Understanding pharmacology for health professionals

THE PAST HISTORY,
PRESENT USES, AND
FUTURE OF DRUGS
Chapter 1
Introduction to Pharmacology and the History of Drugs
Chapter 2
Drug Design, Testing, Manufacturing, and Marketing
Chapter 3
Drug Forms
Chapter 4
Routes of Administration and the Drug Cycle
Chapter 5
Using Drugs Therapeutically
Chapter 6
The Prescription
Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Introduction to Pharmacology
1 and the History of Drugs
Origins of Pharmacology Words
Drug Legislation and Drug Agencies
Medical Uses for Drugs
Prescription and Over-the-Counter
Drugs in Ancient Times
Modern Drugs Derived from Natural
Orphan Drugs
Drugs in the 1800s and 1900s
Mislabeled and Dangerous Drugs
Multimedia Extension Exercises
Learning Objectives After you study this chapter, you should be able to 1. Describe the origin of the words pharmacology, drug, medicine, and other words
related to specialty fields within pharmacology.
2. Describe the three general medical uses for drugs.
3. Give the origin and meaning of the symbol Rx.
4. Name at least five drugs historically derived from plant, animal, or mineral
sources that are still in use today.
5. Describe the process of the preparation of drugs in the 1800s to early 1900s.
6. Name 10 major pharmaceutical milestones that have occurred since the 1800s.
7. Describe the use of mislabeled and dangerous drugs and the problem they
presented in the past for consumer safety.
8. Describe the origin and content of the various drug laws.
9. Describe the function of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with respect
to approving or removing drugs from the market.
10. Differentiate between prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs.
11. Define schedule drugs and describe the five categories of controlled substances.
12. Define orphan drugs.
Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.
CHAPTER 1 • INTRODUCTION TO PHARMACOLOGY AND THE HISTORY OF DRUGS Pharmacology is a fascinating and multifaceted discipline that impacts not only our chosen career in health care, but also our personal lives. From our role as members of the healthcare team to that of consumers, pharmacology plays a part in our lives.
The study of pharmacology covers a broad spectrum of diverse, yet interrelated, topics: botany, molecular chemistry, research, toxicology, legislation, and patient education.
There is an excitement inherent in the study of pharmacology. The field of pharma- cology is amazing in its scope, ranging from the historical and present day uses of herbsand plant extracts to day-to-day painstaking research that produces unusable productsas well as life-saving drugs to the future with genetic manipulation, molecular pharma-cology, adult stem cell therapy, and a seemingly limitless potential for discovery.
Origins of Pharmacology Words
Pharmacology is the study of drugs and their interactions with living organisms. The wordpharmacology comes from the Greek word pharmakon, which means medicine or drug, and thesuffix -logy, which means the study of. Pharmacology is concerned with the nature of drugs, theireffects in the body, drug doses, side effects, and so forth.
Pharmacology is a general word. Other more specific words related to specialty fields within the field of pharmacology include the following: the study of the chemical structures of drugs and the effects of drugs atthe molecular level within cells the mechanisms of action by which drugs produce their effects (desired orundesired) based on time and dose how the genetic makeup of different people affects their responses to certaindrugs using genome technology to discover new drugs how drugs move through the body in the processes of absorption, distribution,metabolism, and excretion using drugs to affect the body therapeutically.
Drugs and Medicines
The word drug is derived from the Dutch word droog, which means dry, and refers to the use of
dried herbs and plants as the first medicines. The Latin word for drug is medicina, from which we
derive the words medicine and medication. A drug or a medicine can be thought of as any nonfood
chemical substance that affects the mind or the body. The word medicine refers to a drug that is
deliberately administered for its medicinal value as a preventive, diagnostic, or therapeutic agent
(see ■ FIGURE 1–1). The word drug can be used interchangeably with the word medicine, but
drug can also refer specifically to chemical substances that do not have a preventive, diagnostic, or
therapeutic use (e.g., illicit or street drugs).
Medical Uses for Drugs
Drugs have three medical uses. They are used to prevent disease, to diagnose disease, and to treat
symptoms, signs, conditions, and diseases. The study of these uses is known as pharmacotherapy.
Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

UNIT ONE • THE PAST HISTORY, PRESENT USES, AND FUTURE OF DRUGS ■ FIGURE 1–1 Medications.
Medications or medicines are drugs that are
used to prevent, diagnose, or treat
symptoms, signs, conditions, and diseases.
1. Preventive use.
Drugs are used to prevent the occurrence of diseases or conditions. The administration of a preventive drug is known as prophylaxis. Prophylaxis is from a Greek
word meaning to keep guard before. Examples of the preventive uses of drugs include the
following:
■ Drugs taken prior to traveling to prevent motion sickness (see ■ FIGURE 1–2)
■ Contraceptive drugs taken to prevent pregnancy
■ Vaccinations given to immunize children or adults against certain diseases, such as polio,
diphtheria, or influenza.
