Introduction to Pharmacognosy: History, Sources, and Scope

Explore the scientific study of natural crude drugs, their historical milestones, sources, classifications, and modern applications in medicine, biotechnology, and herbal standardization.

Transcript

1. Introduction to Pharmacognosy: History, Sources & Scope PAWAN KUMAR SAHU LECTURER AT RUDAULI COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
2. Definition of Pharmacognosy The scientific study of crude drugs obtained from natural sources (plants, animals, and minerals) and their active chemical constituents. Origin of Term: Coined in 1815 by C. A. Seydler in his doctoral thesis titled "Analecta Pharmacognostica". PAWAN KUMAR SAHU LECTURER AT RUDAULI COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
3. Etymology: Derived from two Greek words: Pharmakon a drug PAWAN KUMAR SAHU LECTURER AT RUDAULI COLLEGE OF PHARMACY Gignosco to acquire knowledge of
4. Six Basic Origins/Sources of Drugs Source Description Examples Plant Source Entire plant or plant parts. Classified into Organized (cellular/direct parts) and Unorganized (non-cellular/extracts, resins, juices). Senna leaf, Cinchona bark, Nux-vomica seed, Rauwolfia root, Saffron, Clove bud. Animal Source Entire animals, organs, extracts, or secretions. Wool, Silk, Honey, Shark liver oil, Cantharides, Thyroid organ/extracts, Insulin. Mineral Source Natural ores/minerals collected via mining and purified for medicinal use. Asbestos, Chalk, Kaolin, Bentonite. Marine Source Bioactive compounds extracted from marine life (sponges, tunicates, corals). Agar-agar, Holotoxin A, Manoalide, Ciguatoxin, Ara-C. Microorganisms Natural products used as drugs, supplements, or pharmaceutical excipients. Bacillus subtilis (Bacitracin), Streptomyces venezuelae (Chloramphenicol), Streptomyces griseus (Streptomycin). Biotechnology Using genetically engineered bacteria/organisms (Recombinant DNA technology) to produce therapeutics. Humulin (human insulin), Human Growth Hormone. PAWAN KUMAR SAHU LECTURER AT RUDAULI COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
5. Classification of Pharmacognosy Field Medical Ethnobotany: The study of traditional plant uses by indigenous people for medicinal purposes. Marine Pharmacognosy: The study of chemical compounds and medicinal agents derived from marine organisms. Phytotherapy: The study of using medicinal plant extracts to treat health conditions and diseases. Zoo Pharmacognosy: The study of how wild animals self-medicate by selecting specific plants, soils, or insects to treat or prevent illness. Ethnopharmacology: The scientific evaluation of the pharmacological properties of traditional medicinal substances. Phytochemistry: The chemical analysis of plant components, including isolation and identification of new active drug candidates. PAWAN KUMAR SAHU LECTURER AT RUDAULI COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
6. History of Pharmacognosy Papyrus Ebers (1600 B.C.): Ancient Egyptian medical text containing over 800 formulas and 700 crude drugs. PAWAN KUMAR SAHU LECTURER AT RUDAULI COLLEGE OF PHARMACY Pen-t'sao (c. 3000 B.C.): Oldest known Chinese herbal written by Emperor Shen Nung, detailing 365 drugs (one for each day of the year). Ayurvedic Texts: Charaka Samhita (grouped 500 herbs into 50 sets of 10) and Sushrutha Samhita (arranged 760 herbs into 7 classes).
7. Key Contributors & Historical Milestones Scientist / Scholar Period / Year Major Contribution Hippocrates 460–360 B.C. Known as the "Father of Medicine"; studied human anatomy and physiology. Aristotle 384–322 B.C. Philosopher who systematically studied the animal kingdom. Theophrastus 370–287 B.C. Known for pioneer studies on the plant kingdom. Dioscorides 40–80 A.D. Known as the "Father of Pharmacognosy"; wrote De Materia Medica compiling medicinal plant uses. Pliny the Elder 25–70 A.D. Compiled a 37-volume encyclopedia titled Naturalis Historia. Galen 131–200 A.D. Early pharmacist/physician who formulated complex plant-based remedies (Galenical Pharmacy). Nicolas Lémery 1645–1715 Emphasized alcohol extraction methods for plant actives. Carl Linnaeus 1753 Introduced the modern binomial naming system for plants and animals. William Withering 1785 Described the therapeutic use of Digitalis (foxglove) leaves for heart ailments. C. A. Seydler 1815 Coined the word Pharmacognosy. Bentham & Hooker 1817–1884 Developed modern plant taxonomy and classification systems. Gregor Mendel 1865 Published foundational observations on plant genetics and hybridization. PAWAN KUMAR SAHU LECTURER AT RUDAULI COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
8. Key Pure Compound Isolations Morphine: First alkaloid isolated from opium by Friedrich Sertürner (1806). Narcotine: Isolated from opium by Derosne (1803). PAWAN KUMAR SAHU LECTURER AT RUDAULI COLLEGE OF PHARMACY Strychnine: Isolated from Ignatius beans / Nux vomica seeds by Pelletier (1817). Other Alkaloids Isolated: Emetine (1817), Brucine (1819), Piperine (1819), Quinine & Colchicine (1820), Nicotine (1828), Cocaine (1860), Ouabain (1877), Pilocarpine (1875), Ephedrine (1887), Podophyllotoxin (1891). Classic Atlases Published: Berg's Anatomical Atlas of Crude Drugs (1865) and Greenish & Collin's Anatomical Atlas of Powdered Vegetable Drugs (1904).
9. Present Status and Scope of Pharmacognosy Bridge Discipline: Connects traditional herbal systems (Ayurveda) with modern allopathic medicine, converting crude plants into standardized dosage forms. Herbal Standardization: Establishes official pharmacopoeial monographs, purity standards, and assays to verify raw drug quality and authenticity. Drug Discovery & Research: Serves as a vital screening tool to isolate purified active lead molecules from unexplored natural resources. Interdisciplinary Integration: Has evolved from basic morphology/taxonomy into advanced phytochemistry, biotechnology, genetics, and molecular pharmacology. Broad Applications: Extends beyond clinical therapeutics into the food, spice, cosmetic, and forensic science industries. PAWAN KUMAR SAHU LECTURER AT RUDAULI COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
10. THANK YOU PAWAN KUMAR SAHU LECTURER AT RUDAULI COLLEGE OF PHARMACY