Evidence-Based Acupuncture

Students will also be introduced to the chemistry and pharmacology of Chinese herbal medicine. The unit will present information on how plants produce chemicals, the chemical composition and active constituents of specific Chinese herbal medicines, and the availability of these constituents in herbal preparations. The mechanisms by which medicinal plants act on the human body will be examined, including the metabolic pathways of active constituents, their sites of action, and potential for interaction and toxicity. Issues relating to the scheduling of herbal medicines, adverse reactions to herbal medicines, and interactions between Western pharmaceuticals and Chinese medicinal substances will also be examined.

1. Define the nomenclature, classifications, formulations and methods of administration of Western Pharmaceuticals and describe the principles of pharmacology and toxicology; Describe the dose-response-relationship and factors that affect this relationship in Western Pharmacology; types of drug interactions; therapeutic applications; and pharmacological actions and contraindications; Evaluate the positive and negative effects of commonly prescribed drugs for common diseases.
2. Describe, assess, and report adverse events to western medicine & Chinese medicinal substances, medical devices, and vaccines; the management of drugs (incl. WM & CHM)-related emergencies and disorders; the use of reference materials and information services to obtain information on drugs (incl. WM & CHM); margin of safety concepts; predictable and unpredictable drug (incl. WM & CHM) reactions; drug (incl. WM & CHM) teratogenicity and carcinogenicity; and how to prevent and manage adverse and toxic reactions to drugs (incl. WM & CHM); and the use of traditional antidotes for adverse reactions to herbs in the Chinese pharmacopoeia.
3. Describe the production and function of phytochemicals and the action of active constituents found in Chinese herbal medicines (CHM) on the human body; Discuss and evaluate the inclusion of Chinese medicinal substances in the Standard for Uniform Scheduling of Drugs and Poisons (SUSDP); Explore the mechanisms by which phytochemicals interact with pharmaceuticals and identify known interactions between Chinese medicinal substances and commonly used pharmaceuticals.

Assessment 2: Research Report (TCM Pharmacology) (30%)

Assessment 3: Group Presentation (40%)

WM:

Brenner, G.M. (2017). Pharmacology (5th ed.). London: Elsevier Health Sciences.

TCM:

Chen, J. K., Chen, T. T., &Crampton, L. (2004). Chinese medical Herbology and pharmacology. City of Industry, Calif.: Art of Medicine Press.

Whalen, K. (2018). Lippincott Illustrated Reviews: Pharmacology (7th ed.). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). (2019). Reporting adverse events  Retrieved 14/01/2019, from https://www.tga.gov.au/reporting-adverse-events

World Health Organization (WHO). (2019). Pharmacovigilance  Retrieved 14/01/2019, from http://www.who.int/medicines/areas/quality_safety/safety_efficacy/pharmvigi/en/

TCM:

Boarder, M. R., Navti, P., & Newby, D. (2010). Pharmacology for pharmacy and the health sciences: A patient-centred approach. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Howland, R. D., &Mycek, M. J. (2006). In Harvey R. A., Champe P. C. (Eds.), Pharmacology (3rd ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Neal, M. J. (2009). Medical pharmacology at a glance (6th ed.). Chichester, UK; Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.

Ou, M. (1989). Chinese-english manual of common-used in traditional Chinese medicine [Han yingch’angyung Chung yaoshouts’e ]. Joint Publishing(H.K.) Co., Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China: Guangong Science and Technology Press.

Ou, M. (1998). Chinese-english manual of common-used prescriptions in traditional Chinese medicine [Han yingch’angyung Chung ich’u fang shouts’e ]. Guangzhou, China: Guangong Science and Technology Press.

Rosenfeld, G. C., & Loose, D. S. (2010). Pharmacology (5th ed.). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Springhouse Corporation. (2009). Clinical pharmacology made incredibly easy! (3rd ed.). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.