This document provides an introduction to pharmacognosy. It defines pharmacognosy as the systematic study of crude drugs from natural sources like plants, animals, and minerals. The document discusses the history and development of pharmacognosy from the 18th century to modern times. It also outlines the scope of pharmacognosy, including its role in new drug discovery, traditional medicine, and integrating natural products with modern medicine systems. Finally, it provides an overview of the key areas of modern pharmacognosy, such as ethnopharmacology, phytotherapy, phytochemistry, and marine pharmacognosy.
5. DEFINITION:
Pharmacognosy is systematic study of these
crude drugs obtained from natural origin like
plant, animal and minerals.
Pharmacognosy can be defined as branch of
science which involves detail study of drugs
obtained from natural origin including name,
habitat, collection, cultivation, macroscopy,
microscopy, physical properties, chemical
constituents, therapeutic actions, uses and
adulterants.
The word pharmacognosy is derived from two
words, pharmakon means medicine (drug) and
gignosco means to acquire knowledge of
something.
7. MODERN PHARMACOGNOSY
Modern pharmacognosy study is divided into the following eight fields:
Medical Ethnobotany
Ethnopharmacology
Phytotherapy
Phytochemistry
Zoopharmacognosy
Pharmacognosy-Biotechnology
Herbal Interactions
Marine Pharmacognosy
8. MODERN PHARMACOGNOSY
Medical Ethnobotany
In the broadest sense, both medical ethnobiology and ethnopharmacology attempt
to make sense and to understand traditional medical systems: the first from
perceptions, healing strategies, natural resources used to fight diseases or maintain
health; the second from traditional medicines, either plants, animals, or ...
Ethnopharmacology
Based on these considerations, ethnopharmacology is defined as 'the
interdisciplinary scientific exploration of biologically active agents traditionally
employed or observed by man'.Many of the medicines we rely on today, from
aspirin to morphine to the anti-cancer drug, Taxol, were derived from plants. The
cross-cultural study of medicines derived from naturally occurring substances like
plants and fungi is known as ethnopharmacology.
9. MODERN PHARMACOGNOSY
Phytotherapy
Phytotherapy is the use of plants or herbs to manage health conditions. It also
refers to substances that come from plants or herbs. Medicinal plants and herbs are
a form of complementary medicine. These are therapies that you can receive
alongside traditional Western medicine.
10. MODERN PHARMACOGNOSY
Phytochemistry
It is mainly used as herbal medicine for diarrhoea, menorrhagia, stomach
aches, skin infections, inflammations, and rashes. Phytochemical
compounds identified from the species, include flavonoids, peltogynoid,
phenols, proanthocyanidins, tannin, and triterpenes.
Herbs and plant
parts having
different
chemicals
11. MODERN PHARMACOGNOSY
Zoopharmacognosy
The science of animal self-medication is called zoopharmacognosy, derived from
the roots zoo (“animal”), pharma (“drug”), and gnosy (“knowing”). It's not clear
how much knowing or learning is involved, but many animals seem to have
evolved an innate ability to detect the therapeutic constituents in plants.
Self medicated animals
13. MODERN PHARMACOGNOSY
Herbal interactions
Any pharmacological modification caused by herbal substances to another
prescription medication (diagnostic, therapeutic or other action of a drug) in or on the
body. An herb might increases or decreases the effects of co-administered drugs.
Consequences can be beneficial, undesirable or harmful effects.
14. MODERN PHARMACOGNOSY
Marine Pharmacognosy
Marine Pharmacognosy deals with the naturally occurring bioactive compounds
biosynthesised in the organisms found in the sea, which have medicinal value.
Many antimicrobial, antiviral, antiparasitic, anticancer drugs have been obtained
from these marine organisms.
15. HISTORY:
History of pharmacognosy can be classified into three major stages.
First stage :
Before 18th century, very few documents and recorded evidences are available showing use of natural
products by human.
Second stage:
In 19th century, which is the time when basic subject has evolved. In this century, the name
pharmacognosy came into practice. Initially the subject was more likely to descriptive botany of
medicinal plants. But as the time progress, it changes the course and encompasses extraction, isolation
and other advances techniques.
Third stage:
In 20th century, which may be considered as third stage of development, series of discoveries resulted
in complete metamorphosis of the subject.
From last two decades, pharmacognosy is studied in more systematic manner. As herbal wave continue
to sweep the world, importance of natural product is at the pinnacle. People are expecting natural
products to fit in modern framework.
As a result of this there are series of new herbal formulations in the market
16. SCOPE:
Pharmacognosy is critical in development of different disciplines of science.
A pharmacognosist should possess a sound knowledge of the terms used to describe the vegetable and
animal drugs as covered under botany and zoology, respectively.
The knowledge of plant taxonomy, plant breeding, plant pathology and plant genetics is helpful in the
development of cultivation technology for medicinal and aromatic plants.
Pharmacognosy is important branch of pharmacy which is playing key role in new drug discovery and
development by using natural products.
Pharmacognosy can help to increase effectiveness of modern medicine system.
More than 60% of world population is still using natural product for their primary healthcare needs.
Pharmacognosy can provide safe and effective drugs in combination with modern medicine system.
Pharmacognosy includes knowledge about safe use of herbal drugs including toxicity, side effects,
drug interaction thereby increasing effectiveness of modern medicine.
17. Pharmacognosy is the base for development of novel medicines. Most of the
compounds obtained from natural product serve as prototype or base for
development of new drug which are more active and less toxic.
By means of pharmacognosy, natural products can be dispensed, formulated and
manufactured in dosage forms acceptable to modern system of medicine.
There are vast number of plant and animal species which are not studied
systematically.
Development of pharmacognosy also leads to development of botany, taxonomy,
plant biotechnology, plant genetics, plant pathology, pharmaceutics,
pharmacology, phytochemistry and other branches of science.