2. Diagnostic use.
Drugs are used by themselves or in conjunction with radiologic procedures and other types of medical tests to provide evidence of a disease process. Examples of thediagnostic uses of drugs include the following:■ Radiopaque contrast dyes used during x-ray procedures■ Drugs that mimic the cardiac effect of exercise in patients who cannot undergo regular cardiac exercise stress testing.
■ FIGURE 1–2 Preventive use of drugs.
Dramamine is an over-the-counter drug that is taken to prevent
motion sickness and vomiting. The word vomiting does notappear on the drug package, but the word antiemetic, whichmeans pertaining to against vomiting, appears at the top right.
Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

CHAPTER 1 • INTRODUCTION TO PHARMACOLOGY AND THE HISTORY OF DRUGS The American Academy of Pediatrics issues an annual immunization schedule for preventingchildhood diseases. All children must receive certain immunizations before they are permittedto enroll in school. Exceptions are granted for religious reasons or when immunizations aremedically inadvisable.
3. Therapeutic use.
The majority of drugs are used to control, improve, or cure symptoms, signs, conditions, or diseases of a physiologic or psychological nature. Examples of the thera-peutic uses of drugs include the following:■ Antibiotic drugs to kill bacteria and cure an infection■ Analgesic drugs to control the pain and inflammation of arthritis■ Insulin to treat diabetes mellitus.
Drugs in Ancient Times
Pharmacology is one of the oldest branches of medicine. Ancient peoples such as the Sumerians andEgyptians recorded the use of drugs on clay tablets, on wall paintings in tombs, and on papyrus asearly as 2000 B.C. The Egyptians treated diseases with substances such as frogs' bile, sour milk,lizards' blood, pigs' teeth, sugar cakes, dirt, spiders' webs, hippopotamus' oil, and toads' eyelids.
The Egyptians applied moldy bread to abrasions, a practice that actually had some therapeutic basisas, many centuries later, penicillin was extracted from a mold. An Egyptian medicinal scroll, theEbers Papyrus from 1500 B.C. (discovered in the early 1800s), contained the names of 800 differentherbal formulations and prescriptions. The Egyptians also extracted the oil from various plantsknown for their healing properties. In 1922 when King Tutankhamun's tomb was opened, archeolo-gists discovered 350 alabaster jars of plant oils in it.
The ancient Chinese practiced healing arts that emphasized the use of herbs and some minerals, but few animal products (see ■ FIGURE 1–3). Herbal preparations were used in conjunction with
acupuncture, massage, and exercise. Shen Nong completed the first Chinese book on herbal medi-
cine in 3494 B.C. It included 365 different herbal remedies.
Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

UNIT ONE • THE PAST HISTORY, PRESENT USES, AND FUTURE OF DRUGS ■ FIGURE 1–3 Chinese herbal medicines.
This Chinese pharmacist prepares herbal medicines in much the
same way that his ancestors did, by using dried herbs which are
then crushed into powder. He is making four batches of the same
medicine, each of which contains the same mixture of herbs. The
wall behind him holds drawers of many different types of dried
herbs. In 1970, the Chinese Academy of Medical Science compiled
a collection of traditional herbal remedies. American pharmacists
evaluated those remedies and found that 45 percent of them were
therapeutic, according to Western standards of medicine.
Many other cultures around the world furthered the use of drugs within their own cultures, including the Native Americans of North America. The Aztec Indians of Mexico grew manyherbs with medicinal properties. Aztec King Montezuma maintained royal gardens of medici-nal plants.
The Greeks and Romans furthered the study of medicine through an understanding of anatomy and physiology, which was an important first step toward understanding how drugs exert theireffects in the body.
Ancient drugs were prepared according to standard recipes that involved drying, crushing, and combining a variety of plants, substances from animals, or minerals. The symbol Rx, which comes
from the Latin word recipe, meaning take, indicates a prescription, the combining of ingredients to
form a drug. The use of some ingredients was based on medical lore and superstition. Some ingre-
dients had therapeutic value, but others were worthless or actually harmful.
Medieval physicians prescribed a broad range of drugs from herbs to metals (e.g., powdered gold) to addictive substances (e.g., opium). In the 1600s, patients were advised to eat soap to cureblood in the urine and put mercury in beer to cure intestinal worms. Because little was known abouteven the most fundamental physical and chemical processes of the body, the therapeutic use ofdrugs was not an exact science.
Modern Drugs Derived from Natural Sources
Amazingly, there are a number of drugs, based on old prescriptions, that are still in use today. Theseinclude drugs derived from plants, animals, and minerals.
Drugs Derived from Plants
The medicinal use of the foxglove plant was noted in 13th-century writings (see ■ FIGURE 1–4).
A derivative of this plant is used to make the drug digoxin (Lanoxin), which is still used today totreat congestive heart failure.
Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

CHAPTER 1 • INTRODUCTION TO PHARMACOLOGY AND THE HISTORY OF DRUGS ■ FIGURE 1–4 Foxglove plant.
