This lesson deal with definition and history of pharmacognosy.

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Lesson 1
Introduction to Pharmacognosy
A.G. Karimi, M.Pharm
Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy.
Date: 15/12/1395
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Lesson 1: Introduction to
Pharmacognosy
• To understand the meaning of Pharmacognosy.
• To learn the objectives of pharmacognosy.
• To study Origin, history, its present status and future
prospects of Pharmacognosy.
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Objective:
What is Pharmacognosy?
• The nomenclature ‘Pharmacognosy’ was used first and foremost
by C.A. Seydler, a medical student in Halle/Saale, Germany, who
employed Analetica Pharmacognostica as the main title of his
thesis in the year 1815.
• This compilation deals with the medicinal plants, primary material
of medicinal plants (Drug) and processing of preparations of plant
origin as well as animal .
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• The word Pharmacognosy is derived from the Greek "Pharmakon",
meaning a drug or poison and “Gnosis “ meaning knowledge and
literally meaning "the entire knowledge of drug".
Objectives of Pharmacognosy
• Study of medicinal plants as an important sources of
pharmacologically active substances.
• Study of the medicinal plants resources .
• Standardization of medicinal plants and its
preparations.
• Seeking for new herbal preparations in order to
provide effective drugs and meet the medical
requirements.
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History of Pharmacognosy
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The old Chinese medicine
• The Chinese medicine is very acknowledged for the herbal
medicine.
• The ancient china empire Shen Nune 3000 B.C.
• Ben Chao is the oldest publication of Chinese, contained an
incredible number of medicinal plants and drugs of animal origin.
• It includes many recipes for every disease.
• Among the plants highly esteemed for its magic health were;
Ginseng, Rhubarb, Ephedra, Anise, Pomegranate, Aconite....
• Opium is a very old Chinese drug for diarrhea and dysentery.
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Ancient Egyptian period
• The ancient Egyptians were experts in using drugs for curing
diseases.
• The healing of the sick was undertaken by priest doctor and
pharmacist "Son" who prescribed and prepared medicines.
• Ebers papyrus, 1550 BC is one of the oldest publication of
Egyptians.
• Crude drugs of vegetable origin used included Aloes, Gum,
Myrrh, Poppy, Pomegranate, Colocynth, Linseed, Squill,
Coriander, Onion, Anise, Melon, Castor, etc...
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Egyptians (Ebers papyrus, 1550 BC)
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The Babylonians
• The Babylonian medicine was known (Laws of
Hamorabi 772 B.C.).
• The drugs used were mainly of vegetable origin.
• The drugs used include 250 materials of plant, and
180 materials of animal source.
• Many of these drugs were known to the ancient
Egyptians.
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Old Indian medicine
• The "Riveda" and Ayurveda (2000 B.C.), contained the sacred
medicinal plants.
• The collection of plant materials was done only by an
innocent, pure, religious person.
• The fresh plants were considered to be the most effective.
• The most celebrated Indian drugs were; Sandal wood
(Santalum sp.), Clove, Pepper, Cardamom, Caraway, Ginger,
Benzoin, Cannabis, Castor oil, Sesame oil, Aloes, etc...
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The Greek and Romans
• Hippocrates (460-377 BC)“The Father of Medicine”.
• Hippocrates was familiar with numerous drugs, and wrote
"Corpus Hipocraticum 460 B.C.“ which describes 220
plants.
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The Greek and Romans…
• Following Hippocrates, Theophrastus played an important
role in describing medicinal plants.
• Avul Cornel Cels the author of (Medical collection as
encyclopedia).
• Pliny who lived about the same time as Dioscorides, was also
an eminent author of natural history.
• He described 304 medicinal plant in his book.
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Dioscorides (40-80 AD)
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• Dioscorides (78 A.D.) who
was a Greek by birth, he was
the first to describe drugs in
his work “De Materia Medica"
included 600 medicinal plants
in addition to animal and
mineral drugs.
Klavdi Galen (131- 201 A.D.)
• Galen (131- 201 A.D.) was a physician and to him is
ascribed the use of "Galenical preparations".
• He has around 200 publication in medical and
pharmaceutical sciences.
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6- Islamic Period
• In Islamic writings were found the first beginnings of
chemistry, the name of which is derived from an Arabic word
"Kemia"; as were also such familiar words alcohol and alkali.
• The Arabs added numerous new plants and medicaments to
those already known to the Greeks and Romans.
• In their days, pharmacy attained its highest reputation and
became an independent branch of medicine.
• It is interesting to note that the first dispensary was opened in
Baghdad, the center of trade in those days.
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Abu Mansor Moafaq
• A.M. Moafaq Ibn Ali Herawi is one of the famous
Muslim pundit.
