24/01/2024

GENERAL
INTRODUCTION PHARMACOGNOSY
IT IS THE STUDY OF MEDICINES OR CRUDE DRUGS
PRODUCED FROM NATURAL SOURCES SUCH AS
PLANTS, MICROBES, ANIMALS OR MINERALS.

OTHER DEFINITIONS OF PHARMACOGNOSY

u Applied science that deals with the biologic, biochemical

u Pharmacog nosy is the simultaneous and economic features of natural drugs and their
application of various scientific discipline s constituents. Study that originate in the plant a nd animal
with the o bject of acquiring kno wledge of kingdoms
drugs from every point of view u Embraces a knowledge of the history, distribution,
cultivation, collection, selection, preparation, commerce,
identification, evaluation, preservation, and use of drugs
and economic substances that affect the health of
humans and animals.

uProgress from : I. The history of natural products in

medicine
EMPIRICISM THERAPEUTIC AGENTS
u A great proportion of the natural

uPcog isa highly specialized science that products used as drugs

represents one of the major disciplines of
pharmaceutic education
uIt
is a respected discipline that has no
counterpart in the other professions
u The study of drugs used by traditional
healers is an important object of
pharmacognostical research
u Sumerians

1
 24/01/2024

Egyptians (Ebers papyrus, 1550 BC)

uBabylonians -Embalming the dead

- Made clay models of -Possessed an
the Human body understanding of the
human anatomy
-aware of the medicinal -aware of the
effects of a number of medicinal effects of a
number of plants
plants
- Papyrus Ebers

Unani (Islam) Ayurveda (Indian) 2500-600BC)

-This herbal system was

developed by Arabian • Charaka Samhita
Muslim Ibn Sina. • Sushruta Samhita
• Astanga Hrdayam Samhita

The Orient (2700 BC)

Podophyllum Rhubard Ginseng

Cinnamon
Stramonium Ephedra
bark

Shen Nung

2
 24/01/2024

Authors of antiquity Dioscorides (40-80 AD)

Hippocrates (460-377 BC) “De Materia Medica” (600 medicinal plants)
“The Father of Medicine”

SOME DRUGS THAT ARE STILL

Aristotle IMPORTANT IN MODERN MEDICINE

Theophrastus
ALOE COLCHICUM BELLADONNA

Pedanios Dioscorides

ERGOT OPIUM
Claudius Galen

18th century Historical Milestone of Traditional

Medicine in the Philippines
u GERMANS
• Spanish Period
- Earliest document is an unpublished treatise on indigenous
qC.A. SEYDLER medicinal pants written by a Franciscan around 1611.
- Fr. Blanco’s Flora de Filipinas (1737,1845,1877)
qJ.A. SCHMIDT - Dr. Pardo de Tavera’s Plantas Medicinales de
Filipinas (1892)
qFRIEDRICH FLUCKIGER

3

Historical Milestone of Traditional
Medicine in the Philippines
• American Period
- characterized by scientific vigor.
- establishment of the Government Laboratories
(Bureau of Science).
- intensive research on chemical constituents,
pharmacology and therapeutics of medicinal plants by
UP.
Historical Milestone of Traditional
Medicine in the Philippines
• Japanese Occupation
- Impetus given to the cultivation of medicinal plants
- E.O. 14 creating a committee on medicinal plants for
the purpose of local production and manufacture of
medicines from herbs
Historical Milestone of Traditional
Medicine in the Philippines
• Contemporary Period (1970 – present)
- establishment of Community-Based Health Programs
(CBHPs) in the early 70s which promoted the use of
indigenous knowledge and resources for primary health care
- creation of the National Integrated Research
Program on Medicinal Plants (NIRPROMP) in 1977
24/01/2024
Historical Milestone of Traditional
Medicine in the Philippines
• Commonwealth Period
- extension of surveys to regions not previously
explored
- clinical and chemical investigations were made
though in a limited scale
Historical Milestone of Traditional
Medicine in the Philippines
• Immediate Post World War II Period
- First major exhaustive work on
medicinal plants by a Filipino Dr.
Quisumbing’s Medicinal Plantsof
the Philippines,1951.
Historical Milestone of Traditional
Medicine in the Philippines
• Technology transfer from NIRPROMP to the private sector for
the production of 7 herbs into commercial form
• Creation of TradMed Unit at DOH in 1992
• RA 8423 creating the Philippine Institute of Traditional and
Alternative Health Care (PITAHC)
• Inclusion of survey questions towards TradMed in the 1998 and
2003 National Demographic and Health Surveys of NSO
4
 24/01/2024