This beautiful wild flowering plant is commonly known as foxglove, but
its scientific name is Digitalis lanata. The drug digitalis (which is no
longer in use) came from this plant, as does the modern drug digoxin
(Lanoxin), which is used to treat congestive heart failure.
The belladonna plant was the original source of two drugs that are still in use today—atropine and scopolamine. Belladonna means beautiful lady in Italian. "Sixteenth century Italian women .
squeezed the juice of the berries of these plants into their eyes to widen and brighten them."(Michael C. Gerald, Pharmacology: An Introduction to Drugs, 2nd ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:Prentice Hall, 1981, p. 149, out of print.) Atropine is still used to dilate the pupil in patients withinflammatory conditions of the iris. Scopolamine is used to treat motion sickness.
The opium poppy has been used for centuries as a painkiller and also as a recreational drug to induce euphoria and a trance-like state. The sap from the seedheads of the poppy flower Papaver somniferumcontain opium, a substance that is the source of the illegal street drug heroin, which has no medical use,as well as the prescription drug morphine, which is a potent analgesic drug used to treat severe pain.
Colchicine, a drug still used to treat gout, was used for that same purpose in the sixth century.
It was originally derived from the autumn crocus known as Colchicum autumnale. Ephedrine is present in the leaves of a bushy shrub (species name, Ephedra). The leaves were burned and used by the ancient Chinese to treat respiratory ailments. Today, ephedrine is present inover-the-counter bronchodilator drugs.
Did You Know?Herbs have been a part of all cultures for centuries and have been mentioned frequently in liter-ature. Henbane, a very toxic herb, was supposed to have been the poison that Claudius used tokill his brother, Hamlet's father. "Henbane should not be confused with wolfsbane. Students ofliterature know wolfsbane to be useful as a vampire repellant (Dracula, 1897); however, weshould point out that double-blind studies demonstrating the effectiveness of this plant havenot as yet been conducted." (Michael C. Gerald, Pharmacology: An Introduction to Drugs,2nd ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1981, p. 149, out of print.) Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

UNIT ONE • THE PAST HISTORY, PRESENT USES, AND FUTURE OF DRUGS Some estrogen hormone replacement therapy drugs are derived from yams. The drug galanta- mine (Razadyne), which is used to treat Alzheimer's disease, is derived from daffodil bulbs. In addi-tion, many of the gums, oils, and bases in which drugs are dissolved come from plant sources. Manydrugs contain soybean oil, sesame seed oil, or olive oil.
Other plants have also become the sources of some modern drugs (see ■ TABLE 1–1).
■ TABLE 1–1 Other plant sources of some modern drugs
Modern Drug
Remifemin (used to treat menopause hot flashes) quinine (used to treat malaria) binder or filler ingredient capsaicin (topical pain relief) penicillin (antibiotic drug) statin drugs (used to treat high cholesterol) periwinkle (vinca) vincristine (used to treat cancer) vitamin C (see ■ FIGURE 1–5)
reserpine (used to treat hypertension) aspirin (used to treat pain) ■ FIGURE 1–5 Rose hips.
Hips are the botanical name for the rounded fruit of a rose.
Powdered rose hips are still the source of natural vitamin C in
some over-the-counter vitamin C dietary supplements. Other
products use synthetic vitamin C.
Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.
CHAPTER 1 • INTRODUCTION TO PHARMACOLOGY AND THE HISTORY OF DRUGS Drugs Derived from Animals
Thyroid supplement drugs are composed of dried (desiccated) thyroid gland tissue taken from ani-mals. Thyroid supplement drugs are used to treat patients with hypothyroidism.
The drug Premarin, a female hormone replacement drug used to relieve the symptoms of menopause, is derived from pregnant mares' urine, and the trade name is formed from selected let-
ters taken from that phrase.
Lanolin, a common ingredient of topical skin drugs, is obtained from the purified fat of processed sheeps' wool.
In the past, the only source of insulin used to treat diabetes mellitus was from ground-up animal pancreas (see ■ FIGURE 1–6). This type of insulin is still available.
■ FIGURE 1–6 NPH Iletin II insulin.
The drug label clearly shows that the source of this insulin is from
pork (in vertical capital letters).
Drugs Derived from Minerals
Minerals, such as calcium and iron, are available as individual dietary supplements, and traceminerals, such as copper, magnesium, selenium, and zinc, are included in many multivitaminsupplements. Centrum multivitamins use the advertising slogan "From A to Zinc," to show thatthey contain vitamins and minerals alphabetically from vitamin A through zinc.
Potassium, in the form of potassium chloride, is given in conjunction with diuretic drugs because diuretic drugs cause increased excretion of potassium (and water).
The cardiac drug quinapril (Accupril) contains red iron oxide as an inert ingredient in its brown Drugs in the 1800s and 1900s
It was not until the 1800s that chemists developed techniques to extract and isolate pure substancesfrom crude drug preparations. The isolation of morphine in 1803 by a German pharmacist markedthe beginning of modern drug therapy using chemically pure ingredients.
