Brief History of Department:
The Department was officially established in 1983, following its initial existence as a joint department with Pharmaceutical Chemistry since the inception of the Pharmacy degree program in 1980. Pharmacognosy represents one of the five major disciplines in pharmaceutical education, making it a highly specialized science.
This field is an applied science that encompasses the study of the biological, chemical, biochemical, and economic aspects of natural drugs and their constituents. It is synonymous with the study of “material medica,” which involves medicinal materials derived from natural sources such as plants, animals, and minerals. The name “Pharmacognosy” is derived from two Greek words: “pharmakon,” meaning drug, and “gignosco,” meaning knowledge. As a discipline, it can be described as the simultaneous application of various scientific disciplines to acquire comprehensive knowledge of drugs.
Pharmacognosy encompasses the knowledge of the history, distribution, cultivation, collection, selection, preparation, commerce, identification, evaluation, preservation, and use of drugs. Additionally, it delves into the economic factors affecting human and animal health.
Furthermore, Pharmacognosy, or natural products research, investigates the chemistry, origins, and biological roles of small molecules derived from nature. These sources include plants, animals, fungi, and various microorganisms from terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments worldwide. It also involves classical approaches to isolate compounds, elucidate their structures, and develop pharmaceutical applications. This research is a pivotal initial step in the drug discovery process and extends to various biotechnological applications, including molecular probes for cell biology, pest control agents for agriculture, additives for the cosmetic industry, and dietary supplement science. Moreover, natural product research provides essential insights into the ecological roles of these compounds within source populations, guiding conservation and management strategies while offering potential pharmacological insights for drug discovery.
The significance of Pharmacognosy in pharmaceutical education varies across the globe. In some regions, like African countries such as Nigeria, there is a pronounced emphasis on traditional medicine within the healthcare system, justifying the importance of Pharmacognosy as a distinct discipline within the curriculum. This emphasis differs from countries like Great Britain and the United States, where its role may not be as prominent.
The Department of Pharmacognosy is dedicated to equipping students with the knowledge and skills to achieve the following educational objectives:
Pharmaceutical Botany Expertise: To enable students to connect pharmaceutical botany with the morphological identification, classification, cultivation, collection, and preparation of crude vegetable drugs. This includes methods for preserving these drugs for commercial use.
Understanding Drug Sources: To help students recognize the sources of cellular and acellular drugs, understand their morphological, physical, and chemical characteristics, and grasp their applications in both pharmacy and medicine.
Classification Proficiency: To familiarize students with various methods of classifying crude drugs, with a specific focus on chemotaxonomic classification principles.
Phytochemical Techniques: To expose students to fundamental phytochemical techniques employed in pharmacy, especially in the context of drug development.
Galenical Formulation: To equip students with the ability to formulate and assess galenicals, which are pharmaceutical preparations derived from natural sources.
Understanding Biogenesis: To outline the biogenetic and biosynthetic pathways of plant and animal metabolites, highlighting their relevance in pharmacy and medicine.
Application in Pest Control: To demonstrate how knowledge of Pharmacognosy is applied in pest control and environmental medicine.
Field Trips: To organize field trips that complement students’ understanding of the sources of natural drug products. These excursions provide hands-on experience in identifying and collecting medicinal materials from their natural habitats.
Role in Drug Research and Development: To emphasize the vital role of Pharmacognosy in drug research and development and its interconnection with other pharmaceutical sciences.
Integration in Healthcare: To underscore the importance of Pharmacognosy in comprehending the fundamental principles involved in traditional medicine and its potential integration into the healthcare delivery system.
By nurturing these competencies, the Department of Pharmacognosy prepares students to contribute effectively to pharmaceutical research, development, and healthcare delivery, encompassing both modern pharmaceutical practices and the potential integration of traditional medicine.
The department offers about ten core courses within the B. Pharm. program and two courses within the B. Sc. Pharmacology curriculum. These courses encompass both theoretical knowledge and practical training, including field trips to herbaria, natural habitats where medicinal plants and animals thrive, traditional medical clinics, and herbal markets.
Pharmacy students receive comprehensive instruction in the identification, collection, and preparation of naturally occurring crude drugs intended for commercial and industrial use. The curriculum also covers the chemistry of these crude drugs, which originate from plant, animal, and mineral sources. Students learn about their applications in drug formulation and usage. Additionally, the department covers essential topics related to Traditional Medicine, Pesticides, Herbicides, and Molluscicides.
Furthermore, the department offers postgraduate programs in Pharmacognosy designed for M.Sc., M.Phil., and Ph.D. students, enabling them to delve deeper into this specialized field.
The current head of the Department is Prof. Sunday A. Adesegun, who provides leadership and guidance in the department’s educational and research activities.