• He published the Al Abnia An Haieq Ul Adwia ( ‫اﻻﺑﻧﯾﮫ‬
‫اﻻدوﯾﮫ‬ ‫ﺣﻘﺎﯾﻖ‬ ‫)ﻋن‬ in 977 A.D.
• He describes 466 medicinal plants and 44 drugs of
animal origin in his book.
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Rhazey (850-932 A.D.)
• Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn
Zakariya al-Razi (Rhazes) who
was born at Rai in Persia was
the director of Baghdad
hospital in the days of El-
Mansour.
• He published a famous book
"Alhawi Kabeer".
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Ibn Sina (980-1037 A.D.)
”‫اﻟﻄﺐ‬ ‫ﻓﻲ‬ ‫اﻟﻘﺎﻧﻮن‬“
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• Abu Al Hosayn Ibn-Sina (980-1037 A.D.) whose
name was latinised to Avicenna.
• He was one of the most eminent and gifted Muslim
physicians.
• His "Canoon Fi Elteb" has been described as the
most famous medical text ever written and as having
dominated the medical schools of Europe and Asia
and served as the chief source of medical knowledge
for 5 centuries, till the 15th century.
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Abu Al Hosayn Ibn-Sina
Ibn Al-Baitar
”‫واﻷﻏﺬﻳﺔ‬ ‫اﻷدوﻳﺔ‬ ‫ﻟﻤﻔﺮدات‬ ‫اﻟﺠﺎﻣﻊ‬“
• Ibn Al-Baitar (1197-1248 A.D.)
was the best Arabian
pharmacognosist and botanist
and ranked with Dioscorides in
that respect.
• His book "Jame-ul-Muffradat"
contains description of 2000
drugs.
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Abu Rayhan Albironi
”‫اﻟﻄﺐ‬ ‫ﻓﻲ‬ ‫اﻟﺼﻴﺪﻧﻪ‬“
• Abu Rayhan Albironi (973-1044
A.D.) wrote Al-Saidana Fi Elteb.
• He discribed 750 sp. of
medicinal plants.
• Al-Saidana has translated to
different languages.
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Ibn Altabari (770−850 A.D.)
”‫اﻟﺤﻜﻤﮫ‬ ‫ﻓﺮدوس‬“
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Sheikh Dawood El-Antaki
• Sheikh Dawood El-Antaki wrote a book named
"Tazkaret Uli Al-Albab"on 1599 AD, now known as
"Tazkaret Dawood Alantaki"
• This book describes several hundred herbs besides
drugs of animal and mineral origin.
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The era of European exploration overseas
(16th and 17th century)
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The era of European exploration…
• In 12th century Muslims transferred the sciences and
knowledge via Spain and Sisley to the west Europe
and established many universities there.
• The medicinal plants was delivered to Europe by
Arab merchants and European physician started the
study of medicinal plants in Europe flora.
• In addition to Muslim literatures they published
some medical books such as Hortus sanitatis.
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The era of European exploration…
• Paracels (1493-1541) played an important role in the
extraction of active constituents of medicinal plants.
• In the 1603 A.D. the naming and classifying of plants
started by Cesalpine and Tournefort and followed by
Linnaeus and Jussieu.
• At the 17th to 19th centuries, pharmaceutical sciences has
got high reputation.
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The era of pure compounds
(In 1803, a new era in the history of Pharmacognosy)
• Isolation of morphine from opium
• Strychnine (1817)
• Quinine and caffeine (1820)
• Nicotine (1828)
• Atropine (1833)
• Cocaine (1855)
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• In the 19th century, the chemical structures of
many of isolated compounds were determined.
• In the 20th century, the discovery of important
drugs from the animal kingdom, particularly
hormones and vitamins started.
• Microorganisms have become a very important
source of drugs.
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The era of pure compounds
Thank you very much
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Value of natural products
• Compounds from natural sources play four significant roles in
modern medicine:
1. They provide a number of extremely useful drugs that
are difficult to produce commercially by synthetic
means.
2. Natural sources also supply basic compounds that may
be modified slightly to render them more effective or
less toxic.
C O O H
H O
C O O H
OH 3 C
O
H 3 C C O O H
C H 3
C H 3
S a l i c y l i c A c i d A s p i r i n
I b u p r o f e n
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3. Their utility as prototypes or models for synthetic
drugs possessing physiologic activities similar to the
originals.
4. Some natural products contain compounds that
demonstrate little or no activity themselves but
which can be modified by chemical or biological
methods to produce potent drugs not easily obtained
by other methods.
Baccatin III →→→→Taxol
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End of lesson 1
THANK YOU!
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