In the early 1900s, the extraction and preparation of drugs was still a time-consuming process that utilized test tubes, filters, and Bunsen burners. Pharmacists at that time actually prepared thedrugs they dispensed. Daily, they made milk of magnesia, paregoric, and syrup bases for liquidmedicines. In addition, they hand-rolled cocoa butter suppositories. They measured out drugs inminims, drams, ounces, grains, and scruples (the apothecary system of measurement).
Much has changed since then. Many drugs are now completely synthetic rather than derived from natural sources. Other natural drugs have undergone chemical modification and molecularrestructuring to create new drugs that possess superior pharmacologic action. In addition, the phar-macist no longer prepares drugs, but dispenses them and provides patient information and education.
Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. UNIT ONE • THE PAST HISTORY, PRESENT USES, AND FUTURE OF DRUGS The following list briefly notes some major pharmaceutical milestones dating from the 1800s to the
present time (see ■ TABLE 1–2).
■ TABLE 1–2 Major pharmaceutical milestones of the 1800s to the present
Major Pharmaceutical Milestone
Morphine isolated from crude opium Merck & Company, a German drug company, begins the first commercial production of morphine Dr. Alexander Wood of Scotland creates the syringe and injects patients with morphine Aspirin introduced Sulfanilamide introduced (first anti-infective drug) Phenobarbital introduced for epilepsy (first antiepileptic drug) Vitamins A and B discovered Insulin introduced (first drug for diabetes mellitus) Dilantin introduced for epilepsy Penicillin introduced (first antibiotic drug) Benadryl introduced (first antihistamine drug) Cortisone introduced (first corticosteroid drug) Thorazine introduced for psychosis (first antipsychotic drug) Hydrocortisone introduced (first topical corticosteroid drug) Librium introduced for neurosis (first antianxiety drug) Haldol introduced for psychosis Clotting factors introduced for hemophilia Inderal introduced for hypertension (first beta-blocker drug) Levodopa introduced for Parkinson's disease Researchers discover a receptor in the brain that responds to drugs derived from opium Tagamet introduced for peptic ulcers (first H2 blocker drug) First portable insulin pump introduced Verapamil introduced for heart arrhythmia (first calcium channel blocker drug) Humulin (human insulin) introduced (first drug made by recombinant DNA technology) Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.
CHAPTER 1 • INTRODUCTION TO PHARMACOLOGY AND THE HISTORY OF DRUGS ■ TABLE 1–2 Major pharmaceutical milestones of the 1800s to the pr
Major Pharmaceutical Milestone
Topical prescription drug hydrocortisone approved for over-the-counter sales ACE inhibitor drugs introduced for hypertension Orthoclone OKT3 introduced (first monoclonal antibody drug) Mevacor introduced (first statin drug for high cholesterol) Alteplase (Activase) introduced for dissolving blood clots (first tissueplasminogen activator drug) AZT (zidovudine, Retrovir) introduced (first drug for HIV) Proscar introduced for benign prostatic hypertrophy (first nonsurgical treatment) Cognex introduced (first drug for Alzheimer's disease) Combination drug therapy introduced for peptic ulcers caused by Helicobacterpylori Cozaar introduced for hypertension (first angiotensin II receptor blocker drug) Invirase introduced for HIV (first protease inhibitor drug) Fosamax introduced for osteoporosis (first nonhormonal drug treatment) Nicoderm introduced (first prescription-strength, over-the-counter drug for stopping smoking) Plavix introduced for the treatment of acute coronary syndrome Viagra introduced (first oral drug for erectile dysfunction in men) Celebrex introduced for arthritis (first COX-2 inhibitor drug) Deciphering of the human genome opens the field of gene therapy in pharmacology Anthrax attack on the United States creates high demand for the antibioticdrugs ciprofloxin and doxycycline Botox introduced for the treatment of facial wrinkles Fuzeon introduced (first fusion inhibitor drug for HIV) Lunesta introduced for the long-term treatment of chronic insomnia Requip introduced (first drug for restless legs syndrome) Gardasil introduced (first vaccine against cervical cancer caused by HPV) Exelon introduced (first transdermal drug patch for Alzheimer's disease) Zyrtek is the first drug to have the same dose strength for both its prescriptionand over-the-counter forms Isentress introduced (first integrase inhibitor drug for HIV) Xenazine introduced (first FDA-approved drug for Huntington's disease) Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. UNIT ONE • THE PAST HISTORY, PRESENT USES, AND FUTURE OF DRUGS Mislabeled and Dangerous Drugs
From the early history of pharmacology, most physicians attempted to treat patients based on whatlittle scientific knowledge was available to them. As early as 2100 B.C., the Code of Hammurabigave severe penalties for malpractice.
