The progress of pharmacology is characterized by a continuous search and creation of new, more active and safe drugs.
Recently, fundamental research has become an even more significant part of drug discovery. It deals not only with chemical (theoretical chemistry, physical chemistry, and so on) but also biological issues. Advances in the molecular biology, molecular genetics and molecular pharmacology began to significantly influence such practical aspects of pharmacology as the creation of new drugs. Indeed, the discovery of endogenous ligands, second messengers, presynaptic receptors and neuromodulators; distinguishing individual receptors; the development of research techniques to study the functions of the ion channels and receptor binding; the advances in genetic engineering, and so on - all played a key role in establishing new directions of drug development.
It is clear that pharmacodynamic investigations are very important for solving practical tasks of modern pharmacology. Thus, the discovery of the mechanism of action of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs has dramatically changed the routes of discovery and evaluation of such drugs. The discovery, comprehensive investigation and implementation of prostaglandins into medical practice opened a new page in pharmacology. The discovery of prostacyclin-thromboxane system has become a scientific basis for the purposeful search and practical use of antiaggregants. The discovery of encephalines and endorphines stimulated investigations and synthesis of the opioid peptides with various spectrum of receptor action. Establishing the role of the proton pump in the secretion of gastric hydrochloric acid has led to the creation of previously unknown drugs - the proton pump inhibitors. The discovery of the endothelial relaxing factor (NO) has allowed to explain the mechanism of vasodilating action of muscarinomimetics. This work has also promoted the elucidation of the vasodilating effect of nitroglycerine and sodium nitroprusside, which is important for the search for new physiologically active compounds. The study of the mechanisms of fibrinolysis enabled the production of a valuable selective fibrinolytic - plasminogen tissue activator. A lot of other examples can be mentioned here.