The origins of pharmacology
In the early decades the discipline of pharmacology was called De materia medica and included elements of pharmacology, therapeutics and pharmacy all together. At the same time, therapeutics, called rational (if the nature of the disease as well as the mode of action of the drug were fully known or empirical (when knowledge was incomplete) became the experimental domain for the clinician. The discovery of properties in plant drugs was undoubtedly achieved through the trials and errors of humans who tried various plants, animals and mineral substances in their environment as potential food sources.
The earliest herbal remedies were described in China by Pen Ts’ao during the reign of Emperor She Nnung in about 2700 B.C., with human and animal medicine being well developed in Asia since ancient times. In Hammurabi’s Code (c. 2200 BC), the penalties described for malpractice in administering remedies to humans and animals appear, and the first recommendations for veterinary therapy are recorded in the Kahun Papyrus (2000 BC). The Ebers Papyrus (ca. 1550 BC) contains the main diseases known in Egyptian medicine and 829 prescriptions for various remedies used in the medicine of the time. The doctrine of treatments and remedies was also transmitted to Greek civilization.
Hippocrates may be considered the most important medical teacher in early Greece. He formed a group of physicians known as the School of Hippocrates who used medicinal plants on a scientific basis. This concept of the healing power of plants became known as “Vis Medicatrix Nature”.
A theory of the Hippocrates School, which is still perfectly current today, lays down the ethical basis of medicine: “Primum non nocere – First of all, do no harm”.
The scientific basis in medicine was initiated by Aristotle (384-322 BC), who made numerous observations on animals. It was his student Theophrastus who classified medicinal plants according to their characteristics. On the basis of this information, Dioscorides compiled De Materia Medica in 6 volumes where he describes about 600 plants that can be used in the treatment of diseases. These have been discussed in terms of name, source, morphological identification, preparation according to form and dosage, mode of use and diseases where recommended. This contribution may be regarded as the first textbook of pharmacology. To this was added the work of Galen (131-201), the information was widely used for the next 1400 years.
Publius Vegetius (5th century) imposed the veterinary treatise which included the basis of prescription for farm animals. After the fall of Rome, Europe entered the Middle Ages.The development of medical knowledge from that period were found only in Muslim culture. During this period the Arabs strongly developed the practices of pharmacy and were the first to distill wines and beers to obtain ethanol used in the preparation of tinctures. They were also the first to regulate the practice of pharmacy to standardize the preparation of prescribed prescriptions.
Gheber Ibn Hazar (702-765), classifies the drugs and poisons of his time and notes that the difference between drugs and poisons is a matter of dosage. Any drug is poison if taken in large quantities (confirming the Latin saying: Dosis sola facit venenum).
In Europe, during the Renaissance, the first pharmacopoeia appeared, edited by the German Valerius Cordus (1514-1544), who described the techniques for preparing drugs in contrast to the secrecy of the time. The 17th and 18th centuries saw the revival of the medical and pharmaceutical sciences. The drug trade flourished and medical experiments became increasingly common.
The active principles in plants (such as Cinchona, Condodendron, Coffea, Digitalis, Strychnos, Strophantus, Thea, Thebroma etc.) were intensively studied and numerous alkaloids were discovered since that period. During this period the Arabs strongly developed the practice of pharmacy and were the first to distil wines and beers to obtain ethanol used to prepare tinctures. They were also the first to regulate the practice of pharmacy to standardize the preparation of prescriptions.
Herbal active principles (such as: Cinchona, Condodendron, Coffea, Digitalis, Strychnos, Strophantus, Thea, Thebroma etc.) were intensively studied and numerous alkaloids were discovered since that period. During this period the Arabs strongly developed the practice of pharmacy and were the first to distil wines and beers to obtain ethanol used to prepare tinctures. They were also the first to regulate the practice of pharmacy in order to standardize the preparation of prescriptions.
Veterinary Pharmacology in the European Space and in Romanian Countries
In Transylvania
25 years after the foundation of the first Ecole Royale Veterinaire in Lyon[1] in 1762, by Claude Bourgelat (1712-1779), the first institutionalized form of Romanian veterinary education was established in Cluj, since 1787 under the name of “Veterinary Therapy Department” within the Medical-Surgical Institute.
It is possible that this department has existed since 1775, the year of the foundation of the Medical-Surgical Institute (by Imperial Order of Maria Theresa) (Ghergariu, 1994).
In 1787, the Institute, according to attestations, consisted of two departments:
I – Anatomy, Surgery, Obstetrics, headed by Josephus Laffer;
II – Veterinary Therapeutics, initially headed by Petrus Fuhrmann.
