DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACOGNOSY

Pharmacognosy is one of the oldest branches of the pharmacy profession concerned with the study of the physical, chemical, biochemical, and biological properties of natural drugs, including the search for new drugs from natural sources. It has undergone significant development in recent years and has emerged today as highly interdisciplinary and one major area of pharmaceutical sciences as the search for new drugs from natural sources and nutraceuticals.

The main topics of the pharmacognostic studies are natural product drug discovery, biological activities of the substances obtained from natural sources, herb-drug interactions, and phytotherapy. It can be said that pharmacognosy is closely related to botany, plant chemistry, microbiology, and pharmacology. The export of medicinal plants and herbs from India has increased in the last few centuries. So, the Pharmacognosy branch has a broad scope in the isolation, identification, and standardization of crude drugs and bioactive compounds for further usage. Currently, the department handles the courses related to Pharmacognosy in D.Pharm and B. Pharm. The teaching and research facilities in the department include a standard laboratory with relevant equipment support. This department also maintains a medicinal garden, which serves as an educational display of medicinal and aromatic plants. The department also organizes seminars and guest lectures for knowledge acquisition and dissemination

Career Opportunities in Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry

Pharmacognosy opens up diverse job and research opportunities. In the public sector, government agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration hire pharmacognosists. Students can find good placements in areas such as natural product research centers and the herbal drug industry and academics. The field of alternative medicine is also open to pharmacognosists. The Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) has been set up to propagate natural systems of medicine and health care.