Course programme
1 HERBAL MEDICINE Skill Based Elective I (Semester V) Ethno Medicine Unit I Ethnomedicine – definition, history and its scope – Inter disciplinary approaches in ethnobotany – Collection of ethnic information. Unit II Importance of medicinal plants – role in human health care – health and balanced diet (Role of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and vitamins). Unit III Tribal medicine – methods of disease diagnosis and treatment – Plants in folk religion – Aegle marmelos, Ficus benghalensis, Curcuma domestica, Cyanodon dactylon and Sesamum indicum. Unit IV Traditional knowledge and utility of some medicinal plants in Tamilnadu – Solanum trilobatum, Cardiospermum halicacabum, Vitex negundo, Adathoda vasica, Azadirachta indica, Gloriosa superba, Eclipta alba, Aristolochia indica and Phyllanthus fraternus. Unit V Plants in day today life – Ocimum sanctum, Centella asiatica, Cassia auriculata, Aloe vera. Nutritive and medicinal value of some fruits (Guava, Sapota, Orange, Mango, Banana, Lemon, Pomegranate) and vegetables - Greens (Moringa, Solanum nigrum Cabbage). References Ethnobiology – R.K.Sinha & Shweta Sinha. Surabhe Publications – Jaipur. 2001 Tribal medicine – D.C. Pal & S.K. Jain Naya Prakash, 206, Bidhan Sarani, Calcutta , 1998 Contribution to Indian ethnobotany – S.K. Jain, 3rd edition, Scientific publishers, B.No. 91, Jodhpur, India. 2001 A Manual of Ethnobotany – S.K.Jain, 2nd edition, 1995. 2 Skill Based Elective - II (Semester – V) Pharmacognosy Unit I History, Definition and scope of pharmacognosy; Systems of Indian Medicines – Siddha, Unani, Ayurveda, Homeopathy; Terminologies. Unit II Classification of Crude drugs – Taxonomical, Morphological, Pharmacological and chemical classifications; Chemistry of drugs and its evaluation. Unit III Preparation of crude and commercial drugs. Making infusion, decoction, lotion, washers, insect repellents, suppositories, tincture, making herbal syrups, compresses, poultice, plasters, oinments, herbal oils and herbal salves. Surgical fibres, sutures and dressing. Unit IV Organoleptic study of the following medicinal plants: Fruit – Amla, Bulb – Garlic, Rhizome – Ginger, seed – castor, Bark – Cinchona, Leaves – Neem, Flower – Clove. Unit V Analytical Pharmacognosy – drug adultration and detection. Biological testing of herbal drug. Phytochemical investigations with reference to secondary metabolites of locally available medicinal plants. References Pharmacognosy, S.B.Gokhale, Dr.C.K. Kokate, A.P. Purohit, Publisher: Nirali Prakasham, Pune, 2002 Herbs that Heal, Acharya Vipul Rao – Diamond Pocket Books, New Delhi, 2005 Practical Pharmacognosy. Dr.C.K. Kokate et al. 2003 An Introduction to Medicinal Botany and Pharmacognosy – N.C. Kumar, Emkay Publications, New Delhi, 2004. 3 Skill Based Elective - III (Semester – V) Herbs and Drug Action Unit I Terminologies – Definitions – Classification of medicinal plants based on their effects with special reference to India. Unit II Allergens – types – sources – active principles – Chemical nature – Cell modifiers – Lectins – mutagens, teratogens – Allergic reactions with known examples. Unit III Drugs acting on brain and nervous system – Rheumatic arthritis – Psychoactive drugs – Depressants, Stimulants, hallucinogens – sources, effects, basic mechanism of action. Unit IV Cardiovascular diseases – blood pressure – cardiac drugs of plant origins – alkaloids, anticoagulants – basic mechanism of action. Pulmonary / respiratory disorders – asthma – bronchitis – common cold – allergy – Remedy from plants. Unit V Drugs for urinogenital disorders – roots of Withania somnifera – Memory stimulants – Centella asiatica – Drugs for dissolving kidney stones – Musa paradisica (pseudostem) – Antiinflammatory drugs – Cardiospermum – Anticancer drugs – Catharanthus roseus. References Kumar, N.C., An Introduction to Medical botany and Pharmacognosy. Emkay Publications, New Delhi. 1993 Rao, A.P. Herbs that heal. Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd., New Delhi, 1999
