Introduction to Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry
DEFINITION • The word Pharmacognosy is derived from the Greek " Pharmakon ", meaning a drug or poison and “ gignosis " meaning to acquire knowledge of and literally meaning “ the entire knowledge of drug ”. • The scientific study of the structural, physical, chemical and sensory characters of crude drugs of vegetable, animal and mineral origin. • includes also their history, cultivation of the medicinal plants producing them and methods involved for their collection and other particulars related to the treatment they received during their passage from the producer to the distributor or pharmacist and Storage HISTORY Contribution of the Scientists in Significant Development of Pharmacognosy: Hippocrates (460-370 B.C), a Greek scientist, is known as the father of medicine. He worked on human anatomy and Physiology, particularly circulatory system and nervous system. He prepared famous oath for physicians, which is still taken by them.