FARMACOGNOSIA
Academic Year 2024/2025 - Teacher: Carmela PARENTIExpected Learning Outcomes
To provide students with knowledge about the herbal drugs with regard to composition, identification methods, quality control, pharmaco-toxicological effects of the active principles and their use in the pharmaceutical field
At the end of the course, to pass the exam, the student must demonstrate to have acquired the knowledge related to:
- sources of drugs of plant origin
- Drug collection, preparation and storage
- macro-micromorphological characterization of the drugs indicated in the program
- phytochemistry of the drugs indicated in the program
- therapeutic effects of the drugs indicated in the program
Course Structure
Face to face lessons
If the teaching is given in a mixed or remote mode, the necessary variations with respect to what was previously stated may be introduced, in order to respect the program envisaged and reported in the syllabus
Information for students with disabilities and / or SLD: To guarantee equal opportunities and in compliance with the laws in force, interested students can ask for a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and / or dispensatory measures, based on the teaching objectives and specifications needs. It is also possible to contact the CInAP contact person (Center for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and / or SLD) of the DEPARTMENT OF DRUG AND HEALTH SCIENCES
Required Prerequisites
Attendance of Lessons
Detailed Course Content
General Pharmacognosy (Module 1)
Meaning and scope of Pharmacognosy. Definition of drug. Classification and characteristics of herbal and animal drugs, organized and unorganized drug. Definition of factors that influence the composition and activity of drugs: natural endogenous and exogenous factors, exogenous factors depending on the drug preparation.
Collection, preparation and storage of drugs. Recognition and quality control of drugs, made in accordance with the rules given in the FU Assays and bioassays. Conservation of drugs. Pharmaceutical forms of herbal medicines. Drug quality control.
Special Pharmacognosy (Modulo 2)
Recognition, biological activity and uses of the main herbal drugs and their active principles
- Carbohydrates and carbohydrate-containing drugs
Monosaccharides: glucose, fructose, sorbitol.
Oligosaccharides: saccharose.
Polysaccharides: starch, cellulose, dextrans, inulin, pectins, gums, mucilage, carrageenans, alginates
- Laxative Drugs: Manna.
- Protective Drugs: Starch, Altea, Lino, Mallow.
- Drugs for technical uses: Gum Arabic, Gum Tragacanth.
- Purgative Drugs: Psyllium, Agar-Agar.
• Lipids and lipid-containing drugs
Saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, glycerides, waxes.
-Main-drugs: sweet almond oil, linseed oil, castor oil.
• Drugs containing proteolytic enzymes
- Pineapple
- Papaya.
• Drugs containing essences and resins
Monoterpenes, diterpenes, sesquiterpenes
-Sedative Drugs: Valerian, Chamomile, Linden
- Revulsive and antiseptic: Camphor
- Eupeptic Drugs: Orange, Anise, Fennel, Lemon Balm
- Expectorant drugs: Eucalyptus, Mint, Thyme.
- Adaptogen drugs: ginko
-Drugs with antitumor activity: taxus
• Drugs containing glycosides
-Anthraquinones: aloe, cascara, rhubarb, senna, St. John's wort.
-Sulfur: garlic
-Saponinic: licorice, ginseng, horse chestnut, centella.
-Alcohol: willow.
-Aldehyde: vanilla.
-Phenolic: bearberry, rhodiola rosea
-Cardiac glycosides: digital, strophanthus, scilla.
Iridoid glycosides: Harpagophytum
• Drugs containing phenylpropanoids
-Flavonoids: Silybum marianum, passion flower, blueberry, artichoke.
-Lignans: podofillo.
-Tannins:, Hamamelis, gall, green tea.
• Drugs containing alkaloids
-Phenylalkylamine: capsaicin, ephedra,
-Isochinolinic: boldo, colchicum, curare, ipecac, opium.
-Indole: Rauwolfia, Calabar bean, ergot, vinca.
-Quinoline: china.
-Imidazole: jaborandi.
-Pyridine: tobacco.
-Tropane: belladonna, henbane, jimson weed, coke.
-Purinoceptors: caffeiche drugs
--Serenoa repens
-Echinacea
Red Rice
- Drugs used in weight control
Textbook Information
1) A. Bruni - Farmacognosia generale e applicata – Piccin
2) F. Capasso, R. De Pasquale, G. Grandolini, N. Mascolo – FARMACOGNOSIA – Springer
Course Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Definizione e classificazione delle droghe | 1, 2 |
| 2 | Definizione di principio attivo e fattori che influenzano la composizione e l’attività delle droghe | 1,2 |
| 3 | Raccolta, preparazione e conservazione delle droghe | 1,2 |
| 4 | Riconoscimento e controllo di qualità delle droghe, effettuati secondo le norme riportate nella F.U | 1,2 |
| 5 | Forme farmaceutiche nelle quali vengono preparati i medicinali fitoterapici | 1,2 |
| 6 | Monosaccaridi: glucosio, fruttosio, sorbitolo. Oligosaccaridi: saccarosio. Polisaccaridi: amido, cellulosa, destrani, inulina, pectine, gomme, mucillagini, carragenani, alginati | 2 |
| 7 | -Droghe ad azione lassativa: Manna | 1,2 |
| 8 | -Droghe ad azione protettiva: Amido, Altea, Lino, Malva | 1,2 |
| 9 | -Droghe per impieghi tecnici: Gomma arabica, Gomma adragante | 1,2 |
| 10 | Lipidi e droghe contenenti lipidi; Acidi grassi saturi e insaturi, gliceridi, cere | 1, 2 |
| 11 | -Principali droghe: olio di mandorle dolci, olio di semi di lino, olio di ricino | 1,2 |
| 12 | Droghe contenenti enzimi proteolitici: ananas, papaia | 1,2 |
| 13 | Droghe contenenti essenze e resine | 1,2 |
| 14 | -Droghe ad azione sedativa:Valeriana, Camomilla romana, Camomilla comune, Tiglio | 1 |
| 15 | -Droghe ad azione revulsiva cutanea ed antisettica: Canfora | 1 |
| 16 | -Droghe ad azione eupeptica: Arancio, Anice, Finocchio, Melissa | 1,2 |
| 17 | -Droghe ad azione espettorante: Eucalipto, Menta, Pino mugo, Timo | 1,2 |
| 18 | -Droghe adattogene: ginko | 1,2 |
| 19 | -Droghe ad attività antitumorale: tasso | 1 |
| 20 | Droghe contenenti glicosidi | 1,2 |
| 21 | -Antrachinonici: aloe, cascara, frangola, rabarbaro, senna, iperico | 1,2 |
| 22 | -Solforati: aglio | 1,2 |
| 23 | -Saponinici: liquirizia, ginseng, ippocastano, centella | 1,2 |
| 24 | -Alcolici: salice | 1,2 |
| 25 | -Fenolici: uva ursina | 1,2 |
| 26 | -Glicosidi cardioattivi: digitale, strofanto, scilla | 1,2 |
| 27 | -Glucosidi iridoidi: Arpagofito | 1,2 |
| 28 | Droghe contenenti fenilpropanoidi | 1,2 |
| 29 | -Flavonoidi: cardo mariano, passiflora, mirtillo, carciofo | 1,2 |
| 30 | -Tannini: amamelide, noce di galla, tè verde | 1,2 |
| 31 | Droghe contenenti alcaloidi | 1,2 |
| 32 | -Isochinolinici: boldo, colchico, curaro, ipecacuana, oppio | 1,2 |
| 33 | -Indolici: rauwolfia, fava del Calabar, segale cornuta, vinca | 1,2 |
| 34 | -Chinolinici: china | 1,2 |
| 35 | -Imidazolici: jaborandi | 1,2 |
| 36 | -Piridinici: tabacco | 1,2 |
| 37 | -Tropanici: belladonna, giusquiamo, stramonio, coca | 1,2 |
| 38 | -Purinici: droghe caffeiche | 1,2 |
| 39 | -Altre: serenoa repens, Echinacea, droghe utilizzate nel controllo del peso | 1,2 |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
The assessment of learning can also be carried out online via Microsoft Teams, should conditions require it
Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
1) Drying of a drug
2) Extraction of the active principles by percolation
3) Drug and active principles of papaver somniferum
4) Drug and active principles of physostigma venenosum