PHARMACOGNOSY AND PHYTOCHEMISTRY

Department Profile:

Since time immemorial, natural products have been the backbone of traditional system of healing throughout the globe, and have also been an integral part of history and culture. Although the use of bioactive natural products as herbal drug preparations dates back hundreds, even thousands, of years ago, their application as isolated and characterized compounds to modern drug discovery and development started only in the 19th century. It has been well documented that natural products played critical roles in modern drug development. The most striking feature of natural products in connection to their long lasting importance in drug discovery is their structural diversity that is still largely untapped. Our department is well equipped to undertake if not all but a significant contribution towards extraction, isolation, identification of natural chemical entities. A well managed Medicinal garden is one of the important assets of the department with variety of medicinally important plant species.

 

Courses currently conducted by the Department:

B.Pharm:- Pharmacognosy (CBGS and CBCS)

M. Pharm:- Study of Natural Products (CBCS)

                                                                                                                                                                                  

Facilities:

  • A well equipped Pharmacognosy laboratory with all the essentials viz: sufficient microscopes, extraction assemblies, water bath (electrically heated), chromatography related apparatus and equipments.
  • Medicinal Garden: A flourishing medicinal garden with more than 25 different medicinal plants adorns the campus of our institution spread on a spacious area of about 250 sq m. The garden is well maintained and the plants are well spaced and well organised with accurate labelling. Certain plants are demarcated under shade as per requirement.
  • Drug museum: An inhouse drug museum with all most all the crude drugs listed in the Pharmacognosy & Phytochemistry curriculum is in place. Plans to introduce a state of the art Pharmacy Museum is on cards for the next academic year.

 

Areas of Research:

  • Extraction of phytoconstituents
  • chemical, physical and analytical evaluation of natural products extracts
  • Nutraceuticals and other herbal formulation development and evaluation
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