However, throughout medical history many ineffective, mislabeled, and even dangerous drugs have been manufactured, advertised, and prescribed. In 1680, English apothecary (pharmacist)
Thomas Sydenham created the drug Sydenham's Laudanum, which contained powdered opium,
wine, and herbs. During the 1700s and 1800s, drugs with names such as Warner's Safe Cure for
Diabetes, Dr. Shreve's Anti-Gallstone Remedy, and Anti-Morbific Great Liver and Kidney
Medicine were commonly sold without regulation and were accompanied by extravagant claims of
cures. Drugs often contained one of the addicting ingredients of opium, morphine, or cocaine
without its presence being listed on the label. Ayer's Cherry Pectoral, advertised for respiratory
ailments, contained cherry flavoring and heroin. Even when a drug included the name of the addic-
tive ingredient in its title or on its label (see ■ FIGURE 1–7), consumers were often not aware of
its addictive qualities. One drug prescribed for respiratory ailments, hydrocyanic acid, caused
many deaths. (This poison, which as a gas contains cyanide, is used for legal executions.)
■ FIGURE 1–7 Cocaine in a common drug.
This 1885 advertisement was for the drug Cocaine Toothache Drops.
It was not known at that time that cocaine was a highly addictive drug.
Children as well as adults became addicted to this drug.
It is estimated that in the early 1900s one out of every 200 Americans was addicted, most of them middle-class women who used these drugs for themselves and their children.
Consumer warnings against the misuse of drugs, the possibility of addiction, or dangerous drug side effects did not exist. At that time, the prevailing dictum was "Let the buyer beware." Drug Legislation and Drug Agencies
Laws were passed in the 1900s to protect the public from unscrupulous drug sellers, as well as from worthless, mislabeled, and dangerous drugs that were then on the market. The drug manufacturers
strongly opposed drug laws, but public outrage resulted in the passage of The Food and Drugs Act
of 1906, the first federal drug law. A 1912 amendment to this act required the accurate labeling of
drugs to prevent substitution or mislabeling of ingredients. It also stated that only drugs listed in the
Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.
CHAPTER 1 • INTRODUCTION TO PHARMACOLOGY AND THE HISTORY OF DRUGS United States Pharmacopeia or National Formulary could be prescribed. Nevertheless, manyworthless drugs remained on the market because the burden of proof lay with the government toshow fraud on the part of the seller.
It took a national tragedy to force a much-needed update of The Food and Drugs Act of 1906.
Sulfonamide, an early anti-infective drug, was widely used in the United States in 1937. After an
extensive advertising campaign aimed at physicians, a Tennessee company marketed this drug in a
raspberry-flavored base and called it "Elixir of Sulfonamide." This base had been tested by the man-
ufacturer for flavor and fragrance but not for safety. Elixirs are made from a sweetened alcohol base,
but this drug base was an industrial-strength liquid solvent. A number of children died after taking
less than one ounce of this drug, and over 350 individuals were poisoned. At that time, a drug man-
ufacturer did not need FDA approval before marketing a drug. Because of this tragedy, Congress
passed The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938 that previously had lacked the support it
needed to pass. As a result, the government no longer needed proof of fraud to stop the sale of a
drug. It could seize any drug suspected of being toxic. Secondly, the burden of proof was shifted to
the drug manufacturers, who were required to provide data based on scientific experiments to show
that their product was safe before they were allowed to market it. It became the job of the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) to review these data and evaluate the safety of drugs.
In 1951, the Durham-Humphrey Amendment to The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act defined
prescription drugs as those drugs that could only be given to patients under the care of a physician.
In the late 1950s, the drug thalidomide was developed in West Germany and was used exten- sively during early pregnancy to treat morning sickness in women. The FDA refused to approve its
use in the United States without further studies. Before these additional studies could be completed
by the manufacturer, evidence against the safety of the drug began to accumulate. Over 8,000 babies
in Europe were born with deformed limbs ("seal limbs," or phocomelia). This tragedy resulted in
the passage of the 1962 Kefauver-Harris Amendment to The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act,
which tightened control on existing prescription drugs and new drugs. It required that drugs be
shown to be both safe and effective before being marketed. It also required manufacturers to report
adverse side effects from new drugs. Since that time, many drugs have been kept from the market or
have been removed from the market because of a lack of safety.
Historical Notes Because of its devastating adverse effects in unborn children, thalidomide would have beenrelegated to an obscure footnote in medical history, but in 1997 it was discovered to be auseful drug in treating cancer, AIDS, and leprosy. The potential adverse effects of this drugare so great that it is only considered as a viable treatment option for these life-threateningdiseases. The FDA regulates the use of thalidomide in two ways: (1) by limiting the numberof physicians who can prescribe it and (2) by requiring women taking the drug not to havesexual intercourse or to use two forms of birth control (so that there is virtually no risk ofthem giving birth to a child with phocomelia). Thalidomide is now an official prescriptiondrug used to treat multiple myeloma, leprosy, graft-versus-host disease, and several types ofcancers. It is also officially recognized as an orphan drug that is used to treat wasting syn-drome from HIV, as well as Crohn's disease.
