Introduction to medicinal plants (2 hrs Lecture+ 2 hrs Practical)

Description

This course is part of the Biological Sciences Cluster I. This course introduces the students to the basis of use of therapies of herbal and natural origin. The concepts of official medicinal plants, herbal monographs will be discussed. The student will be provided with an overview of basic methods for identification, preparation, and uses of commonly used supplements of natural origin. The evidence based and traditional uses of significant examples of different organs of the plant (leaves, flowers, barks, woods and seeds) will be the main core of the course.

Program

Bachelor of Pharmacy-B Pharm

Objectives

• a. Knowledge and Understanding a.1. Recognize plant cell structure and the different plant cell contents. a.2. Recognize the different systems of nomenclature and authentication of medicinal plants a.3. Identify medicinal plants in the whole state and in powdered condition. a.4. Describe the macro- and microscopical characters of the medicinal barks, galls, woods, flowers and seeds. a.5. List the major active constituents in the medicinal plants under study and discuss their clinical uses. b. Intellectual Skills b.1. Distinguish the different types of medicinal plant monographs. b.2. Distinguish official and unofficial medicinal plants. b.3. Distinguish the traditional and evidence-based uses of some medicinal plants. c. Professional and Practical Skills c.1. Detect genuine, adulterated and exhausted drugs by different identity tests. c.2. Apply microscopic examination for identification of certain medicinal plants. c.3. Detect the active constituents of the different studied drugs by means of chemical tests. d. General and Transferable Skills d.1. Develop skills of independent learning as tested by writing an in-depth assignment concerning herbal remedies. d.2. Communicate with others in teamwork during preparation of projects. d.3. Manage time properly during written essay type exams and timed multiple-choice questions.