Veterinary education was taught together with medical education at the Institute until 1872, the graduates receiving the title of Magister chirurgicale et obstetritiae veterinariae, who were qualified to practice both human and animal medicine. According to the “Summa praeceptorum studium chirurgiae et cursum biennalem determinatium” (Maizner J., cit. Ghergariu, 1994), the teaching plan in 1793 was as follows:
Anul I:
Sem. I: Anatomia;
Sem. II: Theoretical Obstetrics, Forensic Medicine, Physiology, Biology;
Year II:
Sem. I: Pathology, Pharmacy and Therapy
Sem. II: Obstetrics, Forensic Medicine, Physiology, Biology; Pharmacy and Therapy I;
Sem. II: Veterinary Therapy II, Ophthalmology.
From 1834, the duration of education was extended to 3 years, with internships in the final year (Ghergariu, 1994).
In Muntenia
In 1860, Dr. Carol Davila established the School of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest, and from January 1, 1861, the same Carol Davila, according to the “High Resolution” of the ruler Alexandru I. Cuza, will establish in Bucharest, a special veterinary school, belonging to the “Ministry of Resboiu”, together with the School of Medicine and Pharmacy. Within this school, in the third year of studies, Pharmacology was a fundamental subject, initially taught by the illustrious veterinarian Carol Prokesch, trained in Vienna (and who came to Romania in 1852), the holder of the “Veterinary Clinic”, his place in the discipline being later taken by the veterinarian Dr. Ion Popescu (Simionescu, 1984).
It was also during this period that the first works with elements of veterinary therapy appeared. Thus, in 1814, in Buda, at the expense of Nicola Nicolae from Brasov, “Calendarul ce slujește pe 100 de ani (1814-1914) Calendarul ce slujește pe 100 de ani (1814-1914)” appeared in Buda, where the first 31 pages were devoted to: “Doftorii împotriva celor câteva boale ce lesne și adesea ori se întâmplă cailor, boilors and others”. In his booklet, ‘Doftorie contra galbezii’, Ștefan Gaing recommends ‘Filice root’ (Filis major) as a treatment for this parasite.
In Moldova
Although the work “Iconomia rurala și domestica” appeared in 1834 in Iasi, under the care of the postmaster Drăghici Manila, however, the first book on veterinary therapy can be considered: “Oarecari învățături pentru căutarea bolilor și prăsirea vitelor vitelor domestice” (Some Lessons for the Search for Diseases and the Raising of Domestic Cattle), published in Bucharest in 1842, written by the physician Ion Huboti, a diplomat of the school of veterinary medicine in Vienna.
From 1864, as a result of the “Law on Instruction”, the “Veterinary School” will be considered as part of the “Higher Instruction”, the duration of studies increasing from 3 to 5 years (Simionescu, 1984). By the 1864 Veterinary School Regulation, remained in force until 1872, the subjects were divided into 6 chairs and distributed over 5 years of study:
– natural sciences, physics, chemistry.
– pharmacology, botany.
– anatomy, physiology, exterior of domestic animals.
– hoof anatomy and pathology, art of shoeing.
– pathological anatomy, general pathology, internal medicine.
– surgical pathology, veterinary surgery, veterinary clinic.
– Hygiene, sanitary police, epizootic and contagious diseases,
From the Journal of the Academic Committee of 1843, we learn that the “Committee of Public Learning in the Principality of Moldavia” met “to deliberate on the reform to be made in the Mihăilean Academy” and, after “deliberation”, the draft of the new regulations included a course in “veterinary medicine”.
Recognized and adopted since the beginnings of veterinary medicine, veterinary pharmacology has had valuable exponents who represented the elite of the Romanian medical intelligentsia, being a source of pride and gratitude for many generations of veterinarians to their pharmacology professors: C. Prokesch, Al. Locusteanu, G. Slavu, N. Popescu, Fr. Popescu, Olimpia Vechiu, E. Licperta, P. Balaci, M. Mircea, A. Vintan, O. Schöbesch, C. Stătescu, A. Gherdan, Ingeborg Bogdan, R. Tudorache.
Pharmacologiae Veterinariae Timisaensis
The discipline of veterinary pharmacology started to function for the first time in Banat in Arad, within the Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, under the name of Veterinary Pharmacology and Reception.
Prof. Dr. Aurel Vintan
With the establishment, in 1962, of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Timișoara, Prof. Dr. Aurel Vintan was requested and then appointed as a titular in the discipline of Veterinary Pharmacology and Reception, a discipline that he organized and led until his retirement in 1974. For a time, Professor Vintan also taught the course of Medical Botany.
