PharmacognosyPharmacognosy-- 11Introduction to PharmacognosyIntroduction to Pharmacognosy

By Abdul Ghani Karimi, By Abdul Ghani Karimi,

Department Department of Pharmacognosy, Facultyof Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy.of Pharmacy.

Date: 06/01/1391

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Introduction to Pharmacognosy

• Pharmacognosy and its Objectives

• A brief history of Pharmacognosy• A brief history of Pharmacognosy

• Value of natural drug products

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Definition of Pharmacognosy

• The nomenclature ‘Pharmacognosy’ was used first and foremost

• The word Pharmacognosy is derived from the Greek "Pharmakon",

meaning a drug or poison and “Gnosis “ meaning knowledge and

literally meaning "the entire knowledge of drug".

• The nomenclature ‘Pharmacognosy’ was used first and foremost

by C.A. Seydler, a medical student in Halle/Saale, Germany, who

emphatically employed Analetica Pharmacognostica as the main

title of his thesis in the year 1815.

• This compilation exclusively deals with the medicinal plants and

their corresponding characteristics.3

Targets of Pharmacognosy

• Study of medicinal plants as an important sources of

active pharmacological substances.

• Study of the reserves of medicinal plants.

• Standardization of medicinal plants and its

preparations.

• Search for new herbal preparations in order to provide

effective drugs and meet the medical requirements.

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History of Pharmacognosy

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1- The old Chinese medicine

• Beside the famous acupuncture, the Chinese medicine is very

acknowledged for the herbal medicine.

• The Bencaco Gangmu (Pen Ts'ao Kang Mu 1000 B.C. ) contained an

incredible number of medicinal plants and drugs of animal origin. incredible number of medicinal plants and drugs of animal origin.

• This book includes many recipes for every disease.

• Among the plants highly esteemed for its magic health were;

Ginseng, Rhubarb, Ephedra, Star Anise, Pomegranate, Aconite....

• Opium is a very old Chinese drug for diarrhea and dysentery.

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2- Ancient Egyptian period

• The ancient Egyptians were experts in using drugs for curing diseases.

• The healing of the sick was undertaken by priest doctor and pharmacist "Son" who prescribed and prepared medicines.medicines.

• Ebers papyrus, 1550 BC is one of the oldest publication of Egyptians.

• Crude drugs of vegetable origin used included Aloes, Gum, Myrrh, Poppy, Pomegranate, Colocynth, Linseed, Squill, Coriander, Onion, Anise, Melon, Castor, etc...

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Egyptians (Ebers papyrus, 1550 BC)

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3- The Babylonians

• The Babylonian medicine was known (Laws of

Hamorabi 772 B.C.).

• The drugs used were mainly of vegetable origin.• The drugs used were mainly of vegetable origin.

• The drugs used include 250 materials of plant, and

180 materials of animal source.

• Many of these drugs were known to the ancient

Egyptians.9

4- Old Indian medicine

• The "Riveda" and Ayurveda (Acoko 2000 B.C.), contained the sacred medicinal plants.

• The collection of plant materials was done only by an innocent, pure, religious person.

• The fresh plants were considered to be the most effective.

• The most celebrated Indian drugs were; Sandal wood, Clove, Pepper, Cardamom, Caraway, Ginger, Benzoin, Cannabis, Castor oil, Sesame oil, Aloes, etc...

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5- The Greek and Romans

• Hippocrates (460-377 BC)“The Father of Medicine”.

• Hippocrates was familiar with numerous drugs, and wrote

"Corpus Hipocraticum 460 B.C.“ which describes 220 "Corpus Hipocraticum 460 B.C.“ which describes 220

plants.

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Theophrastus

• Theophrastus following Hippocrates played an

important role in describing medicinal plants.

• Pliny who lived about the same time as • Pliny who lived about the same time as

Dioscorides, was also an eminent author of

natural history.

• He described 304 medicinal plant in his book.

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Dioscorides (40-80 AD)

“De Materia Medica”

• Dioscorides (78 A.D.) who

was a Greek by birth, he was

the first to describe drugs in

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the first to describe drugs in

his work “De Materia Medica"

included 600 medicinal plants

in addition to animal and

mineral drugs.

