Introduction; History, definition and scope of Pharmacognosy, Traditional and Alternative system of medicine. Collection and processing of Herbal drug.

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Shri Tuljabhavani Sewabhawi Shaikshanik Va
Samagik Shikshan Sanstha, Kothari. HI TECH
COLLEGE OF PHARMACY, CHANDRAPUR Padoli Phata
Nagpur Highway, chandrapur-442401 M-Pharmacy
(1st year, 1st Semester) 2021-2022 Department -
Pharmacognosy(MPG) Name - Maroti Madhukar
Jeurkar Roll No - 02 ADVANCED PHARMACOGNOSY
-1UNIT 1 
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ADVANCED PHARMACOGNOSY -1UNIT 1 

• DEFINITION
• Pharmacognosy is systematic study of these crude
  drugs obtained from natural origin like plant,
  animal and minerals.
• Pharmacognosy can be defined as branch of science
  which involves detail study of drugs obtained
  from natural origin including name, habitat,
  collection, cultivation, macroscopy, microscopy,
  physical properties, chemical constituents,
  therapeutic actions, uses and adulterants.
• The word pharmacognosy is derived from two words,
  pharmakon means medicine (drug) and gignosco
  means to acquire knowledge of something.

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HERBAL MEDICINE AND ITS IMPORTANT      Herbal
Medicine is defined as branch of science in which
plant based formulations are used to alleviate
the diseases. It is also known as botanical
medicine or phytomedicine. In the early
twentieth century herbal medicine was prime
healthcare system as antibiotics or analgesics
were not available. With increasing use of
allopathic system of medicine, herbal medicine
gradually lost its popularity among people and it
was based on the fast therapeutic actions of
synthetic drug.Substances derived from the
plants remain the basis for a large proportion of
the commercial medications used today for the
treatment of heart disease, high blood pressure,
pain, asthma, and other problems.
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HERBAL MEDICINE AND ITS IMPORTANT For
example, ephedra is a herb used in Traditional
Chinese Medicine for more than two thousand years
to treat asthma and other respiratory
problems. Ephedrine, the active ingredient in
ephedra, is used in the commercial pharmaceutical
preparations for the relief of asthma symptoms
and other respiratory problems. It helps the
patient to breathe more easily.          
Traditional Indian practice held that certain
drugs should be formulated through the addition
of chosen substances that enhances
bioavailability of anti-TB drug RIFAMPICIN.
Formulation of piperine with rifampicin will
save the drug counter effects.
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• Indian Council for Agricultural Research ICAR
• It is a self-governing body in India that
  coordinates agricultural education and research.
• It reports to the Ministry of Agriculture's
  Department of Agricultural Research and
  Education. Its president is the Union Minister of
  Agriculture. Indian Council for Agricultural
  Research(ICAR), is the largest network of
  agricultural research and education institutes in
  the world.
• ICAR is a registered society under the Societies
  Registration Act, 1860.
• The current director of ICAR is Trilochan
  Mohapatra.
• It works under the motto, Agrisearch with a
  human touch.

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• Introduction -ICAR is an autonomous organization
  under the Department of Agricultural Research and
  Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and
  Farmers Welfare, Government of India., It was
  established on 16 July 1929.
• ICAR was formerly known as Imperial Council of
  Agricultural Research.
• Headquartered at New Delhi, ICAR has 101
  institutes and 71 agricultural universities
  spread across the country.
• ICAR is the body for coordinating, guiding and
  managing research and education in agriculture
  including horticulture, fisheries and animal
  sciences in the country.
• Union Minister of Agriculture is the ex-officio
  President of the ICAR Society. Shri Narendra
  Singh Tomar is the President of ICAR.

