Simulations of Pharmacological Experiments
on the Guinea Pig Ileum

* Winner of the European Academic Software Award (EASA) for the Best Academic Software in the discipline area of Medical Science. 29th November 1994. *

The subject covers basic receptor theory, including occupancy and how response size is related to occupancy. The user is introduced to dose-response curves through simulated experiments of the action of drugs on isolated guinea pig ileum. Dose-response curves found using a range of drugs and combinations of drugs are then compared in order to discuss:

1. full and partial agonists
2. types of antagonism
3. the use of agonists/antagonists to show the presence of different receptors

By working through the package, the user should be able to design an experiment to find out the pharmacological properties of an unknown drug on the guinea pig ileum ie to find out whether the drug is an agonist (full/partial) or an antagonist, and its possible sites of action (including receptors). Thus the user is required to demonstrate an understanding of experimental techniques, receptor theory and knowledge of the structure and pharmacology of the guinea pig ileum. The user will learn the structure and innervation of the guinea pig ileum; equations for occupancy and response; how to construct dose-response curves (experimental procedure and plotting of results); how to interpret dose-response curves and say whether a drug is an agonist (full/partial) or antagonist (if so, what type); what pA2 is and how to find it; how to use agonist/antagonist combinations to find out about receptors and sites of action.