Scope: The subject involves the fundamentals of Pharmacognosy like scope, classification of
crude drugs, their identification and evaluation, phytochemicals present in them and their
medicinal properties.
Objectives: Upon completion of the course, the student shall be able
1.
to know the techniques in the cultivation and production of crude drugs
2.
3.
4.
to know the crude drugs, their uses and chemical nature
know the evaluation techniques for the herbal drugs
to carry out the microscopic and morphological evaluation of crude drugs
Course Content:
UNIT-I
Introduction to Pharmacognosy:
10 Hours
(a) Definition, history, scope and development of Pharmacognosy
(b) Sources of Drugs – Plants, Animals, Marine & Tissue culture
(c) Organized drugs, unorganized drugs (dried latex, dried juices, dried extracts, gums and
mucilages, oleoresins and oleo- gum -resins).
Classification of drugs:
Alphabetical, morphological, taxonomical, chemical, pharmacological, chemo and sero
taxonomical classification of drugs
Quality control of Drugs of Natural Origin:
Adulteration of drugs of natural origin. Evaluation by organoleptic, microscopic, physical,
chemical and biological methods and properties.
Quantitative microscopy of crude drugs including lycopodium spore method, leafconstants,
camera lucida and diagrams of microscopic objects to scale with camera lucida.
UNIT-II
Cultivation, Collection, Processing and storage of drugs of natural origin:
Cultivation and Collection of drugs of natural origin
Factors influencing cultivation of medicinal plants.
Plant hormones and their applications.
Polyploidy, mutation and hybridization with reference to medicinal plants
Conservation of medicinal plants
UNIT-III
Plant tissue culture:
10 Hours
07 Hours
Historical development of plant tissue culture, types of cultures, Nutritional requirements,
growth and their maintenance.
Applications of plant tissue culture in pharmacognosy.
Edible vaccines
102
UNIT IV
Pharmacognosy in various systems of medicine:
10 Hours
Role of Pharmacognosy in allopathy and traditional systems of medicine namely, Ayurveda,
Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy and Chinese systems of medicine.
Introduction to secondary metabolites:
Definition, classification, properties and test for identification of Alkaloids, Glycosides,
Flavonoids, Tannins, Volatile oil and Resins
UNIT V
08 Hours
Study of biological source, chemical nature and uses of drugs of natural origin containing
following drugs
Plant Products:
Fibers - Cotton, Jute, Hemp
Hallucinogens, Teratogens, Natural allergens
- Teacher: Anju Singh