LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The course is part of the specific objectives of the study program aimed at training a professional figure able to: understand and understand the concepts of general pharmacology and the pharmacodynamic principles applied to nutrients, functional foods and food supplements.
The course aims to allow the student to develop
- the tools for a reasoned understanding of what the drug produces once it has been introduced into the human organism (pharmacodynamics) taking into account how it is distributed and modified in the organism itself (pharmacokinetics), integrating the knowledge on the mechanism of action, efficacy and safety of drugs with knowledge on the physiology of pharmacological targets and on the pathophysiology of processes modified by pharmacological intervention.

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the course the student, as far as he is competent, will be able: i) to know the pharmacological basis of the therapy; ii)
ii) knowing the difference between drugs and food supplements, iii) knowing how to deal with the problems related to the possible interactions between drugs, foods, food supplements, and phytotherapeutic drugs.
The course will help to provide the student with tools that will allow him to improve the competence in the management of drug therapy and the ability to relate with other professional figures.
The course aims to provide students with the knowledge of the general principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics with particular reference to the substances contained in foods and / or health products (e.g. supplements, functional foods, nutraceuticals). This kind of knowledge is necessary for the training of professional figures able to face and solve the pharmacological problems related to supplements, functional foods or nutraceutical business. The course therefore fits into the general objective of the course of study to provide "knowledge on the pharmacological properties of nutrients, nutritional supplements, nutraceuticals used in the prevention and therapy of diseases, both in adults and in children".