Definition ,History scope of Pharmacognosy

Introduction to Pharmacognosy.

1. Definition, History, Present status and scope of Pharmacognosy Introduction to Pharmacognosy- From two Greek words, Pharmacon -a drug and gignosco - to acquire a knowledge off. Pharmacognosy word was invented by Seydler in 1815 . (German scientist) Seydler , while studding sarsaparilla, in this words titles as ‘ Analectapharmacognostica ’ Definition: - “Pharmacognosy is study of crude drugs obtained from plant, animal and mineral source.”

2. “Crude drugs means natural or simple or unprocessed form of a drugs.” Modern definition of Pharmacognosy- “Pharmacognosy is scientific and systematic study of structural, Physical, Chemicals and biological characters of crude drugs along with their history method of Cultivation, Collection and Preparation for the market.” Sources of crude drugs- Sr. No. Source Example 1. Vegetable / plant Fennel, clove, cinnamon 2. Animal Honey, Beeswax, Lanolin 3. Mineral Chalk, Bentonite , Talc, Kaolin 4. Antibiotics Penicillin, Streptomycin, Tetracycline 5. Allergens Pollen grains, Mold spores, Feathers, webs. 6. Immunizing agents Vaccines, sera, Antitoxins. 7. Pesticides pyrethrum, nicotine, Neem , rotenone

3. Differentiating points between organized and unorganized crude drugs – Organized crude drug Un Organized crude drug 1. It is obtained from definite anatomic parts of the plants such as flowers, leaves, fruits etc 1. It is obtained from plants and animals by means of physical process such as drying, incision ,extraction such as juices ,resins. 2. It is made up of definite tissue and cell. 2. It does not have cellular structure. 3. It is solid in nature. 3. It is solid, semisolid and liquid in nature. 4. Microscopical characters are used for identification. 4. Chemical tests and physical standards are used for identification. 5.Botanical and zoological terminology can be used to describe the drug. 5. Botanical and zoological terminology is inadequate. To describe these drugs physical parameters are used. Ex. Coriander , fennel, datura , etc Ex. Aloe, bees wax, Tragacanth , Honey etc.

4. History of Pharmacognosy :- Historical background of Pharmacognosy is very obscure complicated and related to botanical, medicinal and chemical sciences The history of herbal medicine is as old as human civilization. Contributions of various scientists for development of Pharmacognosy are as follows. Sr. No. Name of Scientist / Philosophers/physicians/documents. Inventions 1. Papyrus Ebers (1500 B.C.) Is old document written in 1500 B.C. where medicinal uses of several plants and animals also human anatomy is described. Known as father of medicine. And deals with Anatomy and Physiology of human being studied on Animal kingdom and drugs. 2. Hippocrates (460-360 B.C.) Known as father of medicine. And deals with Anatomy and Physiology of human being studied on animal kingdom and drugs. 3. Aristotle (384-32 B.C.) Studied on animal kingdom and drugs. 4. Theophrastus (370-287 B.C.) Studied on plant kingdom and drugs. 5. Dioscorides (78 A.D.) Described several plants & their medicinal importance in “De material medica ” 6. Plinythe eider (23-70 AD) He complied 37 volumes of natural history. Where main uses of drugs are given.

5. 7. Galen ( 131-200A) Described various methods of preparations containing achieve constituents of crude drugs. This branch is also known as extract of plants and animal drugs, is also known as Galenical Pharmacognosy or “Extraction Pharmacy”. 8. Seydler (1815) Coined the term ‘Pharmacognosy & definition of Pharmacognosy. 9. Tschirsh He define Pharmacognosy. Scientifically & Systematically.

6. (1) Work of Sydler : (1815) Sydler was German scientist and wrote a book " Analecta Pharmacognostica ” in 1815. In this book he used word "Pharmacognosy” first time and coined this word by combining two Greek word. Pharmakon : Drug. Gignosco : To acquire knowledge of. (2) Work of Galen: (131-200 A.D.)- Galen was Greek pharmacist, he worked on extraction of chemical constituent from the plants. He developed various methods of extraction therefore the branch of pharmacy which deals with ex traction of chemical constituent from plants and animals is called as " Galenical Pharmacy ”. He was regarded as a "Father of Experimental Physiology” and also regarded as "First Pharmacists of the World" (3) Hippocrates: (460-360. B.C.)- Before birth of Jesus. He was Greek scientist; he worked on human anatomy and physiology particularly on circulatory system and nervous system. He prepared famous oath for physicians, which is still taken by the physicians. He was regarded as Father of Medicine . (4) Aristotle: (384-322 8B.C.) - The renowned philosopher was well known for his studies on classifying animal and plant kingdom. He was regarded as a " Father of Natural History