Galen (131- 201 A.D.)

• Galen (131- 201 A.D.) was a physician and to him is

ascribed the use of "Galenical preparations".

• He have around 200 publication on medical and • He have around 200 publication on medical and

pharmaceutical sciences.

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6- Islamic Contribution

• In Islamic writings were found the first beginnings of

chemistry, the name of which is derived from an Arabic word

"Kemia"; as were also such familiar words alcohol and alkali.

• The Arabs added numerous new plants and medicaments to • The Arabs added numerous new plants and medicaments to

those already known to the Greeks and Romans.

• In their days, pharmacy attained its highest reputation and

became an independent branch of medicine.

• It is interesting to note that the first dispensary was opened in

Baghdad, the center of trade in those days. 15

• Rhazey who was born at Rai in Persia was the

director of Baghdad hospital in the days of El-

Mansour.

Rhazey (850-932 A.D.)

Mansour.

• He published a famous book "Alhawi Kabeer".

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Ibn Sina (980-1037 A.D.)“القانون في الطب”

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• Abu Al Hosayn Ibn-Sina (980-1037 A.D.) whose

name was latinised to Avicenna.

• He was one of the most eminent and gifted Arabian

physicians.

Abu Al Hosayn Ibn-Sina

• His "Canoon Fi Elteb" has been described as the

most famous medical text ever written and as having

dominated the medical schools of Europe and Asia

and served as the chief source of medical knowledge

for 5 centuries, till the 15th century.

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• Ibn Al-Baitar (1197-1248 A.D.) was the best Arabian

pharmacognosist and botanist and ranked with

Dioscorides in that respect.

Ibn Al-Baitar

“الجامع لمفردات ا�دوية وا�غذية”

Dioscorides in that respect.

• His book "Jame-ul-Muffradat" contains description

of 2000 drugs.

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Abu Rayhan Albironi (973-1044 A.D.)

“الصيدنه فی الطب”

• He wrote Al-Saidana Fi Elteb.

• He discribed 750 sp. of medicinal plants.

• Al-Saidana has translated to different

languages.

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Sheikh Dawood El-Antaki

• Sheikh Dawood El-Antaki wrote a book

named "Tazkaret Uli Al-Albab", now known as

"Tazkaret Dawood Alantaki" which describes "Tazkaret Dawood Alantaki" which describes

several hundred herbs besides drugs of animal

and mineral origin.

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Ibn Altabari (770−850 A.D.)

“فردوس الحكمه”

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The era of European exploration overseas

(16th and 17th century)

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The 18th century, Pharmacognosy

• Linnaeus (naming and classifying plants)

• At the end of the 18th century, crude drugs were

still being used as powders, simple extracts, or still being used as powders, simple extracts, or

tinctures.

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The era of pure compounds(In 1803, a new era in the history of medicine)

• Isolation of morphine from opium

• Strychnine (1817)

• Quinine and caffeine (1820)

• Nicotine (1828)

• Atropine (1833)

• Cocaine (1855)25

• In the 19th century, the chemical structures of

many of the isolated compounds were determined.

• In the 20th century, the discovery of important

The era of pure compounds(In 1803, a new era in the history of medicine)

• In the 20th century, the discovery of important

drugs from the animal kingdom, particularly

hormones and vitamins.

• Microorganisms have become a very important

source of drugs.26

Value of natural products

• Compounds from natural sources play four significant roles in

modern medicine:

1. They provide a number of extremely useful drugs that

are difficult to produce commercially by synthetic are difficult to produce commercially by synthetic

means.

2. Natural sources also supply basic compounds that may

be modified slightly to render them more effective or

less toxic.

C O O H

H O

C O O H

OH 3 C

O

H 3 C C O O H

C H 3

C H 3

S a l i c y l i c A c i d A s p i r i n

I b u p r o f e n

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3. Their utility as prototypes or models for synthetic drugs

possessing physiologic activities similar to the originals.

4. Some natural products contain compounds that

demonstrate little or no activity themselves but which

can be modified by chemical or biological methods to can be modified by chemical or biological methods to

produce potent drugs not easily obtained by other

methods.

Baccatin III →→→→ Taxol

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End of lesson 1

THANK YOU!THANK YOU!

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