Pharmacognosy is the study of medicines derived from natural sources. It deals with the physical, chemical, biochemical and biological properties of drugs from natural origins, as well as the search for new drugs. The history of pharmacognosy dates back to ancient civilizations in China, India, Egypt and Greece where plants were used medicinally before the beginning of the Christian era. Modern pharmacognosy developed between 1934-1960 due to events like the discovery of penicillin and isolation of compounds like reserpine. Today, pharmacognosy plays an important role in drug development through the isolation of active constituents, elucidation of their structures, and use of natural products as precursors for drug synthesis. Its future prospects

1. History and Scope of
Pharmacognosy
1

2. On completion of this period, you would be able to
know
• History
• Present status and future prospects and
• Scope of Pharmacognosy in India
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3. 1. You might have heard the term Botany
2. What is Botany? What it deals with?
3. Have you ever heard the term Pharmacognosy?
4. If so, what it deals with?
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4.  Pharmacognosy is the study of medicines
derived from natural sources.
 • The American Society of Pharmacognosy
defines pharmacognosy as "the study of the
physical, chemical, biochemical and biological
properties of drugs, drug substances or
potential drugs or drug substances of natural
origin as well as the search for new drugs from
natural sources”
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5.  Nature always stands as a golden mark to exemplify the
outstanding phenomenon of Symbiosis
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History of Pharmacognosy
Plants were used medicinally in China India Egypt Greece
before beginning of the Christian era .

6. The Chinese system of medicine is still prevalent. Internal medicine (
Huang Di Nei Jing ) Which is believed to be prepared between 200
BC and 100 AD.
Ayurveda is based on the hypothesis that Everything in the universe
is composed of five basic Elements.
Space Air Energy Water Matter
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7. History of Pharmacognosy
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The oldest known herbal is Pen-tsao by Emperor Shen
Nung
A large portion of Indian population even today depends on the
Indian System of Medicine – Ayurveda ( an ancient Science of Life)

8. Oldest documents Papyrus Ebers written in 1500 B.C.
• Hippocrates 460 – 360 B.C known as Father of Medicine
Served the basis of discovery of medicines.
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The progress achieved in Botanical studies During 19th Century had a
direct influence on Pharmacognosy.
History of Pharmacognosy

9. Homoeopathic system Developed in 18th Century By Samuel
Hahnemann A German Physician and Chemist
• In this System drug treatment is not specified.
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Aristotle (Greek Philosopher) Father of Natural History
Made valuable contributions to Unani.
History of Pharmacognosy

10. History of Pharmacognosy
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Siddha system of medicine Like Ayurveda, this system believes that all objects in
universe are made up of five basic Elements
Naturopathy is not a system of treatment which is based on laws of Nature. Attention is
paid to purificatory measures use of Hydrotherapy.

