BP405T - Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry-1

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 to know
1. the techniques in the cultivation and production of crude drugs
2. the crude drugs, their uses and chemical nature
3. the evaluation techniques for the herbal drugs
4. to carry out the microscopic and morphological evaluation of crude drugs

UNIT-1

Introduction to Pharmacognosy:
(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, leaf constants, camera lucida and diagrams of microscopic objects to scale with camera lucida

UNIT-2

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-3

Plant tissue culture:
Historical development of plant tissue culture, types of cultures, Nutritional requirements, growth and their maintenance. Applications of plant tissue culture in pharmacognosy. Edible vaccines

UNIT-4

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.

Introduction to secondary metabolites:
Definition, classification, properties and test for identification of Alkaloids, Glycosides, Flavonoids, Tannins, Volatile oil and Resins

UNIT-5

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
Primary metabolites:
General introduction, detailed study with respect to chemistry, sources, preparation, evaluation, preservation, storage, therapeutic used and commercial utility as Pharmaceutical Aids and/or Medicines for the following Primary metabolites:
Carbohydrates: Acacia, Agar, Tragacanth, Honey
Proteins and Enzymes : Gelatin, casein, proteolytic enzymes (Papain, bromelain,
serratiopeptidase, urokinase, streptokinase, pepsin).

Lipids(Waxes, fats, fixed oils) : Castor oil, Chaulmoogra oil, Wool Fat, Bees Wax
Marine Drugs: Novel medicinal agents from marine sources