7. (5) Theophrastus: (37-287 B.C.) - He was student of Aristotle and extended the botanical work to new height. He was regarded as a " Father of Botanical Science ” (6) Work Dioscorides : (040-080 A.D.)- Dioscorides was Greek Pharmaco -Botanist published his famous drug treatise: " De Materia Medica " in the first century, Dioscorides Materia Medica covered about 600 plants drug along with some animal and mineral products. (7) Paracelsus Aureolus : (1493-1541) - A Swiss Physician who pioneered the application of chemistry and medicine and introduced use of many drugs. Paracelsus was the first who point out the relation between Goiter and Cretinism. (8) Swede Linnaeus: (1707-1778)- A great Swedish Botanist classified and introduced the naming system of the plants, known as " Binomial System of Nomenclature ". (9) Shen Nung : (3000 B.C.)- The oldest known herbal is " Pen-t-Sao " written by Emperor Shen Nung . It contains 365 drugs one for each day of the year. (10) G. Mendel's - Important observations on plants hybrids were published by G Mendel's.

8. Contributions of Indian Scientists in Development of Pharmacognosy are as follows (1) Charaka - He made 50 groups of 10 herbs and according to him each her would act as a ordinary physicians need. That means each and every drug has medicinal or pharmacological effects. (2) Sushruta - Sushruta arranged 760 herbs in 7 distinct sets based on their common properties. Well known treatises in Ayurveda are " Charak Samhita and Sushruta Samhita ” (a) Charaka Samhita : (1900 B.C.) Plants and plants products for use in the medicine. Charaka Samhita is the first recorded treatise fully devoted to the concept of practice of Ayurveda Charaka Samhita described 341 (b) Sushruta Samhita : (600 B.C.) " Sustruta " author of " Sushiruta Samhita " who introduced Surgery in Ayurveda and he was considered as a " Father of Surgical Medicine " Sushruta Samhita described 595 medicinal plants, 57 drugs of animal origin and 64 drugs of mineral and metal origin as therapeutic agents. Sushruta was regarded as a " Father of Surgery ”, lived and practice surgery in Varanasi.

9. Present status of Pharmacognosy – The crude drugs which are obtained from the plants, animals and mineral sources and their active chemical constituents are the subject of matter of Pharmacognosy. These crude drugs are used for the treatment of various diseases and also in cosmetics,textiles and food industries. During the First half of nineteenth century, Apothecaries stocked the crude drugs for the preparation of herbal tea mixture, now a days all kinds of tinctures, extracts and juices are used in the preparation of medicinal drops, syrups, infusions ointments, liniments, etc. In the second half of nineteenth century, phytochemists succeeded in isolating the pure active constituents and these active constituents are replaced by the crate drugs. With the development of synthetic and semisynthetic medicines the herbal drugs are pushed into the background. Nowadays the medicinal plants which were rapidly falling into disuse a century ago are regaining their rightful place in the medicine. Today's applied science of Pharmacognosy has better knowledge of active constituents and their therapeutic activity on human beings. Researchers and investigators also diverted their attention on the drugs which are obtained from the marine and mineral source also. Genetic engineering and Tissue culture biotechnology are successful for the production of genetically engineered molecules and biotransferred natural products. In this way the scope of Pharmacognosy seems to be enormous in the field of medicines, bulk drugs, food supplements, pharmaceutical necessities, tissue culture biotechnology and genetic engineering, etc.

10. Future Scope of Pharmacognosy – Medicinal plants have great values in the treatment and care of diseases. Over the year scientific research determines the medicinal properties of the plants and now it has been universally accepted that the plant drugs and remedies are safer than that of synthetic medicines for curing the dangerous diseases like cancer and AIDS. Enormous number of alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, volatile oils have been isolated, identified and used as curative agents. Examples : Artemissinin as Antimalerials , Taxol as Anticancer, Forskolin as Antihypertensive, Rutin as Vitamin P, Piperine as Bioavailability enhancer, etc. Natural products have also been used as a drug substitute for semisynthetic potent drugs in western world due to awareness of potency and side effects of synthetic drugs, there is an increasing interest in the plant based remedies with the basic approach towards the nature. Future development of Pharmacognosy as well as Herbal Drug Industries dependent upon the reliable methodologies for the identification of marker compounds of the extracts. The present day importance of the medicinal plants is to isolate medicinally active material from them and will be an important aid to the physicians in the treatment of various diseases