Pharmaceutical Development of Active Ingredients of Herbal Drugs

The course aims to provide the student with the theoretical basis for understanding, from a molecular perspective, the mechanism of action, therapeutic use, and side effects of the main classes of active ingredients of herbal origin, their semisynthetic derivatives, and synthetic analogs. Specifically, lectures will focus on the chemical structure-biological activity relationships of the active ingredients and the chemical-pharmaceutical approaches followed for the purpose of improving their pharmacodynamic profile and pharmacokinetic properties.

Knowledge and understanding: to identify and analyze the physicochemical properties of active ingredients of herbal origin; to identify and analyze their structure-activity relationships; to recognize and discuss the chemical-pharmaceutical approaches adopted for the improvement of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile of major derivatives of semisynthetic or synthetic origin.
Applied knowledge and understanding: starting from the analysis of physicochemical properties, structure-activity relationships, and side effects, to identify and propose chemical-pharmaceutical strategies for the improvement of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile of active ingredients of herbal origin.
Autonomy of judgment: to use critically and independently the knowledge acquired in the field of pharmaceutical chemistry of natural substances and their derivatives.
Communication skills: effectively and appropriately expound and use concepts of medicinal chemistry applied to plant-derived active ingredients and their derivatives.
Learning ability: actively use the knowledge and skills acquired in the field of pharmaceutical development of active ingredients of plant origin.