Learning objectives
Knowledge and understanding skills
• Acquire the basic knowledge of pharmacognosy, with the support of advanced textbooks.
• Receive the basic knowledge of pharmacognosy on the origin, on the active principles, on the technological process and on the pharmacological activity of the main drugs of interest in phytotherapy.
Applying knowledge and understanding
• Support arguments in the field of pharmacognosy.
• Ability to judge the validity of a phytotherapy product autonomously.
Communication skills
• Advise and inform non-specialist interlocutors using an appropriate dissemination dictionary.
• Use the technical language, with no ambiguity with industry specialists.
Learning skills
• Develop the skills needed to undertake subsequent studies with a high degree of autonomy.
Prerequisites
Knowledge of general chemistry, anatomy and physiology are welcome.
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.
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
M. Tognolini, I. Zanotti - Principi di farmacognosia e fitoterapia -SECONDA EDIZIONE - UNINOVA
Teaching methods
Oral lesson during which dialogue with the classroom will be privileged. Some hours of experimental lessons will cover the vision of drugs and phytotherapic preparations as well as the calculation of some pharmacokinetic parameters in a computer lab.
Some slides supporting the lessons are loaded on the Elly platform. Slides must be integrated with a textbook.
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral examination.
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).
