Medicinal chemistry and the pharmacy curriculum.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-10-2011

Abstract

The origins and advancements of pharmacy, medicinal chemistry, and drug discovery are interwoven in nature. Medicinal chemistry provides pharmacy students with a thorough understanding of drug mechanisms of action, structure-activity relationships (SAR), acid-base and physicochemical properties, and absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) profiles. A comprehensive understanding of the chemical basis of drug action equips pharmacy students with the ability to answer rationally the "why" and "how" questions related to drug action and it sets the pharmacist apart as the chemical expert among health care professionals. By imparting an exclusive knowledge base, medicinal chemistry plays a vital role in providing critical thinking and evidence-based problem-solving skills to pharmacy students, enabling them to make optimal patient-specific therapeutic decisions. This review highlights the parallel nature of the history of pharmacy and medicinal chemistry, as well as the key elements of medicinal chemistry and drug discovery that make it an indispensable component of the pharmacy curriculum.

Publication Title

American journal of pharmaceutical education

Volume

75

Issue

8

First Page

161

Last Page

161

Comments

This article was published in American J. of Pharmaceutical Education, Volume 75, Issue 8, October 2011.

The published version is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.5688/ajpe758161

Copyright © 2011 AJPE

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