11. History of Pharmacognosy
Bach Flower Remedies were discovered by Edward Bach in the 20th Century 38
remedies prepared from flowers of wild plants, bushes or trees.
 Aromatherapy begin in 4500 B.C. Egyptians used aromatic substances in medicines
Prof. Gantle Fosse a French cosmetic chemist coined the term Aromatherapy.
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12. History of Pharmacognosy
 Theophrastus 370 – 287 B.C presented
about the Plant kingdom.
 Dioscorides in 78 A.D gave his work De
Materia Medica.
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13. History of Pharmacognosy
• Greek pharmacist Galen 131 – 200 A.D.
Described various methods for preparations of
Extracts.
• Materia Medica was used for compilation of all
details about Natural products.
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14. History of Pharmacognosy
 Therapeutic properties of plants described in Rigveda and Atharva Veda.
 Austrian physician Schmidt in his Lehrbuch der materia medica in 1811 and in 1815 by
Anotheus Seydler in a work titled Analecta Pharmacognostica..
 Pharmakon = a drug and
 Gignosco = to acquire knowledge of it
 Pharmacognosy is scientific and systematic study of
 Structural
 Physical
 Chemical
 Biological aspects of Crude Drugs.
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15. History of Pharmacognosy
 An Anatomical Atlas of Powdered Vegetable
Drugs was compiled in 1904 by Greenish
and Collin
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16.  Modern Pharmacognosy occurred during 1934
– 1960.
 This development was mainly due to some
events like:
 Discovery of Pencillin in 1928
 Isolation of Resperine 1952
 Anticancer properties of Vinca rosea
 Discovery of Dioscorea was utilised to prepare semi-
synthetic steroidal hormones.
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17. Development of Pharmacognosy
 Pharmacognosy as an applied science
 Played a crucial role in the development of
different disciplines of science.
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18. Development of Pharmacognosy
 Pharmacognosy is an important link
between Pharmacology and Medicinal
Chemistry
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19. Development of Pharmacognosy
Natural products got more and more therapeutic
importance with developments like:
 Isolation of therapeutically active constituents
 Their identification and structure elucidation.
 There is close link between structure and
Pharmacological action.
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20.  Phytochemicals • All plants produce chemical compounds as part of their
normal metabolic activities. These phytochemicals are divided into •
 (1) Primary metabolites such as sugars and fats, which are found in all
plants; •
 (2) Secondary metabolites—compounds which are found in a smaller range
of plants, serving a more specific function
 Phytochemicals • some secondary metabolites are toxins used to deter
predators and others are pheromones used to attract insects for pollination.
• It is these secondary metabolites and pigments that can have therapeutic
actions in humans and which can be refined to produce drugs— examples
are inulin from the roots of dahlias, quinine from the cinchona, morphine and
codeine from the poppy, and digoxin from the foxglove.
 Phytochemicals • Plants synthesize variety of phytochemicals but most are
derivatives of a few biochemical motifs: • Alkaloids • Phenolics • Glycosides
• Terpenes
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21. Development of Pharmacognosy
 Natural products served the purpose of precursor
for synthesis of several medicinally important
compounds.
 Some isolated components from plants were made into
different formulations and used as drugs.
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22. Development of Pharmacognosy
It was during this period only
 That step by step processes in Biosynthesis of
Primary and Secondary metabolites were
presented before the world.
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23. Development of Pharmacognosy
Knowledge of
 Plant taxonomy
 Plant breeding
 Plant pathology
 Plant genetics
Is helpful in the development of cultivation
technology for medicinal and aromatic plants.
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24.  Now the people have realized the utility of drugs
of natural origin which are not only economical
but even safer too.
 Active constituents from plant sources have lead to
rapid developments in Pharmacognosy and
Phytochemistry.
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25. Present Status and Future Prospects
 Rapid developments in the fields of Chemistry
Biochemistry and Pharmacology have further
supported advancements in Pharmacognosy.
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26. Present Status and Future Prospects
Plants like
• Podophyllum
• Liquorice
• Valerian
• Artimisia
• Veratrum
Earlier considered to be less important but their
re-evaluation have established their utility.
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27.  World Health Organisation has emphasized the utilization of
Indigenous systems of medicine based on folklore and
locally available plant materials.
 Large scale scientific cultivation of some of the medicinally
important plants is necessary.
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28.  Some of the products like Balsam of Tolu and Peru
Benzoin, Storax, Asafoetida, Colocynth etc.,
 If large scale cultivation of these drugs producing
plants is started we can save huge amount on
Foreign currency.
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29.  Guggulsterols from Commiphora mukul
 Podophyllotoxin from Podophyllum hexandrum
 Artimisinin from Artemisia
 Annua and Silymarine from Silybuim marionum are
approved as drugs in several countries which is
encouraging news in the fields of Pharmacognosy and
Phytochemistry.
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30. Scope of Pharmacognosy
Although not fully proved clinically
• Siberian ginseng Eleutherococcus senticosu
• Korean ginseng Panax ginseng
• American ginseng Panax quinquefolium
• Aswagandha with Ania somnifera are in use
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31. Scope of Pharmacognosy
We have not yet devised the cure by modern medicine.
 Only symptomatic relief is our reply as in case of Arthritic disorders,
AIDS & Cancer.
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32. In this class we learnt about
Definition History and Scope of Pharmacognosy
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33.  Scientific and systematic study of drugs of
natural origin is known as
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a) Botany
b) Zoology
c) Medicinal chemistry
d) Pharmacognosy

34. 1. Define Pharmacognosy and write its scope.
(April 2005)
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