1. UNIT IV:
Pharmacognosy in various systems of
medicine
Role of Pharmacognosy in allopathy and
traditional systems of medicine namely,
Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy and
Chinese systems of medicine.
COMPILED BY
DR NISHA SHARMA
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF PHARMACY
C.S.J.M. UNIVERSITY
2. Role of Pharmacognosy in allopathy
Modern System or Allopathy
Word Allopathy: derived from Greek word “Allos” which means “other “
“different” & “Pathy” means suffering or disease.
Used by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann (Father of Homeopathy)
This system was developed in the Western countries.
In this system drugs (tablets, capsules, injections, tonics etc.) are
manufactured using synthetic chemicals and / or chemicals derived from
natural products like plants, animals, minerals etc.
This system also uses modern equipment for diagnosis, analysis, surgery
etc.
Medicines or drugs of this system is often criticised for its treatment of the
symptoms rather than the cause of the disease, harmful side effects of
certain drugs and for being out of poor people due to the high cost of
drugs and treatment
Role of Pharmacognosy in Allopathy is that Natural products isolated from
plants/animals/marine/mineral acts as the major source for Modern
Medicine. Ex: Taxol from Taxus, Digoxin from digitalis, morphine and
codeine from opium, vincristine from vinca.
3. Role of Pharmacognosy in Ayurveda
Ayurveda-Ancient Science of Life dated back to 5000 years in
India. AYUR + VEDA= LIFE+ KNOWLEDGE OR SCIENCE
It is described as science of life
Ayurveda deals with the plant products, anatomy and physiology of
human body, principles of treatment of diseases.
Oldest Treatise of Ayurveda : Charak Samhita 1900 BC – 341
plants
Shushruta samhita: 600BC: Surgery in Ayurveda, 395 plants, 57 of
animal origin , 4 of mineral origin
It is based on hypothesis: Everything in universe is composed of 5
basic elements : space, air, energy, liquid and solid.
They Exist in the human body in combined forms like
vata (space and air), pitta (energy and liquid) and kapha (liquid
and solid).
4. Role of Pharmacognosy in Ayurveda
Vata, pitta and kapha together are called Tridosha (three pillars of life).
Tridosha exist in human body in seven forms called Saptadhatu viz. Rasa
(lymph), Rakta (blood), meda (adipose tissue), mamsa (flesh), majja
(nervine tissue), Shukra (reproductive tissue) and asthi (bones).
When tridosha, saptadhatu and mala are in balance with each other, it is
called as healthy condition while imbalance causes a pathological
condition.
It is hypothesised that the five characters of the medicinal herbs viz. rasa,
guna, virya, vipak and prabhava can be applied to treat various
pathological conditions.
Ayurvedic pharmacy (Bhaishajya-Vigyan) proposes 5 basic dosage forms
like swaras, kalka, kwath, hima and phant.
A number of other dosage forms like churna, avaleha, ghrita, sandhana
kalpa, bhasma are there. Most of them are polyherbal formulations.
Examples: Plants used in Ayurveda, some ex: Rauwolfia sepentina,
Asparagus racemosus, Cassia angustifolia, Sesamum indicum, Holarrhena
antidysenterica, Withania, somnifera, Aconitum napellus, Piper longum,
etc.
5. Role of Pharmacognosy in UNANI
• History of Unani system credited to Greek philosopher Hippocrates
Aristotle Galen (384 - 322 BC) Greek - Philosopher "Father of natural
history" made valuable contributions
• From Greek it was carried to Persia (Iran), where it was improved by
Arabian physicians.
• Based on two theories → the Hippocratic theory of four humours
(blood, phelgm, yellow bile and black bile )
Pythagorian theory of four proximate qualities (states of living
human body like hot, cold, moist and dry, represented as earth, water,
fire and air)
• Arabian physicians added seven working principles (Umur-e-Tabia)
and included elements, temperaments, humours, organs, life, spirit,
energy and actions.
• These principles are responsible for the body constitution and its
health, as well as, the diseased conditions.
6. Role of Pharmacognosy in UNANI
• It aims at treating the cause of disease and not its symptoms.
• Thorough history of patient is recorded in addition to his
pulse, urine and stool examinations.
• The diseased condition may be due to the imbalance
between humours
• The drugs used : polyherbal formulations
• Known as Arab medicine, Greco-Arab medicine, Loniah
medicine, Islamic medicine and also Oriental medicine.
• Unani-medicines: Madar, fufal, Gilo, Kabab chini, Karanj,
Kulthi, Lodh, Qust, Sana, Tagar, Zeera, Siyah.
7. Role of Pharmacognosy in SIDDHA
• Term 'Siddha' means achievement and 'Siddhars' were saintly
personalities, who obtained expertise in medicine by practicing
Bhakti and Yoga.
• It is a belief that Lord Shiva unfolded the knowledge of medicine
to his wife Parvati which was then passed to Siddhars.
• System of pre-vedic period identified with Dravidian culture and
it is largely therapeutic in nature.
• It is also based on three humors i.e. vatta, pitta and kapha &
believes everything in universe is made up of 5 basic elements,
earth, water, sky, fire and air.
• The identification of diseases done through pulse reading, the
colour of body, the study of voice, urine examination, the status
of digestive system and the examination of tongue.
• The literature of Siddha system is mostly in Tamil.
• Examples of some natural drugs used: Abini (Papaver
somniferum), Alari (Nerium indicum), Ethi (Strychnos Nux-
vomica), Gomathai (Datura stramonium), Haikalli (Euphoribia
nerifolia), Ratha polam (Aloe-barbadensis).
8. Role of Pharmacognosy in HOMEOPATHY
• DEVELOPED in 18th century: Sir Samuel Hahnemann, German
physician & chemist.
• Theory based on that cause of disease itself can be used for its
treatment.
• He putforth the Law of Similars which says that like cures like
(Similae similibus curentur).
• Cinchona produced the symptoms of malaria.
• Compilation of all his observations called 'The Organon of
Medicine.'
• the choice of drug depends on symptoms and the clinical
condition of the patient.
• drug extracts are in very diluted condition, believed to cause
potentiation and enhancement of curative effect.
• The drugs extracted in mother tincture & further diluted in terms
of decimal or centesimal potencies.
9. Role of Pharmacognosy in HOMEOPATHY
VEGETABLE DRUGS ANIMAL DRUGS MINERAL DRUGS
Belladonna Honeybees Calcium carbonate
Chamomile Cantharis Mercuric chloride
Marigold Platinum
Colchicum Aluminium
Arnica Barium carbonate
Thuja Sulphur
Lycopodium Copper
Podophyllum etc etc etc
10. Role of Pharmacognosy in CHINESE
• It is also ancient dated back to Yellow Emperor's classic of
Internal Medicine (Huang Di Nei Jing)-200 BC & 100 AD.
• based on the idea “all life is subject to natural laws”
• The hypothesis includes two “yin and yang” theory
• Says that everything in the universe consists of a dark (yin)
and light side (yang).
• The five elements (i.e. water, metal, earth, fire and wood).
• They differ in diagnosis and treatment.
• The elements : 5 phases indicates process of continuous
movement of life.
• These play a dynamic role in the Chinese system of
medicine like in making groups of herbal tastes and parts of
body.
11. Role of Pharmacognosy in CHINESE
• Example: shivering occurs due to excess of yin while excess
of yang causes a fever.
• The treatment is done with herbs polyherbs.
• Ex. Ephedra sinica, Rheum palmatum, Carthamus
tinctorius, Clerodendron trichotomum, Panax ginseng etc
• Spread to Japan and Korea called as Kampoh