RA 8423 "Traditional and Alternative

Medicine Act (TAMA) of 1997."
• AN ACT CREATING THE PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE OF
TRADITIONAL AND ALTERNATIVE HEALTH CARE (PITAHC)
TO ACCELERATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRADITIONAL
AND ALTERNATIVE HEALTH CARE IN THE PHILIPPINES
PROVIDING FOR A TRADITIONAL AND ALTERNATIVE
HEALTH CARE DEVELOPMENT FUND AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES.
u In the 19th century, the chemical structures of
many of the isolated compounds were
determined
u 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

Crude Drugs CHIEF CONSTITUENTS ARE ISOLATED BY:

u They are vegetable or animal drugs that consist
of natural substances that have undergone
only the processes of collection and drying.
u Used infrequently as t herapeutic agent s; more MACERATION DECOCTION EXPRESSION INFUSION
often t heir chief principles (derivatives or
extractives which cont ains active constituents)
are separated by various means and are
employed in a more specific manner PERCOLATION SOXHALATION DIGESTION DISTILLATION

MACERATION DECOCTION

uSoaking in a suitable uBoiling for 15 minutes

menstruum 2 to 14 days uSolvent: Water
u15-20 Degrees
u3 days or until soluble matter is
dissolved
uWith constant agitation

5
 24/01/2024

PERCOLATION EXPRESSION

uSlow passage of a suitable

uPressed, Squeezed or
menstruum through a column
of a drug
Compressed
uApparatus: uApplication: citrus family
Percolator Extractive:
Percolate

SOXHLATION INFUSION

uExtraction that allows for continuous uExtraction by macerating

treatment of sample with a solvent for a short period of time
over a period of hours or days to uSolvent:
extract compounds of interest. uHot or Cold Water, Oil or
uApparatus: Soxhlet Alcohol
Apparatus

DISTILLATION PREPARATION OF CRUDE DRUGS

COLLECTION

HARVESTING
uThe process of
DRYING
vaporizing a liquid,
GARBLING
condensing the
vapor and collecting PACKAGING

the condensate in STORAGE

PRESERVATION
another container.

6
 24/01/2024

Things to remember: METHODS OF DRYING

- Flowers are collected in dry weather.
- Leaves are collected when plant is flowering.
- Fruits and seeds when fully mature but unripe.
- Underground organs when aerial parts die
down.
- Barks in spring (when they are easily
separated).
- Unorganized drugs in dry weather
1. Drying in open air: in sun and under cover sheds at
night or during wet weather, e.g. clove, cinnamon,...
2. Artificial oven drying (Oven-drying is more rapid than
air- drying, controlled temp. and more suitable for
use in the wet weather countries. Leaves, herbs &
flowers: 20-40oC, barks & roots: 40-65oC.
3. Vacuum drying: in oven, rapid and at low temp.
4. Lyophilization used for biological fluids, enzymes,
proteins and royal jelly.

METHODS OF DRUG EVALUATION ORGANOLEPTIC EVALUATION

ORGANOLEPTIC
• The macroscopic appearance of the drug,
MICROSCOPIC
• Its odour and taste
BIOLOGIC • Sound or snap of its fracture
• the feel of the drug to the touch
CHEMICAL

PHYSICAL

MICROSCOPIC EVALUATION MICROSCOPIC EVALUATION

q The microscope is essential in the identification of q Microscope can be used for a quantitative
microanalysis of admixed or adulterated powders.
powdered drug and in the detection of the
adulterants in powdered plant or animal drugs. q This study is done by counting a specific
histological feature (stomatal index, palisade ratio)
q Microscopical description of the drug in sectional in a measured quantity of the unknown powder and
comparing the count with that obtained for the
view and powdered form is listed in official same feature in a known standard sample.

monograph .

