Practice of Pharmacy

Pharmacy is the science, which deals with medicinal substances¹. It studies medicines and the way of their compounding and dispensing² as well as their combinations, analysis and standardization.

The word “pharmacy” is also used for a place where medicines³ are compounded, dispensed and sold. A “pharmacist” is a person who is scientifically and professionally capable of being engaged in the practice of pharmacy⁴.

Compounding of medicines usually requires the scientific combination of two or more ingredients as prescribed by a physician. Dispensing may only require putting the ready product into a prescription container⁵. Both processes demand special knowledge, experience, and high professional skills. A pharmacist must acquire knowledge of different subjects, such as physics, chemistry, botany, etc.

Chemistry is the science, which explains the composition of matter and the transformations, which it undergoes. It has branches such as General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Qualitative Analysis, Quantitative Analysis, Physical Chemistry, Biochemistry and many others.

Botany is the science of the structure, distribution and classification of plants.

Pharmacognozy is the science that studies the history, sources, collection, preparation, distribution, identification, composition, purification and preservation of drugs of vegetable and animal origin.

Pharmacology is broadly defined as the science of drugs and their action upon the body.

A Pharmacopoeia is a book, which contains a list of medicinal substances with their descriptions, test and formulas needed for their preparation. The pharmacopoeial names of chemical substances do not always represent their chemical composition.

An official description⁶ consists usually of physical characteristics, the structure of the drug when sectioned or powdered. The official description includes its physical properties such as colour, crystalline and other forms, odour, taste and the result of exposure to air. The Pharmacopoeia also describes the proper method of packaging and storing medicines to prevent or retard their deterioration.

Notes.

1. medicinal substances – лікарські рослини

2. dispensing – розфасовка

3. medicine – syn. drug – (pl. medicines) – ліки

4. practice of pharmacy – фармацевтична практика (справа)

5. prescription container – ємність, передбачена рецептом

6. official description – фармакопейний (офіцінальний) опис.

Exercises

Ex. 1. Add – tion to form nouns from the following verbs. Translate.

To classify to identify

to collect to prepare

to combine to prescribe

to compose to preserve

to describe to purify

to deteriorate to transform

to distribute

Ex. 2. Find the English equivalents in the text:

Розглядає лікарські речовини; спосіб складання і фасування; складаються, фасуються та продаються; науково і професійно; заняття фармацевтичною практикою; як прописано лікарем; готовий продукт; висока професійна майстерність; набути знання; склад речовини; яких вона зазнає; кількісний аналіз; розповсюдження рослин; рослинне та тваринне походження; список лікарських речовин; фармакопейні назви; хімічний склад; фізичні характеристики; при подрібненні та розтиранні на порошок; результат дії повітря; пакування та зберігання.

Ex.3. Find the pairs of synonyms in the following group of words and translate them:

Drug, substance, to deal with, main, branches, change, to obtain, to study, to demand, different, basic, transformation, to require, to acquire, medicine, fields, matter, various.

Ex.4. Find the pairs of antonyms in the following group of words and translate them:

Sold, minor, deterioration, to give, different, improvement, to accelerate, organic, similar, capable.

Ex.5. Make the subject of the sentences plural and change the verb accordingly. Make other changes:

Example: I am interested in Botany. → We are interested in Botany.

1. The pharmacist is capable of being engaged in pharmacy.

2. The drug was prescribed by a physician.

3. High professional skill is necessary for compounding medicines.

4. The result of the experiment is very important for us.

5. I am a student of the Pharmaceutical Department.

6. He was my best friend.

7. The ready product is put into a prescription container.

Ex.6. In the following sentences, use the verb to be in the past and the future. Translate:

1. It is important to acquire deep knowledge of special subjects.

2. It is necessary to revise the State pharmacopoeia every year.

3. It is easy to put the ready product into a prescription container.

4. It is not always possible to prevent the deterioration of medicines.

5. It is useful for us to know physics.

Ex.7. Ask the questions and give the short answers:

Example: There is a good library in our University.(a gym?)→ Is there a good gym in our University? Yes, there is / No, there isn’t.

1. There are books on Physical Chemistry on the shelf. (Analytical Chemistry?)

2. There is a definition of pharmacology in this book. (Pharmacognozy?)

3. There are medicines made abroad in this pharmacy. (Made in Ukraine?)

4. There are new methods of packaging medicines. (Storing medicines?)

5. There is an official description of aspirin in the pharmacopoeia. (Izoniazid?)

Ex.8. Re –arrange the headings to make up a plan of the text:

1. What is a pharmacopoeia?

2. Compounding and dispensing of medicines.

3. The definition of Botany.

4. The two meanings of the word pharmacy.

5. The official description of a drug.

6. How is Pharmacology defined?

7. Pharmacognozy is a special subject.

8. The knowledge of Chemistry is necessary for a pharmacist.

Ex.9. Answer the questions on the text:

1. What does pharmacy deal with?

2. What does the science of pharmacy study?

3. What is the other meaning of the word pharmacy?

4. What is a pharmacist capable of?

5. What subjects must a pharmacist know?

6. What is the definition of Chemistry?

7. What branches does Chemistry have?

8. What is the definition of Pharmacognozy?

9. How can we define pharmacology?

10. What is Pharmacopoeia?

11. What does an official description consist of?

12. Are you a student of the Pharmaceutical Department?

13. What will you be when you finish studying?

Ex.10. Match a line in A with a line in B and translate.

A

B

Plants New uses of plants The principal parts of a plant The two main functions of the roots Stems and leaves The main functions of the stem The process of manufacturing the food for a plant in its green leaves The blade A flower An embryo The shape of the leaves A plant functions properly if all its parts If conditions for plant growth are bad, the plant

a) are to absorb plant nutrients and water from soil and to anchor the plant b) are usually above the ground c) will be found as scientists continue their work d) is known as photosynthesis e) are developed well and proportionally enough f) is the most important part of a seed apart from one or more seed coats. g) is a part of a plant where seeds are produced h) are highly important sources of food and medicines for man i) will be too weak to develop all its parts well j) are to support the leaves and to connect them with the roots k) are 1) the root system, 2) the stems and leaves, 3) the reproductive part made up of flowers, fruit or seeds l) is not the same in different species m) is a green, broad, thin portion of the leaf, which contains a system of veins.