Pharmacognosy I

Plant collection, preparation and storage of hebarium specimens Standadization/evaluation of crude drugs with particular emphasis on chemical constituents, adulteration and substitution, microbial contamination, toxic residues, moisture content, ash values, extractive values, crude fibre, and other numerical values of crude drugs. Formulation and production of phytomedicines of some Nigerian medicinal plants Physio-chemical characteristics and assessment of quality of the phytomedicines. History and present state of herbal medicines. The practitioner, the plant – collection, drying and storage, pests and pesticides. Hebarium, hebarium specimen and voucher numbers. Research findings and documentation of medicinal plants. Selected examples of Nigerian medicinal plants will be discussed under the following headings: local names, geographical sources, microscopy, medicinal uses, chemical constituents and toxicity profile. Examples will be taken from the following areas: antimalarials, antisicklings, antihypertensives, antidiabetics, antimicrobials. Also to be discussed are toxic special plants – hallucinogens, allergens and molluscicides. Phytochemical principles involved in formulation of phytomedicines will be discussed. Substantial emphasis will be laid on physiochemical and pharmacological assessment of quality, efficacy and safety.