7
 24/01/2024

PHARMACOLOGIC EVALUATION CHEMICAL METHOD

uAssays on living animals as well as q Chemical tests are employed to identify

intact or excised organs often
crude plant drugs.
indicate the strength of the drug or its
preparations q To ascertain the purity of certain drugs

PHYSICAL METHOD CLASSIFICATION OF DRUGS

1. Morphology – identify specific drugs and to
uUse of physical constants ascertain their adulterants
2. Taxonomy of plants and animals from which they
uExtensively applied to the active
are obtained – consideration of natural relationship
principles of drugs, such as
3. Therapeutic applications
alkaloids, volatile oils, fixed oils
4. Chemical constituents – preferred method of study
because the activity a d therapeutic use of drugs
are based on their chemical constituents.

u Mode rn ph armacognosy is built on the significant

aspects of cell physiology an d biochemistry as they
affect the biosynthetic development of the “Herbs of the same
constituents of plants and animals.
u There is close relationship between the chemical make have the same
constituents and the taxonomic position of the plants.
u Depending on its relative biosynthetic complexity, the
virtue”
compound may be characteristic of a limited number - JAMES PETIVER –
of species

8
 24/01/2024

CHEMISTRY OF DRUGS
Drugs
u Theliving organism may be
Understanding that considered a biosy nthetic
Chemotaxonomy or Crude
closely-related plants biochemical laboratory not only for form Extract
have similar chemical systematics
constituents chemical compounds t hat
are utilized as food but
Principles
also for a multit ude of
compounds that exert a
physiologic effect Medicinal
agents

u Pharmacognosy embraces a thorough

consideration of these chemical entities –
CONSTITUENTS
u ACTIVE CONSTITUENTS – responsible for the
therapeutic effect
u INERT CONSTITUENTS – no definite pharmacologic
activity – cellulose, lignin, suberin, cutin, starch,
albumin, coloring matter, keratin, chitin, muscle
fiber and connective tissue
u Inertsubstances often affect the
absorbability or potency of the active
constituents à active principles are
extracted, crystallized and purified for
therapeutic use. – SECONDARY PLANT
SUBSTANCES.

PHARMACEUTICALLY
ACTVIE
ACTIVE CONSTITUENTS
CONSTITUENTS

SINGLE MIXTURE

SUGARS, STARCHES, FIXED OILS, FATS,

PLANT ACIDS, WAXES, VOLATILE OILS,
PHARMACEUTICALLY PHARMACOLOGICALLY ENZYMES, RESINS, OLEORESINS,
ACTVIE ACTIVE GLYCOSIDES, OLEOGUM RESINS,
STEROIDS, BALSAM
ALKALOIDS

9
 24/01/2024

FORMATION OF CONSTITUENTS SECONDARY CONSTITUENTS

BIOGENESIS OR PLANT BIOSYNTHESIS
u Influenced by 3 factors:
PRIMARY SECONDARY
METABOLITES METABOLITES 1. Heredity (genetic composition) –
Carbohydrates Glycosides, Gums induce both quantitative and
and Mucilages qualitative changes
Fatty acids Fixed Oils, Fats, 2. Ontogeny
Waxes and Volatile
3. Environment – quantitative
Oils
Proteins Alkaloids

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS THAT CAN PRODUCE References Containing Monographs

VARIATIONS IN SECONDARY PLANT on Medicinal Plants:
CONSTITUENTS:
Pharmacopoeia is a book recognized by the
1. Soil government as legal authority for standardization of
drugs
2. Climate
British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, 1996.
3. Associated flora u
u The British Herbal Compendium Vol. 1& 2, 1993.
4. Methods of cultivation u The United States Herbal Pharmacopoeia.
u German Commission Monographs.
u The Chinese Herbal Pharmacopoeia.

MONOGRAPH
u The descriptive material pertaining to any of the
drugs in the Pharmacopoeia is known as the
monograph.
u In the monograph of a crude drug, the following
information are generally covered:

Common names, definition, description, special

condition for collection or preparation for the
market, identity tests, tests for adulterants,
method of assay, special storage requirements,
dose , natural or biological origin.

10