The Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology is one of the core departments in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. It is concerned with the study of drugs, their mechanisms of action, therapeutic uses, adverse effects, toxicity, and the interaction of chemicals with living systems. Pharmacology encompasses the study of the mechanisms of drug action, ranging from intermolecular interactions at the subcellular level to the effects of drugs on entire physiological systems. Toxicology, a complementary discipline, focuses on the adverse effects of physical, chemical, and biological substances on living systems, including their detection, prevention, and treatment. Together, these sciences integrate anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, and biophysics into a uniquely comprehensive biomedical field. As a foundational pillar of pharmaceutical education and research, the department bridges the gap between chemical science and medical application, producing graduates equipped to drive drug discovery and development, safety assessment, and therapeutic innovation. The vision of the department is to become an internationally recognized centre of excellence in pharmacological and toxicological research and training through the advancement of knowledge in drug action, innovation, safety evaluation, and therapeutic discovery. The department’s mission is to provide quality education and professional training in pharmacology and toxicology by equipping students with theoretical knowledge, practical laboratory skills, and promoting ethical standards in pharmaceutical practice and research. The curriculum in Pharmacology and Toxicology combines theoretical teaching, laboratory practicals, and research training. Students are exposed to both basic and applied pharmacology. Typical courses offered include General Principles of Pharmacology, which covers introduction, history, and scope of pharmacology, pharmacokinetics involving drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, pharmacodynamics, adverse drug reactions, and drug interactions. Students are also exposed to Systemic Pharmacology, including autonomic pharmacology, gastrointestinal pharmacology, respiratory pharmacology, renal pharmacology, cardiovascular pharmacology, endocrine pharmacology, and neuropharmacology. The Toxicology component includes the history and scope of toxicology, management of acute poisoning, naturally occurring toxicants, occupational toxicology, heavy metal poisoning, and toxicants and antidotes. Experimental and Practical Pharmacology involves drug dilution techniques, bioassays, animal handling techniques, isolated tissue experiments, and toxicity testing. Students also carry out independent research projects involving laboratory experiments, data analysis, and scientific reporting. As a discipline providing the scientific basis for drug action, practical experiments are important in pharmacology and toxicology education. Students learn how drugs affect tissues, organs, and whole organisms. Experiments conducted include drug effects on isolated rabbit and guinea pig intestine, drug action on the frog heart, analgesic and anti-inflammatory tests, dose-response relationship studies, bioassays, agonist and antagonist interactions, determination of LD₅₀ and ED₅₀, screening of antimalarial and antimicrobial agents, blood pressure measurement, urinalysis, hematological analysis, toxicity studies, poison identification and management, organ toxicity assessment, cell viability assays, cytotoxicity testing, and drug screening using cultured cells. Research is one of the major activities of the department. Academic staff and postgraduate students carry out studies aimed at drug discovery and drug safety with the potential to improve healthcare and well-being. Key research areas include Neuropharmacology and Substance Use Disorders, Cancer Pharmacology and Chemotherapy, Natural Products Pharmacology involving isolation, characterization, and bioactivity screening of medicinal plants and ethnopharmacological leads, Environmental and Reproductive Toxicology, Antimicrobial and Antimalarial Research, as well as Cardiovascular and Renal Pharmacology. The Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology has an equipped laboratory for pharmacological and toxicological investigations, designed to provide hands-on practical training and support pharmaceutical research. In addition, there is a well-ventilated animal house facility with adequate natural and artificial lighting, appropriate cages, and washable floors where experimental animals are bred, housed, and cared for. The Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology serves as a cornerstone within the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, playing a pivotal role in education, research, and innovation. Through its unwavering dedication to excellence in teaching, research, and service, the department empowers graduates to become skilled, ethical, and forward-thinking professionals who excel globally and make significant impacts in healthcare, science, and the advancement of well-being.