Professor Aurel Vintan happily combined his exceptional professional ability with an unparalleled finesse in gestures and behavior. Mr. Professor has always shown distinction and spiritual sensitivity with a constant concern for his students and collaborators, always willing to help and understand their needs. Prof. Vintan proved to be a real man, with feelings, convictions and facts, he was an excellent pedagogue, who managed to harmoniously combine the theoretical elements with the practical skills of his students. His lectures were of the highest caliber, delivered with passion, the vibrancy in his voice not forgotten by his former students.
The materials written by Prof. Aurel Vintan were: “Reproduction of domestic animals”, authors: N. Luca, N. Popescu, N. Gluhovschi, A. Vintan, Ed. Didactica și Pedagogica București, (1965), “Botanica medicala”, (1948, 1971), “Farmacologie veterinara și receptura”, authors: A. Vintan, O. Schöbesch, L. Enescu, Ed. Didactica și Pedagogica București, (1967), “Farmacologie veterinara”, A. Vintan, curs lito., (1972).
Professor Aurel Vintan enjoyed professional prestige abroad. In 1971, for example, he was in Hungary, where he gave lectures at the University of Veterinary Medicine and the Central Diagnostic Laboratory in Budapest, as well as at various veterinary medical institutions in other parts of Hungary. The topics dealt with, which focused on provitamin A in cattle, were praised in the highest possible terms, provoking interest, appreciation and extensive and numerous discussions in the course of the program in the neighboring country.
The scientific work of Professor Aurel Vintan, “The Lord”, can be considered rich, original and valuable. He was a man of high culture, an excellent teacher, with original scientific achievements, a model of conduct for students and collaborators. As his main research directions, where he achieved outstanding results, may be mentioned: “Metabolism peculiarities and effects of carotene and vitamin A in cattle”; “Sulfamides: kinetics, dynamics and their use in therapy”.
He was employed in the discipline of Pharmacology, initially on a half-time basis (since 1963), and later as a full-time assistant (since 1968). From 1971, Dr. Gherdan was Head of the Department and was a lecturer in the discipline of Nutritional Diseases and Toxicoses (1972-1973).
From 1973 to 1981, Dr. Gherdan was a lecturer in Toxicology and Toxicoses, when the discipline was taken over by Dr. Alexandra Trif, the advanced Head of Works. From this period we remember the unique textbook: Toxicology and Toxicoses, realized together with professors Suteanu E. (FMV București), Ghergariu S. (FMV Cluj) and Popescu O. (FMV Iași). With the retirement of Prof. Vintan, starting in 1974, Dr. Gherdan took over the course of veterinary pharmacology, becoming head of the discipline.
An important point to remember from his work in the discipline is that Dr. Aurel Gherdan was the coordinator of several grants, his research themes dealing with important research topics, such as: – Study of the components of Helleborus purpurascens – Research on the obtaining of new drug formulas in the therapy of animal diseases (sulfonamides etc.) – Carotene and vitamin A in the field of reproduction in cows. – Testing of the product Atomized yeast with Ergosterol in young animals. – Pharmacotherapeutic research with Nystatin 500 IU in respiratory infections in poultry.
With Dr. Gherdan’s retirement in 1997, the disciplines were taken over by Romeo T. Cristina.
Since its establishment until now, the following have been active in the discipline of Veterinary Pharmacology at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Timișoara:
Teaching staff members of the discipline of Veterinary Pharmacology:
Prof. Dr. Aurel VINTAN 1962-1974 (†),
Head Prof. Prof. Aurel GHERDAN 1963-1974; 1974-1997,
Prof. Dr. Romeo Teodor CRISTINA 1991-1997; 1997-,
Teachers who taught practical classes in the discipline:
Asist. Dr. Marin MOLDOVAN 1962-1968 (†)
Asist. biol. Ileana GARICI 1966-1970
Asist. biol. Aftina TOSICI 1966-1977
Asist./Sef lucr. Dr. Alexandra TRIF 1968-1972; 1978-1990
Asist. Drd. Dana DUTA 1998-2002
Asist. Drd. Krisztina ZONGOR 1998-2002
Asist. Dr./Sef lucr. Dr. Eugenia DUMITRESCU 2003–prezent
Scientific researchers who worked in the discipline:
Farm. Sef laborator Ana BIRUESCU 1964-1980 (†)
Ing. Chim. Dr. Dorel PARVU 1981-1991
Staff who worked in the pharmacy of veterinary clinics:
Farm. Antita MICSA 1966-1970
Technical staff who worked in the discipline:
Tehn. Zdravco STOIANOV 1966-1978
Tehn. Princ. Constantin HONEA 1978-2010
[1] After 1762 other schools of veterinary medicine were founded, among which we mention: Paris Alfort 1766, Turin 1769, Copenhagen 1780, Berlin 1790, Milan 1791, London 1792, Madrid 1793, Bern 1806 etc.