With the help of chemical drugs, people have been curing various diseases for a very long time. Such drugs were made by doctors of the ancient East. For example, in China in the 2nd century AD, agents based on sulfur, copper, iron, and mercury could be used for treatment. Today, drugs made using chemicals are very common. The treatment of almost all diseases is carried out using just such means.
Definition
Pharmaceutical technology is a branch of science that develops methods for producing various kinds of therapeutic, prophylactic, diagnostic and rehabilitation drugs in the form of medicines or therapeutic systems. The word techne is translated from Greek as "skill, art." Logos in this case means "science."
The word pharmakon is Greek for “medicine." That is, the expression "pharmaceutical technology" can literally be translated as "the science of the art of preparing medicines."
Development in antiquity
Doctors began to treat people with the use of specially manufactured chemicals in the 2nd century. n uh, and maybe even earlier. However, the real heyday of medical chemistry, or, as it was then called, "iatrochemistry", fell on the period from the middle of the XVI to the middle of the XVII century. The founder of this science is Paracelsus. This scientist believed that without knowledge of chemistry it is impossible to effectively treat people. Paracelsus was the first to classify metals and test many drugs.
Initially, doctors made all kinds of drugs only on their own. However, by the end of the 16th century, the production of drugs had moved to pharmacies. In Moscow, for example, the first such retail outlet was opened in 1673. In those days, not only pharmacists, but also barbers had the right to make medicines.
Pharmacy in the XIX-XX centuries
In subsequent years, medical chemistry developed by leaps and bounds. In the XIX century, for example:
first started producing pills;
hard gelatin capsules were invented;
developed preparations for subcutaneous injections;
constructed a syringe;
developed sterilization methods by filtration and steam;
started using 0.9% sodium chloride as a saline solution.
In the XX century. antibiotics were discovered and the production of drugs by biotechnology methods began. Later, even more advanced drugs and methods for their manufacture were invented.
The term "pharmaceutical technology"
Initially, medical chemistry was called iatrochemistry. Later, pharmacognosy stood out from the whole complex of such sciences. Further, this industry began to be called pharmacy. For a long time, the study and development of drug manufacturing technologies was considered a course of practical work. Later, this science was attributed to pharmaceutical chemistry.
At the beginning of the XX century. the number of ways to prepare drugs has expanded significantly. Therefore, at the First Congress on Pharmaceutical Education in 1924 in the USSR, a decision was made to assign the name "Technology of galenical preparations and dosage forms" to this branch of science. This was an important stage in the development and formation of this direction.
However, later scientists began to develop such dosage forms as liposomes, macroregular agents, magnetically controlled drugs, etc. As a result, the name chosen in the 20s of the last century ceased to reflect the essence and content of the discipline. Therefore, the industry has been renamed "Pharmaceutical Technology."
Goals and objectives
The main task of this science is to identify chemical, mechanical, physical laws with the aim of using them in the manufacture of medicines.
Currently, scientists in this specialization are involved in:
improving existing methods for the manufacture of drugs;
the creation of new methods for the production of drugs, taking into account the latest achievements of related sciences.
Also, one of the goals and objectives of pharmaceutical technology is the search for new excipients that can improve existing drugs, make them more effective with a minimum of side effects. In addition, scientists of this specialization are involved in:
Pharmaceutical technology is studying solutions, powders, tablets intended for treatment, prevention, and diagnosis. When determining the effectiveness of methods for manufacturing drugs, scientists of this specialization take into account factors such as cost, product quality, raw material consumption, labor costs.
The importance of pharmaceutical technology as a science in modern medicine is very high. After all, doctors use medicines to treat patients in 90% of cases. Such funds are used in almost all areas of medicine. Use their therapists, surgeons, gynecologists, traumatologists, etc.
Key Terms
The main concepts of pharmaceutical technology are:
medicines - substances or their mixtures used for the diagnosis, prevention, treatment of diseases or changes in the state of the body;
dosage forms - the condition given to the means, convenient for use (tablets, solutions, capsules);
medicinal substances - biologically active components used in the manufacture of drugs (the contents of drugs);
preparations - a product made from medicines in a convenient condition for use.
Throughout the existence of pharmaceutical technology, these terms have undergone significant changes. For example, initially finished drugs were called simply medicines in the world. This term is very widely used, including in Russia. But later, in agreement with other countries, the name "drug" began to be used in our country.
Today, all the terms in the list are the basis of pharmaceutical technology as a scientific discipline.
Biopharmacy direction
In the middle of the last century, when assessing the quality of drugs, the main attention was paid only to such factors as its color, smell, weight, volume. However, it was later noted that drugs of the same composition, released by different manufacturers, can vary significantly in effectiveness. As a result, a new area of pharmaceutical technology has arisen, studying the dependence of the effectiveness of finished drugs on various factors - biopharmacy. At the moment, it is this industry that is the scientific basis for finding ways to create and manufacture new medicines. Biopharmacy studies the dependence of drug efficacy on:
chemical nature of the active substance and its concentration;
the physical state of the drug substance (crystal shape, presence / absence of charge on the surface of the particles, etc.);
chemical nature and concentration of excipients, route of administration, dosage form;
manufacturing methods and equipment used.
Manufacturing of medical devices
Another area of pharmaceutical technology is drug technology. This science covers the processing of raw materials, as well as the chemical synthesis of compounds to create biologically active substances, enzymes, etc. with the aim of manufacturing medical and veterinary products.
Prospects
Currently, pharmaceutical technology is considered one of the most complex scientific disciplines. For a correct assessment and understanding of the processes and characteristics of the production of medicines, knowledge is needed in areas such as chemistry, physics, microbiology, pharmacokinetics, biopharmacy, etc. Science continues to develop rapidly, and new technological solutions appearing within it immediately become a step for following discoveries.
Different technologies can be used, as is well known, to create pharmaceutical preparations. The methods and principles of drug production in the XXI century, in comparison with the XX, have undergone significant changes. Of course, the usual tablets, capsules and solutions are available in our time. However, on the methods of production of pharmacological agents in the XXI century. The discovery and development of SDLs, new nanotechnology-based drug delivery methods, had a major impact.
For example, in pharmaceutical manufacturing technology, such carriers, for example, are already known today as:
liposomes;
polymers;
micelles;
conjugates and others
To predict and optimize the processes of production of medicines today is widely used such a technique as mathematical design of the experiment. This technology allows you to create models with which you can identify the most acceptable production conditions for the manufacture of drugs. This allows you to reduce the cost of the latter and at the same time improve quality.
Features
The primary problems of modern pharmaceutical technology are:
increased solubility of sparingly soluble substances in lipids and water;
increased stability of heterogeneous and homogeneous systems;
prolonging the duration of action of drugs;
the creation of targeted drugs with certain pharmacokinetic properties.
In the development of chemical-pharmaceutical preparations, modern scientists use, among other things, based on the latest achievements of such sciences as colloid chemistry and polymer chemistry. These areas are also developing very actively today.
New methods of drying, extraction, microencapsulation of substances are currently being developed and improved. Scientists are also creating modern technologies for analyzing the effectiveness of drugs. As a result, drugs delivered to clinics and pharmacies today are becoming more effective and safe to use.