2.44902 PHARMACOGNOSY

The aim of the course is to provide students with scientific basis for the study of medicinal plants and to stress the importance of adequate botanical, chemical and pharmacological evaluation of crude drugs used in medicine, and to familiarise students with important pharmacopoeia plant drugs and their constituents used as medicinal agents in orthodox medicine. On completion, the student should be able to: understand the relevance of pharmacognosy in the context of the pharmacy profession; describe morphological and cytomorphological features of important pharmacopoeia drugs; apply microscopical techniques to identification of crude drugs and medicinal plants; describe the active constituents and the drugs containing them; understand the chemical nature of drugs of natural origin; and apply the knowledge to predict incompatibilities, solubility, palatability and therapeutic and toxic effects.

Contact hours: 6 hours per week (2 Lectures, 1 hour tutorial and a 3 hour practical).

Assessment: Tests, assignments and practical work (60%); final exam (40%).