Ethno-Pharmacology

Definition and perspectives in ethnopharmacology. Differences between ethnopharmacology and pharmacognosy. Ethnopharmacological field survey and validation of folk claims. Importance in drug discovery – drug leads. Pharmacodynamic basis of herbal medicine. Importance of herbal medicine in combating diseases involving free radical (antioxidants). Animal models in ethnopharmacological research: diabetes, inflammation, ulcer, anemia, zebra fish, transgenic animals. Non animal/in vitro models in ethnopharmacological research: Drosophilia melanogaster, use of cell lines. Introduction to modern technologies in ethnopharmacological research: Omic’s technology (metabolomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, genomics) and high throughput screening. Challenges of traditional medicine in Africa. Ethical considerations and intellectual property rights. Preclinical and clinical trials of herbal medicines. Ethnopharmacology and Healthcare in the developing world.