In this laboratory experiment, lower- and upper-division students dissolved bismuth subsalicylate tablets in acid and precipitated the resultant Bi[superscript 3+] in solution with sodium phosphate for a gravimetric determination of bismuth subsalicylate in the tablets. With a labeled concentration of 262 mg/tablet, the combined data from three…

The current study analyzes a sample of questions about drugs asked online by youth who participated in the National Institute on Drug Abuse's (NIDA) "Drug Facts Chat Day." The types of drugs youth asked about were coded into 17 substance categories, and the topics they raised were coded into seven thematic categories. The top five…

The instructional approach used in this teaching idea involves high-level cognitive and affective learning rather than passive learning through lecture, which often is the traditional, and ineffective, approach for students being educated about drugs. Objectives: At the conclusion of this drug education teaching strategy, students will be able to:…

Cytochrome P450 enzymes are a family of heme-containing proteins located throughout the body with roles in metabolism of endogenous and exogenous compounds. Among exogenous compounds, clinically relevant pharmaceutical agents are nearly all metabolized by P450 enzymes. However, the activity of the different cytochrome P450 enzymes varies among…

Drug studies are often cited as the best exemplars of evaluation design. However, many of these studies are seriously biased in favor of positive findings for the drugs evaluated, even to the point where dangerous effects are hidden. In spite of using randomized designs and double blinding, drug companies have found ways of producing the results…

An undergraduate research student was given the opportunity to take of ownership of her scientific knowledge by helping her to conduct research in the structural and nonstructural properties of drugs. The research highlighted that ketoprofen can be used to illustrate the structural and nonstructural properties of the research, helping the student…

Reviews popular drug education textbooks and curricula. Finds most juxtapose physiologic effects of licitly manufactured drugs under headings representing illicitly prepared drugs, ignoring literature reporting that illicit drugs contain adulterants and substitutes. Concludes that one cannot extrapolate results of licitly pure drug lots…

An instructional activity designed to clarify pharmacological concepts related to drug use is described. The focus of the activity is a simulation, with student actors, of the effect of drugs and alcohol on the nervous system. (IAH)

The development and use of a restricted list of drugs in the medical pharmacology course at the Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine are described. The list contained 60 percent fewer drugs than had been taught in the course in prior years. (Author/MLW)

Presents information on psychotropic drugs for individuals who are not specialists in pharmacology. Discusses: alcohol and barbituates; dependence and withdrawal; central nervous system depressors (anaesthetics, narcotic analgesics, sedatives and hypnotic drugs, tranquilizers), central nervous stimulants (amphetamines, cocaine, tobacco, caffeine),…

Use of a computer-assisted program to teach analysis of professional drug literature was compared with the traditional manual evaluation methods. Used for both practice and examinations, the computer-assisted method was found to be relatively simple, self-contained, and preferable.

Discusses the emergence of new types of abused drugs in the United States. Notes that young persons often search for substitutes for better-known substances. It is unclear, however, what factors determine the choice of drug or substance for experimentation, considering the wide range of choices. This paper attempts to delineate the factors that…

A study to determine student knowledge and confidence in that knowledge when answering multiple-choice examination questions in a nonprescription drug course is described. An alternate approach to methods of confidence testing was investigated. The knowledge and experience survey is appended. (Author/MLW)

Discusses the emergence of a new type of abused drug, dextromethorphan, which is used in cough syrup. Presents the results of the first phase of a comprehensive investigation of this phenomenon in the Waynesboro, Pa. school district. Survey data indicate abuse of cough syrup has increased over the years and is increasingly perceived as a problem…

Pharmacology embraces the physical and chemical properties of drugs; the preparation of pharmaceutical agents; the absorption, fate, and excretion of drugs; and the effects of drugs on living systems. These guidelines represent a consensus on what would constitute a minimally acceptable pharmacology course for predoctoral dental students. (MLW)