The department of Pharmacognosy is dedicated to natural and herbal medicinal product research in pharmaceutical sciences. This department deals with study of biology, chemistry, biochemistry, taxonomy and ethnobiology of natural product obtained from plant, animal, marine and other life origins.  Roots of the study of plant & their medicinal use goes back to the ancient civilization. Our ancestors use the plants for various purposes such as antiseptic, antimalarial, antibiotics, antihypertensive, cosmetics, etc. In the Pharmacognosy department areas of active interest include such as Isolation & extraction of crude drugs, characterization and biological studies of phytoconstituents, Identification of morphological & microscopical characters. Pharmacognosy department having core subjects such as Pharmacognosy & Phytochemistry – I, Pharmacognosy & Phytochemistry – II, & Herbal Drug Technology.

Pharmacognosy & Phytochemistry–I: The subject involves the fundamentals of Pharmacognosy like scope, classification of crude drugs, their identification and evaluation, phytochemicals present in them and their medicinal properties.

Pharmacognosy & Phytochemistry – II: The main purpose of this subject is to impart the student the knowledge of how the secondary metabolites are produced in the crude drugs, how to isolate & identify & produce them industrially. Also this subject involves the study of producing the plant & Phytochemical through plant tissue culture, drug interaction & basic principles of traditional system of medicine.

Herbal Drug Technology: This subject gives the student the knowledge of basic understanding of herbal drug industry, the quality of raw material, guidelines for quality of herbal drugs, herbal cosmetics, natural sweeteners, Nutraceutical etc. The subject also emphasizes on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), patenting and regulatory issues of herbal drugs.

The major practical’s conducted in the department are such as….

Ø  Study of Morphology, histology, powder characteristics & extraction and detection of crude drugs.

Ø  Analysis of crude drugs by chemical tests.

Ø  Determination of stomatal number and index

Ø   Determination of vein islet number, vein islet termination and palisade ratio.

Ø   Determination of size of starch grains, calcium oxalate crystals by eye piece micrometer

Ø  Determination of the alcohol content of Asava and Arista

Ø  Incorporation of prepared and standardized extract in cosmetic formulations like creams, lotions and shampoos and their evaluation.

     The major instruments available in Pharmacognosy Department are:

Ø  Projection & Compound microscope

Ø  Camera Lucida

Ø  Soxhlet Apparatus

Ø  Separating Funnel

Ø  Hot Air Oven