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Good agricultural practices Agricultural
production is part of a long chain of activities
that starts from the seeding (or even earlier)
and stretches all the way to the consumer. They
should meet consumer expectations in terms of
quality, safety and also value or price. Many
intermediate steps are involved and these often
involve handling, storage and transportation
across national borders or continents.
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Principles of good agricultural practices
(G.A.P.) i). Prevention of Contamination During
cultivation there are many different risks that
can cause the plants to become contaminated. For
example, if the soil or irrigation water is
contaminated with pesticides ii). Best Active
Ingredients The location of the cultivation site,
the variety of the species used, the irrigation
cycles, the harvest time are some of the factors
that may influence the potency of the active
ingredients. iii). Best Yield and Income Good
Agricultural Practices also explore how to
optimise the yield of the crop, and therefore the
income for the farmer. For example, the quality
of the seed, the spacing between the plants and
the rows, plant nutrition, weed management,
insect pest and disease management, irrigation
methods and the harvest stage and time all have a
signifi cant impact on the yield, as well as the
quality of the crop. iv). Documentation and
Traceability it becomes much easier to identify
and therefore address any quality related issues
that may arise at a later date. Record keeping is
therefore a major focus of the GACP guidelines.
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Site Selection Medicinal plant materials
derived from the same species can show
significant differences in quality when
cultivated at different sites, owing to the
influence of soil, climate and other factors.
These differences may relate to physical
appearance or to variations in their
constituents, the biosynthesis of which may be
affected Land Preparation The soil should
contain appropriate amounts of nutrients, organic
matter and other elements to ensure optimal
medicinal plant growth and quality. Optimal soil
conditions, including soil type, drainage,
moisture retention, fertility and pH, will be
dictated by the selected medicinal plant species
and/or target medicinal plant part. The use of
fertilizers is often indispensable in order to
obtain large yields of medicinal plants.
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Sowing / Planting Use seeds that were harvested
during the previous season in good condition and
free of pests from reliable sources Sow seeds
or transplant seedlings at the correct time.
Ensure correct spacing between plants and rows
If you plan to plant other crops as an
intercrop then select compatible species which
do not compete with main crop for inputs
Irrigation Apply a mulch to conserve soil
moisture If possible, test the irrigation water
for any contaminants and adopt appropriate
measures to prevent contamination Irrigate
medicinal plants according to the specifi c water
requirements of the species if in doubt, seek
guidance from an expert and plan the irrigation
schedule accordingly. Use water from a clean
source Weeding Manage weeds before they start
competing with the main crop for nutrients and
light Use much to maintain moisture in the soil
and to inhibit growth of weeds
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Harvest Medicinal plants should be harvested
during the optimal season or time period to
ensure the production of medicinal plant
materials and finished herbal products of the
best possible quality. The time of harvest
depends on the plant part to be used. Detailed
information concerning the appropriate timing of
harvest is often available in national
pharmacopoeias, published standards, official
monographs and major reference books. However, it
is well known that the concentration of
biologically active constituents varies with the
stage of plant growth and development.
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GOOD COLLECTION PRACTICES   This section
describes the general strategies and basic
methods for small- and large-scale collection of
fresh medicinal plant materials. Collection
practices should ensure the long term survival of
wild populations and their associated habitats.
Management plans for collection should provide a
framework for setting sustainable harvest levels
and describe appropriate collection practices
that are suitable for each medicinal plant
species and plant part used (roots, leaves,
fruits, etc.). Collection of medicinal plants
raises a number of complex environmental and
social issues that must be addressed locally on a
case-bycase basis. It is acknowledged that these
issues vary widely from region to region and
cannot be fully covered by these guidelines.  
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Principles of good collection practices i)
Sustainability Some species or plant parts
regenerate quickly after being harvested, other
species take much longer. Flowers, fruits and
leaves, for example, regenerate much more easily
than roots and barks. In some cases the plants
may not be able to regenerate at all. For the
harvest to be sustainable the collectors must
collect medicinal plants species in a manner that
ensures that the rate of regeneration is greater
than the rate of extraction. ii) Collection
Regulations Wild collection usually takes place
on public land that is either owned by the
government or the local community and is subject
to local regulations stating who has collection
rights and which species they are permitted to
collect. The collection of medicinal plants is
also subject to national and international
regulations, especially regarding the collection
of threatened and endangered species. Collectors
should be aware of all of these regulations and
adhere to them at all times. iii) Prevention of
Contamination, Degradation and Damage Although
there may be less risk of contamination from
agrochemicals etc. in forests and uncultivated
areas than in private agricultural land, there
are still many potential risks during the harvest
and transportation of the medicinal plant
material to the processing site.
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iv) Optimisation of Active Ingredients To
maximise the potency of medicinal plants
collected from the wild there are three main
factors to take into consideration the
collection site, the collection time and the
maturity of the plant. Factors such as altitude,
soil type, and climate can have a signifi cant
effect on the active ingredients of the plants.
Similarly, collecting plants at different times
of the year or different stages of the plants
maturity can also have an impact on the plants
medicinal properties. v) Documentation and
Traceability Documentation during wild collection
is essential for the harvested plant material to
be traceable. It is particularly important to
keep a record of the location of collection and
the quantities collected as well as observations
of whether the plant population has successfully
regenerated since the previous collection.