For each new drug, the FDA must weigh the inherent risks of the drug against its potential ben- efits. To do this thoroughly, the FDA must take the time to complete its review process before itissues a final approval (or rejection) of a new drug. In 1988, the Food and Drug Administration wasmoved under the federal Department of Health and Human Services.
Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. UNIT ONE • THE PAST HISTORY, PRESENT USES, AND FUTURE OF DRUGS ■ FIGURE 1–8 Dietary supplements.
Dietary supplements, such as vitamins, minerals, and herbs,
are manufactured in tablets and capsules that resemble
prescription and over-the-counter drugs. However, the bottle
label clearly states "Dietary Supplement," and the reverse side
of the bottle provides information under the heading of
"Supplement Facts."
In 1994, the Dietary Supplements and Health and Education Act was passed. This legislation
allowed the FDA to set up guidelines for the manufacturers of herbal products and dietary supple-
ments (see ■ FIGURE 1–8). Although the FDA could not regulate these products and the products
were still available without a prescription, the drug manufacturers were now liable for any claims
against their products in accordance with the FDA guidelines.
In the early 1990s, FDA approval of a new drug took an average of 34 months. However, for certain critical drugs the process could be much shorter. The first drug effective against HIV was
approved by the FDA in 1987 in just 107 days. Despite the rapid handling of many critical drugs,
critics still pointed to a time lag in the approval of other new drugs. They argued that some drugs
were available in other countries for quite some time before they received approval by the FDA
for use in the United States. For example, Inderal, a widely used drug for hypertension and
arrhythmias, was available in Europe for nearly 10 years before it was finally approved for use in
the United States in 1967. In response to this criticism, the FDA made a concerted effort to
streamline the approval process, particularly with respect to drugs used to treat life-threatening
diseases. In 1996, indinavir (Crixivan), a protease inhibitor drug used to treat HIV, was approved
by the FDA in record time, just 42 days after the new drug application was submitted. In 1997,
then-President Clinton signed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Modernization Act.
It gave the FDA the authority to accelerate the approval process for certain types of drugs. By
2000, the average review time for new drugs had fallen to less than 15 months. Critically needed
drugs (as well as those for whom the drug manufacturer pays a special fee) can be approved in as
little as 6 months.
In addition, the FDA allows physicians to prescribe some investigational drugs even before they are officially approved for marketing. These drugs are for life-threatening diseases for which
no other alternative therapy exists. In order to prescribe such a drug, the FDA requires an
Emergency Treatment Investigational New Drug (IND) application to be filed. This is also
known as a Compassionate Use IND application. In the 1970s, long before the cardiac drug amio-
darone (Cordarone) was on the market (final approval, 1985), cardiologists prescribed it as an inves-
tigational new drug to treat patients with life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias that did not respond to
other antiarrhythmic drugs. Similarly, the first drug for HIV was prescribed for patients before its
approval in 1987. This was done under a Compassionate Use IND application.
Under the federal regulations of HIPAA (pronounced "hip-ah"), the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, all healthcare settings must provide patients with a
statement that verifies that their health record information, including all drug information, is kept
Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.
CHAPTER 1 • INTRODUCTION TO PHARMACOLOGY AND THE HISTORY OF DRUGS secure and is only released to authorized inquiries from other healthcare providers, insurance com-panies, or healthcare quality monitoring organizations.
Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drugs
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates prescription drugs and over-the-counter
drugs. Prescription drugs are defined as those drugs that are not safe to use except under profes-
sional medical supervision. Prescription drugs can only be obtained with a written prescription or
verbal order from a physician, dentist, nurse practitioner, or other healthcare provider whose
license permits this. Prescription drugs are also known as legend drugs because the drug manufac-
turer and pharmacist add one of these two legends (inscriptions) to the drug package and to the
filled prescription bottle: "Caution: Federal law prohibits dispensing without a prescription" or
"Rx only."
In addition to prescription drugs, the FDA also regulates over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. An
OTC drug is defined as one that can be purchased without a prescription and is generally consideredsafe for consumers to use if the label's directions and warnings are followed carefully. OTC drugscomprise more than half of all the drugs used in the United States.
For many years, there was a clear distinction between prescription drugs and OTC drugs. Then, in 1983, the topical prescription drug hydrocortisone was approved for over-the-counter sales andmany other drugs followed. The OTC drug is the same as the original prescription drug, but the rec-ommended dose is usually just a fraction (often half) of the dose of the prescription drug. An excep-tion to this is cetirizine (Zyrtec), a prescription antihistamine drug whose over-the-counter dose, asapproved by the FDA, is the same as its prescription dose.
In 1992, the OTC Drugs Advisory Committee was created to assist the FDA in reviewing drugs and determining which ones were safe and appropriate for over-the-counter use (see ■ TABLE 1–3).
