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What are the two main types of sources for drugs from a natural origin?
What are the two main types of sources for drugs from a natural origin?
Botanical and Zoological
Which of the following is NOT a function of a pharmacognosist?
Which of the following is NOT a function of a pharmacognosist?
What is the meaning of the term "Crude Drugs"?
What is the meaning of the term "Crude Drugs"?
"Crude Drugs" are raw materials from plant or animal sources that are used before undergoing processing or modification. They can be fresh or dried, bulk or in powder form, and are the starting point for pharmaceutical products.
Which of the following is an example of an unorganized drug?
Which of the following is an example of an unorganized drug?
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The ______ system is used for naming plants.
The ______ system is used for naming plants.
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What does the species name "glabra" usually indicate?
What does the species name "glabra" usually indicate?
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The geographical origin of a drug only refers to the specific country it was harvested in.
The geographical origin of a drug only refers to the specific country it was harvested in.
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Only the tropics and subtropics yield medicinal plants.
Only the tropics and subtropics yield medicinal plants.
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What is the difference between an indigenous plant and an acclimatized plant?
What is the difference between an indigenous plant and an acclimatized plant?
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Commercial origin only refers to the production and trade aspects of a drug.
Commercial origin only refers to the production and trade aspects of a drug.
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What is the name of the plant that is indigenous to India and contains resin with active constituents?
What is the name of the plant that is indigenous to India and contains resin with active constituents?
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Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of cultivated plants compared to wild plants?
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of cultivated plants compared to wild plants?
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What are the two main disadvantages of cultivated plants?
What are the two main disadvantages of cultivated plants?
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Study Notes
Medicinal Plants - PG 101
- Course covers general introduction to pharmacognosy
- Includes medicinal plant definition, classification, cultivation factors, collection, drying, packing, storage, and adulteration of medicinal plants and their secondary metabolites.
- Course covers drugs derived from leaves, including classification, morphology, histology, monographs, herbarium, powdered drug identification, adulteration, chemical tests, active constituents, uses, and pharmaceutical preparations.
- Examples of leaves covered are senna, belladonna, datura, hyoscyamus, digitalis, ginkgo, tea, uva ursi, and henna.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
- Students will demonstrate morphological and histological characteristics of leaves, active constituents, and uses of drugs composed of leaves.
- Students can choose a proper natural drug for treatment of a given case.
- Students can compare closely allied drugs.
- Students can identify drugs using microscopes and chemical tests.
Course Structure
- Theoretical part: Lectures in lecture halls providing introduction to pharmacognosy and scientific study of medicinal plants.
- Practical part: Practical skills in identification and characterization of medicinal plants, in their entire and powder forms.
Evaluation
- Theoretical part: Periodical exam (20 marks), final written exam (75 marks), final oral exam (15 marks)
- Practical part: Practical exam (25 marks), activity (5 marks), attendance and participation (10 marks)
- Overall total = 150 Marks
Textbook and Resources
- Recommended textbook: Trease and Evans Pharmacognosy
- Online resources for Latin names and dictionaries are provided, including links for alkaloid and Syzygium dictionaries/names.
Types of Medicinal Sources
- Plant
- Animal
- Mineral
- Chemical Synthesis
Botany and Pharmacognosy Relationship
- Botany is a foundation for pharmacognosy.
- Pharmacognosy uses chemistry and related fields to further study.
Pharmacognosy Definition
- Study of medicines derived from natural sources.
- Applied science that relies on botany and chemistry. (Latin: Pharmakon - drug, Gignoso-to acquire the knowledge of).
- (Greek: Pharmakon - drug, Gnosis - knowledge).
Pharmacognosy Study Areas
- Structural, Physical, and Chemical characteristics of crude drugs of vegetable, animal and mineral origin, and their history
- Cultivation of medicinal plants and their collection methods.
Crude Drugs
- Raw drug,
- Useful products from plants and/or animals, before extensive processing/modification.
- Example forms: fresh, dried, bulk or in powder.
- Examples provided include tea, vanilla pods, and vanillin powder.
Types of Crude Drugs
- Entire plant or animal (e.g. Mentha, Cantharidis)
- Entire organ (e.g. Senna leaves, clove buds, thyroid gland)
- Unorganized drugs (e.g. Opium latex, aloe juice, acacia gum)
- Minerals (e.g. Chalk, Kaolin, Talc)
- Examples: Senna leaf, fennel fruit, clove flower, gelatin.
Story of a Medicinal Plant (Example: Tea)
- Tea plant farming, collection, drying, grinding → crude drug → isolation of caffeine → caffeine crystals.
Pharmacognosist Functions
- Identifying drug source materials (e.g., plant organ containing caffeine).
- Determining morphological characteristics (e.g., differentiating between tea and other plants).
- Prescribing collection/preparation methods (e.g., time and method of collecting and drying tea leaves).
- Investigating drug purity and freedom from admixtures (e.g., tea powder not mixed with sawdust or fruit).
- Identifying constituents, investigating chemical nature, and assessing potency (e.g., caffeine's chemical structure and content in tea).
- Preparing standardized active extracts from medicinal plants (e.g., best method for preparing high-caffeine tea).
Official vs Non-official Drugs
- Official: Listed and described in a government-recognized book (Pharmacopoeia).
- Non-official: Safe and efficacious but not yet recognized by the government.
- Some important Pharmacopoeias include British, Egyptian, and Deutsche.
Medicinal Plant Monograph
- Includes:
- Plant name (English, Latin, commercial, synonyms).
- Plant description (for identification).
- Active constituents and quantities.
- Medicinal uses.
- Contraindications and side effects.
Monographs of Medicinal Plants (Examples)
- Detailed information on different plants.
- Information on the description of the plant, active constituents, medicinal uses, warnings, and safety/caution information. Details of the geographical distribution and origin of the plant are also included.
History of Pharmacognosy
- Oldest of pharmacy sciences
- Folk medicine (home remedies) evolved from knowledge of crude drugs (edible/poisonous)
- Ancient Egyptian, Indian, and Chinese (herbal medicine) traditions are important early contributors to pharmacognosy.
Origin of Drugs
- Natural/Biological origin: Name of plant and family.
- Geographical origin: Region of plant growth.
- Commercial origin: How plant is traded (English tea, etc.).
Flora
- Plants native (or naturally occurring) to a particular region or time period,
- Examples included Egyptian flora (and related topics, such as Flora of Sinai and Egypt).
Phytogeographical Regions in Egypt
- Libyan Desert (Western Nile Bank, associated with Glycyrrhiza glabra).
- Arabian Desert (Sinai, Eastern Nile Bank, associated with Hyoscymus muticus).
- Coastal Mediterranean region (associated with Aloe vera).
- Nile Valley & Delta (fertile region, heavily cultivated).
Cultivation of Medicinal Plants
- Medicinal plants can be collected from wild plants versus cultivated plants.
- Advantages/disadvantages of cultivating plants versus collecting wild plants are considered, with aspects including cost, consistency of quality, yield, and risk of extinction of wild species.
Commercial Origin of Drugs
- This refers to the production and trading channels for a drug. Drugs often have a commercial name indicating the region they come from (e.g., English hyoscyamus leaves from England).
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Description
Explore the fascinating world of pharmacognosy with this quiz on medicinal plants. You'll learn about their classification, cultivation, and the drugs derived from various leaves. Test your understanding of their morphological and histological characteristics, identification methods, and medicinal uses.
