1. Pharmacognosy
S.Y.B.Sc. Botany Paper III
Unit 1
Part 1

3. Pharmacognosy
• The term Pharmacognosy was first
introduced by German scientist
Seydler in 1815
• It is formed of two Greek words
‘Pharmacon’ means drug and
‘Gnosis’ means knowledge.

4. Pharmacognosy
• The knowledge of Pharmacognosy
developed from ancient civilization,
when man used parts of plants and
animals
–To make healing medicines
–To eliminate pain ,
–To control suffering and counteract
disease.

5. Pharmacognosy
• By trial and error primitive man must
have acquired biological knowledge
about the healing, curing properties
of plants, animals and minerals as
well.

6. Pharmacognosy
• These observations were handed
over down from one generation to
another and were added to by
progeny of man.

7. Pharmacognosy
• The extraction, separation, isolation
and identification of the drug plants
have occurred in recent past.

8. Pharmacognosy
Definition:
• Pharmacognosy is an applied science
that deals with history, preservation and
use of drugs and their commercial uses.
• Pharmacognosy is the objective study of
crude drugs of plant, animal and mineral
origin that have been treated
scientifically.

9. Pharmacognosy
Classification of Drugs
–Alphabetical
–Taxonomic
–Morphological
–Pharmacological/Therapeutic action
–Chemical
–Chemo-taxonomical

10. Pharmacognosy
Primary Metabolites
• Essential for cell
growth and involved in
metabolic reaction
such as respiration and
photosynthesis
• Derived directly from
metabolic reaction
• Accumulated in large
quantities
• Absence causes death
• e.g. Carbohydrates,
Proteins and Lipids
Secondary Metabolites
• Usually not essential for cell
growth, but are involved in
defence mechanism or
pollination
• Usually end products of
primary metabolites or
derived from them
• Accumulated in small
quantities
• Absence usually does not
lead to death
• e.g. Alkaloids, Glycosides
and Tannins

11. Pharmacognosy
Different Indian Pharmacopoeias

12. Pharmacognosy
Different Pharmacopoeias

13. Pharmacognosy
Indian Pharmacopoeias
For the commercial market needs a proper
evaluation, which involves
–Identification of the material
–Determination of its quality and purity
–If adulterated, the nature of the adulterant

14. Pharmacognosy
Indian Pharmacopoeias
• The authenticity of a crude drug is established
by referring to its description as given in the
pharmacopoeia or other official publications.
• In pharmacopoeia certain standards
(numerical values) are given, which must be
followed in order to maintain the quality and
purity of drug.

15. • The Govt. of India constituted a permanent
Indian Pharmacopoeia Committee in 1948 for
preparing the India Pharmacopoeia and keeping
it updated.
• First edition of I.P. was published in 1955
• For preparing this pharmacopoeia several other
pharmacopoeias were also referred
• I.P. agencies such as IDMA and ADMA are some
of the bodies involved in preparation of I.P.
Pharmacognosy
Indian Pharmacopoeias

16. I.P. includes the Methods of Analysis, which are
being adopted by a large sector of Pharma
Industry
It includes
– Classical procedure
– Instrumental techniques such as
• Spectroscopy
• Chromatography etc.
Pharmacognosy
Indian Pharmacopoeias

17. The details of each drug is mentioned in the I.P. as
‘Monograph’
Which includes
• English name
• Synonyms
• Chemical names
• Description
• Colour
• Taste
• Solubility
• Purity standards etc.
Pharmacognosy
Indian Pharmacopoeias