■ TABLE 1–3 Some prescription drugs that are also OTC drugs
Generic Name
OTC Trade Name
skin fungal infection vaginal yeast infection skin inflammation Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. UNIT ONE • THE PAST HISTORY, PRESENT USES, AND FUTURE OF DRUGS This committee consists of physicians and pharmacists, as well as one nonvoting member from thedrug/cosmetics industry. The FDA approves a prescription drug being reclassified as an OTC drugif the following criteria are met: (1) the indication for the drug's OTC use is similar to its use as aprescription drug, (2) the patient can easily diagnose and monitor his or her own condition whenusing the OTC drug, (3) the OTC drug has a low rate of side effects/toxicity and a low potential forabuse, and (4) use of the OTC drug does not require the patient to have any special monitoring ortesting.
Focus on Healthcare IssuesSupporters of the reclassification of some prescription drugs to an OTC status claim that thiswill lower drug prices and allow better access to treatment and fewer visits to the doctor.
Opponents to reclassification have these arguments: (1) consumers may actually pay morebecause health insurance plans will not reimburse for OTC drug purchases, (2) excessive useof OTC drugs may increase the number of adverse drug–drug interactions, and (3) con-sumers may try to self-medicate serious illnesses instead of visiting their physicians for appro-priate treatment.
Drugs with the potential for abuse and dependence were first regulated by The Harrison Narcotics
Act of 1914. This act established the legal framework for controlling these drugs and introduced the
word narcotic. This act was replaced in 1970 by The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention
and Control Act. Title II of this act, The Controlled Substances Act, established the Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA) in 1973 to regulate the manufacturing and dispensing of
these drugs. The act also divided potentially addictive drugs into five categories or schedules based
on their potential for physical or psychological dependence. These drugs are known as schedule
drugs or controlled substances. The labeling and packaging for a controlled substance and all of its
advertisements must clearly show the drug's assigned schedule (see ■ FIGURE 1–9). The manu-
facturing, storage, dispensing, and disposal of controlled substances are strictly regulated by both
federal and state laws.
■ FIGURE 1–9 Controlled substance symbol.
The capital C stands for controlled substance. The number written inside
(always a Roman numeral) indicates the assigned schedule. It is important
to remember that a C with the Roman numeral IV inside it does not mean
that the drug is to be given by the intravenous (I.V.) route; it means that
the drug is a Schedule IV controlled substance.
Schedule I
Extremely high potential for abuse and addiction No currently accepted medical use Not available under any circumstances, even with a prescription Examples: heroin, LSD, marijuana, methaqualone, peyote, psilocybin Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.
CHAPTER 1 • INTRODUCTION TO PHARMACOLOGY AND THE HISTORY OF DRUGS ■ FIGURE 1–10 Schedule II drug.
OxyContin is a prescription drug that is used to treat severe pain.
It is also a popular drug of abuse. Because it is a Schedule II
drug—see the symbol on the label—it has a high potential for
addiction. The drug bottle is sitting on a blue pill-counting tray in
the pharmacy. This tray helps the pharmacist accurately count out
the exact number of tablets specified in the patient's prescription.
The logo in the center of the tray reminds the pharmacist to
"Check, Counsel, Communicate."
Schedule II
(see ■ FIGURE 1–10)
High potential for abuse and addiction Currently accepted medical uses Requires an official prescription form Severe physical and psychological dependence may result Examples: cocaine, codeine, Demerol, Dilaudid, methadone, morphine, OxyContin,Percodan, Ritalin Schedule III
Less potential for abuse and addiction than Schedule II drugs Currently accepted medical uses Moderate physical and psychological dependence may result Examples: anabolic steroid drugs, dronabinol (Marinol), Hycodan, paregoric, phenobar-bital, testosterone, Tylenol w/ Codeine, Vicodin Schedule IV
Less potential for abuse and addiction than Schedule III drugs Currently accepted medical uses Limited-to-moderate physical and psychological dependence may result Examples: Ambien, Darvon, Librium, Meridia, Sonata, Valium, Xanax Schedule V
Limited potential for abuse Currently accepted medical uses Some physical and psychological dependence may result Examples: cough syrups with codeine, Lomotil Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. UNIT ONE • THE PAST HISTORY, PRESENT USES, AND FUTURE OF DRUGS Focus on Healthcare IssuesThere has been a longstanding debate over whether marijuana (a Schedule I drug) should belegally available to treat patients with certain medical conditions. In 1996, voters in Californiapassed Proposition 215 to allow seriously ill patients to use marijuana if approved by theirprimary care physician. Eight other states passed similar laws.
However, the federal law that prohibits the manufacturing and distribution of marijuana supersedes individual state laws. In November 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to heara case that sought an exemption from the federal law for cases of medical necessity. TheAmerican Medical Association (AMA) advised that marijuana did provide medical benefit topatients with certain conditions, and many other groups supported the legalization of mari-juana to varying degrees. In May 2001, however, the Supreme Court issued a decision thatfederal drug laws that ban the manufacture and distribution of marijuana allow for noexceptions, even for medical necessity.
Despite this ruling, many patients do use the marijuana plant to treat themselves. Of note is that the main active ingredient in marijuana is available as the prescription drug dronabinol(Marinol). It is a Schedule III drug and is used to treat nausea and vomiting caused bychemotherapy and to stimulate the appetite in patients with HIV.
