MOHI UD DIN ISLAMIC

INSTITUTE OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES

SCOPE OF
PHARMACOGNOSY
By
DR. MUSSADIQ LATIF
Student of 2
ND
Pof P!"#D

Scope of Pharmacognosy | Dr.
Mussadiq Latif
PHARMACOGNOSY
Pharmacognosy is defined as the study of medicines obtained from natural
sources; including, plants, animals and minerals
!he "merican Society of Pharmacognosy has defined Pharmacognosy as the
study of the physical, chemical, biochemical and biological properties of
drugs, drug substances or potential drugs or drug substances of natural
origin as #ell as the search for ne# drugs from natural sources.$
SCOPE $APPLICATIONS% OF PHARMACOGNOSY
Pharmacognosy has %ast applications in the Pharmaceutical &ndustry and
therapeutics. Some of the basic applications of Pharmacognosy are listed
belo#;
!he most important application of Pharmacognosy includes the
thorough 'no#ledge on the history, culti%ation, collection,
standardi(ation, transfer and storage of drugs and economic
substances affecting the health of man and other animals.
!he drug)drug, drug)food interactions are studied in Pharmacognosy
#hich help us a%oid the unto#ard effects of se%ere interactions and
hence help in obtaining the optimal therapeutic outcomes. !he most
sensiti%e classes of drugs include, the follo#ing;
o *lood thinners
o Protease inhibitors
o +ardiac ,lycosides
o &muuno Suppressant +yclosporine
*ioassay ,uided -ractionation technique helps in the e.traction of the
crude substance from the natural sources on the basis of their
physiochemical acti%ities as #ell as the biochemical acti%ity. !he
e.traction of medicines from %arious plants and parts of plants and its
utili(ation has re%olutioni(ed the health sciences.
/orld 0ealth 1rgani(ation has estimated that the 234 of the total
#orld population uses the herbal medicines. Some of the common
botanical sources of drugs include the follo#ing,
o *itter ,ourd 5product used for lo#ering blood pressure6
o St 7ohn8s /ort 5product used to cure depression problems6
Scope of Pharmacognosy | Dr.
Mussadiq Latif
o ,arlic 5e.tract ha%e Lovastatin #hich is used for lo#ering
cholesterol le%el in blood and also used for the regulation of
blood pressure6
o ,inger 5used for the cure of throat problems and also used as
carminati%e6
o ,ing'o *iloba 5the product from it is used to cure "l(heimer9s
Disease6
o :a%a :a%a 5;.tracts used for the treatment of an.iety.
&n the pharmaceutical industry, %arious drugs of botanical origin are
used in drug manufacture process including the follo#ing;
o 1pium 5"nesthetic, "nalgesic6 obtained from Papaver
sominerum
o "spirin 5"ntipyretic, "nti)inflammatory, "nalgesic6 1btained from
Spiraea Plant
o Digitalis 5+ardiac ,lycosides Digo.in, Digito.in6 obtained from
Digitalis purpurea
o <uinine 5"nti Malarial6 1btained from Cinchona Bark
"l'aloids ha%e effects on central ner%ous system. Some al'aloids are;
o +affeine has a mild effect on the central ner%ous system
o Datura is a se%ere into.icant and can cause e%en death.
Phenolics including the Anthocyanines donate purple colour to grapes
and Tannins that gi%e the !ea the characteristic property of dra#ing
the tissues together.
!erpenoids obtained from plants are of great importance such as;
o Monoterpenes donate aroma to the rose and la%ender
o Carotenoids are responsible for production of red and orange
colour in +orn, +arrot and !omatoes
"nother type of drug substances is ,lycosides 5e.g= cyanoglycosides6
#hich ha%e %arious pharmacological effects in the body li'e;
o Cardiac Glycosides (eg Digitalis! Scilla! Strophanthus"are used to
cure, cardiac disorders li'e +ongesti%e +ardiac -ailure
Scope of Pharmacognosy | Dr.
Mussadiq Latif
o Alcoholic glycosides (eg salicin" con%erted into the "cetyl
Salicylic "cid(aspirin"
o Anthra#uinone glycosides obtained from "loe Specie and is a
la.ati%e
o Coumarin glycosides(eg apterin" ha%e a %asodilator effect on
coronary arteries as #ell as bloc' calcium channels
o $ther e%amples include! Chromone Glycosides! Cynogenic
Glycosides! &lavonoid Glycosides! Phenolic Glycosides! Saponins!
Steviol Glycosides and Thioglycosides
!he re%olution of herbal medicine has increased the demand for
research in the field of Pharmacognosy. &t includes;
o 'uality Control to assure the &dentity, purity and consistency of
drug substances
o ())icacy to determine the therapeutical effects, indications,
clinical aspects and pharmacological effects6
o Safety research to study, the unto#ard to.ic reactions,
interactions, contraindications, precautions
o
-ollo#ing is the list of %arious medicinally important sources of drugs;
o Aloe *era used for healing burns and #ound healing
o Artichoke 5Cynara cardunculus6 used for reduction in +holesterol
Le%el
o *lac'berry 5+u,us )ruticosus6 reduces the #rin'ling of s'in, aging
effect
o *oo phone 5Boophone disticha6 used for the treatment of mental
disorders
o +alendula (Calendula o))icinalis" used for treatment of
constipation and cramps
o +ranberry (*accinium o%ycoccos" effecti%e in treating >!
infections in #omen
o ;chinacea 5(chinacea angusti)olia" used for action against
rhino%irus colds
o ;lderberry 5Sam,ucus nigra6 used for the treatment of influen(a
Scope of Pharmacognosy | Dr.
Mussadiq Latif
o -e%erfe# 5Chrysanthemum parthenium6 used for the cure of
migraine
o ,arlic 5Allium sativum6 is responsible for lo#ering the cholesterol
le%el
o ,inger 5-ingi,er o))icinale6 decreases the nausea and %omiting
during pregnancy
o ,rapefruit 5?aringenin6 is used for the treatment of obesity
o ,erman +hamomile 5Matricaria chamomilla6 is a famous
antispasmodic
o ,reen tea 5Camelia sinensis6 may cure the breast cancer
Scope of Pharmacognosy | Dr.
Mussadiq Latif
@eferences=
http=AApharmacognosy.comA
http=AA###.pharmatutor.org
http=AA###.herbalremedies.com
http=AA###.phcog.orgAdefinition.html
http=AA###.nlm.nih.go%
http=AA###.medind.nic.in
Scope of Pharmacognosy | Dr.
Mussadiq Latif