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Planning Obtain a collection permit from the
relevant authorities, if required Explore the
area before collection to assess whether there is
enough of the plant species for the collection to
be sustainable Ensure there is an experienced
collector who can provide guidance to others who
are less experienced Take cleans sacks and
tools when setting out for collection Pack a
pen, diary and labels for keeping
records Collection Time Collect medicinal
plants at a time that maximises chances of plant
regeneration Collect medicinal plants at the
correct time of the year to ensure maximum
potency of the plants medicinal
properties Collection Sites Only collect
medicinal plants in areas where you have
collection rights Collect medicinal plants in
clean locations, away from potential sources of
contamination Respect the local customs,
traditions and beliefs of the area Collect from
only those sites where the target species grows
in large quantities Keep a record of the place
where you collect so that you can observe the
plants regeneration in the future
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Collection Methods Harvest the plants in dry
weather Harvest at the right time to ensure
maximum levels of active ingredients Ensure
that your collection methods are sustainable and
do not have any negative impact on the
environment Place harvested medicinal plants in
a clean container or sack Keep green leafy
herbs in the shade to prevent them from wilting
after harvest When in doubt of regeneration, do
not collect more than 70 of any plant
population GCP Documentation Maintain records
of all harvests in a Collectors Diary
Prepare printed harvest tags that can be
attached to the sacks at the time of harvest  
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CONSERVATION OF MEDICINAL PLANTS   Need For
Conservation Conservation aims at supporting
sustainable development by wing the biological
resources in ways that dont deplete the worlds
variety of species or destroy their ecosystems.
It involves measures such as collection,
propagation, evaluation, disease identification
and elimination, storage and distribution.
Conservation of medicinal plants and their
genetic resources can be undertaken by in-situ
and ex-situ conservation. Ex-situ conservation
involves conservation of medium plants outside
their natural habitat used to safeguard them from
destruction, replacement or deterioration.
Ex-situ conservation includes procedure like seed
storage, DNA storage, field gene banks and
botanical gardens etc  
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CONSERVATION OF MEDICINAL PLANTS   Traditional
Methods of Conservations 1.To Conserve Medicinal
Plant Species In Situ In-situ method of
conservation deals with the on-site
conservation of the wild genetic diversity in
natural habitat. In India, the conservation of
forest areas preserves through Protected Areas
like National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and
Biosphere Reserves. The Government should prepare
a policy at national level on the conservation
and utilization of medicinal plants in protected
areas. This type of conservation is achieved both
by setting away areas as nature reserves and wild
nurseries and by ensuring that as many wild
species as possible can still survive in managed
habitats, like farms and plantation forests. The
Government should assess the extent to which the
protected areas system covers the medicinal
plants of the country. Species that are heavily
depleted by over-collection should be
re-introduced into areas where they originally
grew in wild 
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CONSERVATION OF MEDICINAL PLANTS Natural Parks -
Natural Parks are protected areas of important
wild resources created to preserve and restore
biodiversity. Around the world, more than 12,700
protected areas have been established. Conserving
medicinal plants in their natural habitat
requires evaluating the contributions and
ecosystem roles of individual habitats.E.g.
Velavadar National Park in Gujarat, Ranthambore
National Park in Rajasthan, Corbett National Park
in Uttarakhand. Wild nurseries - The populations
of medicinal plants are under hefty burden
because of overexploitation, habitat degradation
and invasive species, wild nurseries can provide
an effective approach for in situ conservation of
medicinal plants that are endemic, threatened,
and in-demand. E.g. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary,
Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka and the
Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary in south
India.Biosphere Reserves There are 18 biosphere
reserves in India. These aim at securing the
ecosystem by stopping irresponsible interference
of humans with the ecosystem and also to conserve
the endemic and endangered species. Out of these
18, 4 are part of the World Network of Biosphere
Reserves. E.g. Nilgiri 2000, Sunderban, 2001,
Nanda Devi, 2004, Pachmarhi, 2009, Great Nicobar,
2013, Agasthyamala, 2016 and Khangchendzonga,
2018.
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CONSERVATION OF MEDICINAL PLANTS Traditional
Methods of Conservations 2. To Conserve
Medicinal Plant Species Ex Situ Ex-situ
conservation deals with the off-site
conservation of the wild genetic resources in
natural habitat. It includes the collection,
preservation and maintenance of certain genetic
resources from wild. Ex-situ method of
conservation is a complementary action to
conserve the genetic diversity, thereby reducing
pressure on wild environments and enhancing raw
material availability. For many species of
medicinal plants their wild population is on
life-threatening level and it is not suitable for
dealing in-situ conservation action. It can be
served as field gene banks and also help to
engaging the number of stakeholders in production
and regeneration of medicinal plants.
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CONSERVATION OF MEDICINAL PLANTS Botanic
gardens Botanic gardens should set up
alternative means of ex situ conservation for
those species which cannot be stored in seed
banks. Botanical Survey of India is actively
engaged in the ex-situ conservation through its
chain of Botanic gardens established in different
regional circles E.g. Government Botanical
Gardens in Tamil Nadu, Garden of Medicinal Plants
in west Bengal and Empress Garden in Maharashtra
Seed banks Seed banks proposed a better way of
storing the genetic diversity of many medicinal
plants ex situ than through botanic gardens.
Seed banks allow quick access to plant samples
for the evaluation of their properties. The
challenging tasks of seed banking are how to
introduce again the plant species back into the
wild and how to actively assist in the
restoration of wild populations. Field Gene
Banks - Field gene banks conserve plants by using
tools of biotechnology. These include - In
vitro conservation - In vitro propagation and
re-introduction of plants to their natural
habitats. - Molecular masker technology Various
In-vitro techniques have been developed to store
vegetatively propagated seed producing species.
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thank you