Physicians, dentists, podiatrists, nurse practitioners, and other healthcare providers whose state licenses allow them to may prescribe controlled substances. First, however, they must regis-ter with the federal Drug Enforcement Agency and be issued a DEA certificate and number to pre-scribe or dispense a schedule drug (controlled substance). The provider's DEA number must beclearly written on any prescription for a schedule drug. In addition, some states require the health-care provider to register with the state agency that controls schedule drugs and be issued a statecertificate and number in order to prescribe or dispense schedule drugs in that state.
Orphan Drugs
In 1983, The Orphan Drug Act was passed. Its purpose was to facilitate the development of new
drugs to treat rare diseases. Normally, drug companies are reluctant to spend large amounts of time
and money to research and test a drug if it will have a limited market. In the past that meant that
drugs for rare diseases that only affected a few patients were not being developed. The Orphan Drug
Act provided special incentives to a drug company, including grants to offset drug development
costs, a tax credit that allowed the drug company to deduct up to 75 percent of the cost of clinical
trials, a streamlined process for obtaining FDA approval, and exclusive marketing rights for seven
years. This encouraged the development of orphan drugs to treat rare diseases, and now there are
more than 1,000 orphan drugs.
Chapter Review 1. Describe the linguistic origin/etiology of the following words.
Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.
CHAPTER 1 • INTRODUCTION TO PHARMACOLOGY AND THE HISTORY OF DRUGS 2. How are the definitions of drug and medicine the same? How are they different?
3. Describe the three medical uses for drugs and give examples.
4. Give the meaning of and describe the linguistic origin of the symbol Rx.
5. Give the name of a drug in current usage that originated from the natural sources listed
a. foxglove plant
b. sheeps' wool
c. rose hips
6. In what decade was each of the following drugs first introduced?
Circle the correct answer.
a. insulin
c. aspirin
d. cortisone
e. vitamin A
g. Viagra
h. Tagamet
i. Librium
j. 1st recombinant DNA drug
k. Thorazine
l. Gardisil
m. Inderal
n. H2 blocker drugs
o. Nicoderm
p. First drug for HIV
7. Name three ancient "medicines" that seem silly or outrageous to us today.
8. Is it possible that some of the "medicines" you named for Question 7 could be found to have
some therapeutic value in the future? State the reason for your answer.
9. In the 1700s and 1800s, drugs frequently contained addictive ingredients not listed on the
label. Name two such ingredients.
10. Describe the social and consumer safety circumstances that led to the passage of each of these
drug laws.
a. The Food and Drugs Act of 1906
b. The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938
c. Kefauver-Harris Amendment of 1962
d. FDA Modernization Act of 1987
11. What federal agency is empowered to review data on a drug's safety and clinical effectiveness
and approve drugs for marketing? 12. What is a Compassionate Use IND application?
13. Define the following phrases: prescription drug, over-the-counter drug.
14. Describe how The Controlled Substances Act categorized drugs of potential abuse.
15. What is the purpose of the 1983 Orphan Drug Act? What three incentives does it offer to drug
companies to develop orphan drugs? 16. What part of the wording of a drug label tells you that it is a prescription drug?
Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc. UNIT ONE • THE PAST HISTORY, PRESENT USES, AND FUTURE OF DRUGS 17. Why was the drug thalidomide, which caused severe birth defects in thousands of babies,
allowed on the market again? 18. What is the meaning of this symbol?
1. In 2001, the manufacturer of lovastatin (Mevacor) asked the FDA to allow this prescription
drug to switch from being a prescription drug to being an OTC drug. The FDA did notapprove this change. Describe the four criteria mentioned in this chapter for prescription-to-OTC approval. Explain why you think the FDA OTC Drugs Advisory Committee ruledagainst this request? If you had been on the committee, would you have voted for or againstapproving this drug for OTC use? (Hint: Look up lovastatin in Appendix D of this textbookand see what category of drugs it belongs to; then look up that category of drugs in Chapter 11and read about it.) 2. You are caring for a patient who is extremely ill but might be able to be helped if he could get
access to a drug that is already approved in Europe. Write a paragraph criticizing the time lagin the United States for the approval of new drugs that are already in clinical use in othercountries. Give a drug example to support your position.
3. You read in the newspaper about an FDA-approved drug that has now suddenly been with-
drawn from the market because of causing serious adverse reactions and several deaths. Writea paragraph defending the time needed to investigate drugs before approving them. Give adrug example to support your position.
4. Look at this drug label and answer the following questions.
a. What is the name of this drug?
b. To what schedule does this drug belong?
c. Is this a prescription drug or an over-the-counter drug? How can you tell?
Multimedia Extension Exercises
■ Go to www.pearsonhighered.com/turley and click on the photo of the cover of Understanding
Pharmacology for Health Professionals to access the interactive Companion Website createdfor this textbook.
Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition, by Susan M. Turley, MA (Educ), BSN, RN, RHIT, CMT. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

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