Phytopharmacology was invented by the Russian scientist David Macht in the 1930s. The term has since changed its meaning to become an established field of drug research, where the active substances come from plants. There is at least one established journal, the Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy & Phytopharmacology.[1] The advantages of seeking medicines from plants are due both to the millions of years of co-evolution between plants and animals which has led to interactions between their constituent chemicals developing, and the nature of enzyme driven synthesis leading to optically pure chiral molecules whose reactions in the mammalian body can be very specific.
Many pharmacological preparations currently in use are derived from naturally occurring plant basis. Digoxin and aspirin are two of the earliest commercially refined plant preparations still available.
Syllabus
University of Madras
Phytopharmacognosy
General introduction – the chemical classification of drugs. Structure, properties, characteristics and mode of action of carbohydrate and related compounds - glycosides - tannins - lipids - vegetable oil - resins and resin combinations - alkaloids - lignin compounds - Vitamins and vitamin containing drugs - enzymes and enzyme containing drugs - proteins and related drugs – antibiotics - Alleregens and allergenic preparation - poisonous plants - biopesticides - biocides – biofungicides