History of pharmacy in world. The easier notes ever. By Chhavi Gupta Assistant Professor Shri ram college of pharmacy

1. EVOLUTION OF PHARMACY
The history of pharmacy profession is traced back to third millennium
BC in Samaria. Samarian people developed a cuneiform writing style on
clay tablets which included lists of drugs of animal, vegetable and
mineral origin that were used in the management of diseases, and
prescriptions with details of the ingredients used in their compounding.
Greeks were one of the first supporter of pharmacy profession.
Knowledge of the preparation and application of natural products for
healing is as old as man himself.
1500 BC
Egyptian papyrus – made from water plant “papyrii”
It is 60 feet long and a foot wide, written during 1500 BC includes 800
prescriptions (formulas) and 700 drugs. In china, a comprehensive
theory for diagnosis and treatment was developed.
800 BC – Ayurvedic medicines were first described.
460 BC – Hippocrates is considered to be the “Father of medicines”. He
was the greek physician and later he honored as “Father of Western
Medicine”.
40-90 AD – Pedanius Diocorides, a greek physician and botanist rote 5
volume book entitled as “De Materia Medica”.
160 AD – Galen was a physician, who compiled the documents of
hippocrated and diocorides and described the use of the formulation
formed from plants called as “Galenicals”.
7th
to 12th
century- Monks, were trained as apothecaries. They
cultivated the medicinal herbs in the gardens and treat the injured as well
as ill patients.

2. Pharmacy profession start acquiring shape during 9 th century in
Bhagdad, then slowly in Europe and at the end developed into
chemistry. Initially, pharmacy and medicine were not independent from
one another. A person use to diagnose as well as provides medicines.
Those who were physicians were the man of authority, without having
formal education.
When physicians got tired or cope up with their work, they hired the
assistants, they use to collect the herbs as well as prepare the medicines.
These were known as “Pharmacopolae” but they were not pharmacists.
Arabs thought the situation could not persist, as the peoples dealing with
the heath of the patients should acquire professional and ethical
education. Arab had the thought that those who are preparing medicines
could do so in an independent profession. This thought separated the
medicine and pharmacy.
770 BC- first pharmacy shop was opened in Bhagdad. At that time,
phramcists were having full experience about medicines but did not have
required education. That’s why the ruler of bhagdad, started the
education for pharmacists.
Federic II in 12th century – established a legal constitution that
medicine into:
 Dogmatic medicine- which used to diagnose
 Manual medicine – used for surgical intervention
 Pharmaceutical medicine – which collects mixes and conserves
medicine.
China and spain introduced new drugs and arab introduced various new
drug delivery forms: such as- syrups, pellets etc.

3. 1386 – In England, a word is used “ Farmacies of herbs” for the
preparation by medicinal plants.
Between 1600-1800 BC - One term “Apothecary” was used for the
people living in London and those who have passed an examination of
“Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London”. Apothecaries are
people who strongly involved in dispensing of medicines, but they do
almost all the work, such as handling of drugs and chemicals and
examining and treating to the patients. They do not charge for these
services, but just for the medicines.
1630-1649 – Governor of Massachusetts colony, took the apothecary
service to their house for the treatment of the citizens of colony. As the
apothecary started going away from the area, the chemists and druggists
started acquiring themselves for the preparation and supply of medicines
in the area. That’s why a competition started between apothecary and
chemist/druggists. Apothecary tried to control the chemists and druggist
by proposing a New Law of control to the supply of medicines, but the
law could not processed.
1800 - John Morgan, who was a hospital pharmacist, fights for
separating the practice of independent profession. In 1800, An
Association established and a poroposal was given to the parliament. For
resolving the issue between chemist, druggist and apothecary, an ACT
was passed:
“Apothecaries Act” (1815)
In which it has been mentioned that the apothecary would no longer
have the control on supply of medicines and the apothecary who had
passed the specified examination as Worshipful Society of
Apothecaries and are licensed, would only be able to practice as a
general practitioners.

4. 1840s- Pharmaceutical society adopted the word “pharmacy”
1852 – A register of Pharmaceutical chemist was compiled, but not
published.
1868- the term “ Pharmaceutical Chemist” came and registration
became compulsory
1868- “Pharmacy Act” in England
The term chemist and druggist was used by the Pharmaceutical society,
for those, who had passed the minor examination and registered as
pharmacists.
In 19th
century, Pharmacy completed sprouted out from medicine and
started developing as a separate profession.
1820 – First U.S.P (United States Pharmacopoeia)
1821- First School of Pharmacy was established in U.S. at Philedelphia
1852- American Pharmacist Association
1888- National Formulary (USP-NF) published
(National Formulary- An official publication, issued first by the
American Pharmaceutical Association and now yearly by US
pharmacopoeial convention, that gives the composition, description,
method of preparation and dosage of drugs.)