SCOPE & DEVELOPMENT

OF PHARMACOGNOSY

By DR. Movaliya
➢ Pharmacognosy has played a
crucial role in the development
of different disciplines of
science.
➢ The knowledge of botany, plant
taxonomy, plant breeding, plant
pathology and plant genetics is
helpful in the development of
cultivation technology for
medicinal and aromatic plants.
➢ Plant chemistry (Phytochemistry)
has undergone significant
development in recent years to
become a distinct discipline on
its own.
➢ The technology involving
extraction, purification and
characterization of
pharmaceuticals from natural
source is a significant
contribution to natural and
physical sciences.
➢ Knowledge of
chemotaxonomy,
biogenetic pathways for
formulation of medicinally
active primary and
secondary metabolites,
plant tissue culture and
other fields are essential
for complete
understanding.
 Pharmacognosy is an important link between Pharmacology
and Medicinal chemistry

➢ Pharmacognosy is the
source of several crude
drugs that provide essential
intermediates for synthesis
of active compounds means
plants can offer
new molecules that can
serve as templets for the
development new drugs.
 Scope & Development of
Pharmacognosy
➢ In a nutshell, Pharmacognosy is an
important bridge between the
pharmaceutical and basic sciences.
➢ It is a vital link between the
Ayurveda and allopathic systems of
medicines.
➢ Alternative systems of medicines
include Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani,
Homeopathy and Chinese medicines
are plant-based system.
➢ Active principles of crude drugs
derived from natural origin can be
formulated in suitable dosage forms
acceptable to the allopathic system
of medicine.
 Scope & Development of
Pharmacognosy

➢ In the 19th century, with the

development of phytochemistry, the
chemical structures of many of the
isolated compounds were
determined.
➢ This development has continued
with ever increasing speed in the
20th century and today the main
constituents of many important
crude drugs have been isolated, and
their structures determined.
 Scope & Development of
Pharmacognosy
➢ In spite of tremendous advance in
allopathic medicine, there is a
number of disease for which modern
medicine has no cure.
➢ In such cases it treats only symptoms
to provide relief to patients.
➢ These include viral diseases (COVID-
19, AIDS, Herpes), obesity, stress, liver
disorders.
➢ Recent trends have shown that plant
drugs have the answer to such cases
etc.
 Scope & Development
of Pharmacognosy

➢Recently a number of formulations

based on Ayurvedic medicine have
come to the market for control of
liver disorders.
➢These is a considerable scope to
screen such plants for active
constituents, which may be used in
future for such incurable diseases.
Thank you