms such as tablets, capsules, emulsions, creams, and lotions; and
  • introduce students to fundamental concepts in pharmacokinetics and biopharmaceutics and their impact on drug disposition.

Outcomes

At the end of this unit students will be able to:

  1. Discuss the formulation principles of tablets, capsules, emulsions, creams and lotions, and undertake problems by applying theoretical knowledge in relation to formulation principles;
  2. Discuss the primary physiological factors influencing drug absorption across the small intestine and the effects of altering rate of absorption and extent of absorption on plasma concentration and amount of drug in the body;
  3. Define and calculate pharmacokinetic parameters, including drug clearance, elimination half-life, volume of distribution, fraction unbound, fraction excreted unchanged in urine and steady state plasma concentration after intravenous administrations and multiple dosing;
  4. Distinguish between drugs that exhibit 1 and 2 compartment behaviour and calculate and interpret pharmacokinetic parameters for drugs that obey 1 and 2 compartment kinetics
  5. Estimate the absolute and relative bioavailability of drugs given either plasma or urine concentration data.
  6. Describe the characteristics, causes and therapeutic consequences of non-linear pharmacokinetics

Assessment

Final exam (2 hour): 60%; In-semester assessments 40%

Workload requirements

Contact hours for on-campus students:

  • Thirty six 1-hour lectures
  • One 1-hour tutorial
  • Three 3-hour workshops
  • One 3-hour online practical

See also Unit timetable information

Chief examiner(s)

Prerequisites

PAC1222 Drug delivery I

PAC1132 Systems physiology

Additional information on this unit is available from the faculty at: