Learning objectives
Knowledge and ability to understand
• Acquire the fundamental knowledge of pharmacognosy, with the support of advanced textbooks.
• Understanding the basic knowledge of pharmacognosy on the origin, the active ingredients, the technological process, the pharmacological activity and toxic effects of the main drugs of interest in phytotherapeutic.
Applied knowledge
• Recommend herbal remedies for minor diseases
• Recognize the main medicinal plants
Communication
• Advising and informing non-specialist interlocutors using an appropriate informative vocabulary.
• Use the technical language, in an unambiguous way with the specialists.
Ability to learn
• Develop the skills necessary to tackle subsequent studies with a high degree of autonomy.
Prerequisites
Knowledge of botany, general chemistry, anatomy and physiology can help the student to understand the course. Among the topics of particular importance are: heart and cardiac cycle, gastrointestinal system, digestion and absorption, peripheral nervous system (voluntary and autonomous), smooth and striated muscle, generality on sugars and fatty acids, organization of animal and plant cells, eukaryotes and prokaryotes, cell membranes, transport of small molecules (simple and facilitated diffusion, osmosis, active transport, cotransport) or large molecules (exocytosis and endocytosisosmosis), phase transitions and diagrams, solutions and their concentrations, colloidal solutions, molarity.
Course unit content
Medicinal plant and crude drug.
Phytocomplex and active compounds. Interactions.
Toxicity of natural preparations.
Basics of general pharmacology: pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic
Traditional medicine and phytotherapy.
Technology of natural medical products:
- harvesting, drying, grinding, squeezing, enfleurage, distillation, extraction.
Drug acquisition and preservation.
Galenical preparations.
Generalities on homeopathy
VEGETAL ACTIVE PRINCIPLES:
- glycosides (cardioactive, cyanogenics, sulphurated, antraquinones, saponins).
- alkaloids: purinergics, tropanics, benzylisoquinolics, indolics, quinolinics.
- lipids: oils, fats, waxes.
- phenilpropanoids: flavonoids, lignans, tannins.
- terpenes: essences, resins, balms.
- carbohydrates: mono/polysacchrides, gums, mucilages, pectins.
THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS
Drugs acting on gastrointestinal system
-Drugs acting on GI system
- Drugs acting on CNS
- Drugs acting on cardiovascular system
- Antihyperlipidemic plants
- Peripheral vascular disorders
- Drugs acting on respiratory system
- Adaptogenic and immunostimulant plants
- Antinflammatory drugs
Full programme
GENERALITIES
Medicinal plant and crude drug.
Phytocomplex and active compounds. Interactions.
Toxicity of natural preparations.
Basics of general pharmacology: pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic
Traditional medicine and phytotherapy.
Technology of natural medical products:
- harvesting, drying, grinding, squeezing, enfleurage, distillation, extraction.
Drug acquisition and preservation.
Galenical preparations.
Traditional medicine and phytotherapy.
Homeopathy. Alternative care.
VEGETAL ACTIVE PRINCIPLES:
- glycosides (cardioactive, cyanogenics, sulphurated, antraquinones, saponins).
- alkaloids: purinergics, tropanics, benzylisoquinolics, indolics, quinolinics.
- lipids: oils, fats, waxes.
- phenilpropanoids: flavonoids, lignans, tannins.
- terpenes: essences, resins, balms.
- carbohydrates: mono/polysacchrides, gums, mucilages, pectins, alginates.
THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS
Drugs acting on gastrointestinal system
- Aloe spp, Matricaria recutita, Althaea officinalis, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Foeniculum vulgare, Pimpinella anisum, Illicium verum.
- Constipation: manna, Rhamnus frangula, Rhamnus purshiana, Cassia spp, Aloe spp, Rheum spp.
Drugs acting on CNS
- Stimolants: Coffea arabica, Thea sinensis, Theobroma cacao, Cola spp, Ilex paraguayensis, Paullinia cupana
- Sedatives/Anxyolitics: Valeriana officinalis, Passiflora incarnata, Humulus lupulus
- Antidepressants: Hypericum perforatum
- Others: Ginkgo biloba
Drugs acting on cardiovascular system
- Antihyperlipidemic plants: Cynara scolimus, Allium sativum, Commiphora mukul.
- Peripheral vascular disorders : Aesculus hippocastanum, Vaccinium myrtillus, Ruscus aculeatus
Drugs acting on respiratory system
- saponins: Marrubium vulgare,Hedera helix, Poligala senega.
- essences: Eucaliptus globulus, Melaleuca spp, Menta piperita, Lavandula officinalis, Pimpinella anisum, Foeniculum vulgare, Myroxylon pereire, Myroxylon balsamum.
- mucilages: Plantago lanceolata, Althaea officinalis.
Adaptogenic and immunostimulant plants: Eleuhterococcus senticosus, Panax ginseng, Echinacea angustifolia.
Antinflammatory drugs: Salix alba, Boswellia serrata, Harpagophytum procumbens
Bibliography
Bibliografia consigliata: M. Tognolini, M. Chiavarini - Principi di farmacognosia e fitoterapia - UNINOVA
Farmacognosia e fitoterapia. Basi farmacologiche e aspetti applicativi di Izzo, Mazzanti, Dell'Agli –PICCIN
Teaching methods
Socratic heuristic oral lessons accompanied by informal and optional in itinere tests.
Lectures will be held either in the classroom (“in presenza”) or through the Teams platform (“in telepresenza”), so that the opportunity of student/teacher interaction will be preserved (depending on COVID-19 emergency)
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral examination.
During the examination will be placed at least one question on each of the following topics: description of a class of active ingredients, description of the activity of an alkaloid drug, description of a production process, suggestions of possible herbal remedies for small diseases.
Finally, the recognition of a medicinal plant will be required.
For the determination of the final mark the following descriptors are adopted:
• knowledge and understanding of the subjects (up to 12/30);
• ability to apply the knowledge (up to 10/30);
• ability to communicate the learned knowledge and skills in verbal form through the appropriate use of the techinical language (up to 8/30).
In case of the persistence of the COVID health emergency, the exams will be conducted remotely, through the Teams platform
Other information
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