Pharmacognosy is a science which is one of the basic disciplines of pharmacy and it researches drugs derived from natural sources. The studies in this field usually focus on traditional uses of plants, medicines derived from plants, various types of organisms (bacteria, fungi etc.,) and recently marine organisms. The main topics of the pharmacognostical studies are natural product drug discovery, biological activities of the substances obtained from natural sources, herb-drug interactions and physiotherapy. It can be said that Pharmacognosy is closely related to botany, plant chemistry, microbiology and pharmacology. Today Pharmacognosy can be divided three main fields; Ethnopharmacognosy, Phytotherapy and Phytochemistry.
Pharmacognosy also gives knowledge of chemotaxonomy, biogenic pathways for the formation of acute ingredients. A vital link between pharmacology and medicinal chemistry: Concepts of biochemistry and chemical engineering help in the improvement of collection, processing and storage technologies of pharmaceuticals. This has done by the advanced technologies of cultivation, purification, identification (characterization) of pharmaceuticals from nature. This includes a variety of substances that are accumulated by plants and synthesized by plants. A vital contribution to the advancement of natural science: Nowadays phytochemistry (plant chemistry) has undergone the significant improvement. It also includes plant taxonomy, plant breeding, plant pathology, plant genetics and by this knowledge one can improve the cultivation methods for both medicinal and aromatic plants. Pharmacognosy gives a sound knowledge of the vegetable drugs under botany and animal drugs under zoology.
As a research tools and in new drug delivery systems and all the departments of pharmaceuticals and one can improve the healthcare facilities across. In other way the complete knowledge of Pharmacognosy will help in the recent trend that is in industries, Pharmacognosy is a science of active principles of crude drugs and which can be help in dispensing, formulating and manufacturing of dosage forms. In short Pharmacognosy is an important link between pharmaceuticals and basic science as well as Ayurveda and Allopathic system of medicines. Pharmacognosy is essential for the evolution of new medicines because crude drugs are used for the preparation of galanicals or as a source of therapeutically active metabolites. Newly detected plant drugs are converting into medicine as purified phytochemicals.
The department creates awareness on the medicinal uses of various naturally occurring drugs along with its history, sources, distribution, method of cultivation, active constituents, identification tests, preservation methods, substitutes and adulterants of various herbs of medicinal importance. The students are also taught about the basic principles of cultivation, collection and storage of crude drugs and thereby appreciate the applications of primary and secondary metabolites of the plant. This department also maintains the Herbal garden and Museum