Faculty of Science

Objectives

To provide a comprehensive study of the chemistry and pharmacology of selected drug classes. The selected drug is based on the impact of such drug classes in contemporary pharmacotherapy and health care delivery (e.g., anti-HIV agents, antimalarials). Coverage of each drug class will be an exhaustive overview of the pathophysiology of the disease targeted by the drug class; the strategies underlying the development of drugs to address the disease; synthesis and biological testing of drug candidates; current problems encountered in the pharmacotherapy of the disease and opportunities for new drug development.

Contents

Topics on diseases involving: malaria, filariases, tuberculosis, AIDS, hepatitis, cancer, infertility, male erection dysfunction, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Only two diseases will be covered each time the course is offered. Aspects to be investigated include: epidemiology and economic/social impact of the disease; pathophysiology of disease (including known biochemical pathways); strategies employed in the design of current pharmacotherapeutic agents; drug synthesis and methods of pharmacologic testing (including animal models); problems of clinical management (drug resistance, side-effects, drug costs and methods of production); potential role of medicinal plants of Cameroon in the pharmacotherapy of disease/disorder; future perspectives for the pharmacotherapy of the disease.