Pharmacology word list (common terms and meanings)
Pharmacology: the study of how drugs work in the body and how the body affects drugs.
Drug types and names
Organic drug: a drug whose active ingredient is primarily carbon-based (most pharmaceuticals fall here).
Inorganic drug: a drug whose active ingredient is not primarily carbon-based (some mineral salts and metals).
Drug (active ingredient): the pharmacologically active chemical.
Brand name: the commercial name a company uses for a drug (e.g., Tylenol).
Generic name: the nonproprietary name assigned to the active ingredient (e.g., acetaminophen).
Brand drug: a product marketed under a brand name.
Generic drug: a product using the same active ingredient as the brand, typically after brand exclusivity/patent periods end.
Patents and exclusivity
Patent: legal protection on the invention (often covering the specific drug molecule, formulation, or method of use).
Pharmacology patent drugs: drugs that are still protected from direct generic competition due to patent and/or related exclusivity.
When generics can enter: after patents/exclusivities expire or are successfully challenged.
Prescription and medication access
Prescription drugs: medications that require a clinician’s prescription, usually because they need dosing control and/or have higher risk.
Terms related to drug actions and effects
Dosage: the amount of medicine given each time (and sometimes includes the concentration/form).
Induction: commonly used in anesthesia/critical care to mean starting anesthesia with a drug sequence (also used in pharmacology for increasing expression of enzymes/transporters).
Duration: how long an effect lasts after dosing.
Terms related to nerves, nerve function, and pain control
Innervation: the nerve supply to an organ or tissue (which nerves carry signals there).
Nerve block: a procedure or technique that interrupts nerve signaling to reduce pain or sensation in a region.
Infiltration (often in local anesthesia): injecting anesthetic into tissue near a surgical area to numb it.
Terms related to blood vessel tone
Vasoconstrictor: a drug that narrows blood vessels, which can reduce bleeding and prolong local anesthetic effect in some settings.
Practical clarification of the word set you listed
- “Patent drugs” and “generic names/brand names” are about drug identity and legal access timing.
- “Dosage, induction, duration” are about how drugs are administered and how long they act.
- “Innervation, nerve block, infiltration” are about how drugs (especially local anesthetics/adjuncts) affect nerves and tissues.
- “Vasoconstrictors” are a class of drugs that affect blood vessel diameter.
If you want, tell me whether this is for an exam flashcard set (and the course level). I can format the same terms into quick “term → one-sentence definition” entries, or add 1–2 common example drugs for each category.