Pharmacognosy subject is an essential area for the development of pharmaceutical sciences. Along with pharmacology, pharmaceutical chemistry and pharmaceutical technology, pharmacognosy is the foundation for the progress and development of pharma sciences.
Pharmacognosy is essential for integrative and alternative medicines and for traditional system of healthcare.
The knowledge and skill of pharmacognosy is required when one is dealing with all kinds of natural products, phytopharmaceuticals, herbal products, neutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals.
The M Pharm, PG programme has an AICTE and PCI approved specialisation known as M Pharm in pharmacognosy.
In the recent years, admission for M Pharm in pharmacognosy is declining.
Manipal Academy of Higher Education(MAHE) along with other universities, a centre of integrative medicine and research exists. Pharmacognosy facilities in Manipal College of Pharmaceutical sciences provides a lot of research services for standardisation of Ayurvedic, Homeopathic and Siddha medicines. A center of Research and Testing of Ayush preparations is being established with the help of Ayush grant in MAHE.
Various add on healthcare programmes are conducted by Directorate of Research of MAHE utilising the pharmacognosy department of Manipal College of Pharmaceutical sciences
In the private sector, MAHE, is adding additional value in interdisciplinary healthcare research through the pharmacognosy facility. MAHE has the highest number of faculty, researchers and students pursuing doctoral and post doctoral work with good number of publications. The department has collaborations with leading herbal and Phytopharmaceutical industries. In India there is a Society of Ethnopharmacology with headquarters in Kolkata and one of the leading chapters is in MAHE. An international conference of Ethnopharmacology was organised in MAHE. About 1000 delegates, papers and 100 plenary lectures were delivered during the event focussing on the subject of pharmacognosy.
Next article – Pharmacognosy as a branch needs to be looked upon as a vast area | Dr Madhu Chitkara
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