FARMACOGNOSIA E NUTRACEUTICA

Knowledge and understanding: Provide students with knowledge regarding the recognition, identification, preparation, and biological properties of herbal drugs and the active ingredients they contain, for their use in the herbal/nutraceutical sector.

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: Upon completion of the course, students will acquire the ability to identify herbal drugs and recognize the chemical structures that constitute their active ingredients; they will understand the biological activity of herbal drugs and their applications in the herbal/nutraceutical sector. Students will also learn the basics of general pharmacognosy and understand herbal drug preparations.

Making independent judgments: Students will be able to independently evaluate herbal preparations, distinguishing between empirical and evidence-based use, and advise users on their rational use for specific conditions, providing information on the efficacy, side effects, contraindications, drug interactions, and toxicity of herbal and nutraceutical products. Will be able to follow discoveries in the field of plant-based products by consulting the scientific literature.

Problem-solving skills: Students will be encouraged to propose solutions to questions posed by the instructor.

According to the RDA, Art. 12 - University Educational Credits (CFU), the standard 25-hour workload for a student, corresponding to one credit, may include: a) 7 hours dedicated to lectures or equivalent teaching activities, and the remainder to individual study; b) at least 12 hours and no more than 15 hours dedicated to classroom exercises or equivalent supervised activities (workshops), and the remainder to personal study and revision. The teaching method for "Pharmacology and Nutraceuticals" is based on lectures and classroom exercises (12 hours) and utilizes both slides and dried drug samples.

If the course is taught in a blended or distance learning format, any necessary changes to the previously stated curriculum may be made in order to comply with the planned program outlined in the Syllabus.

Information for students with disabilities and/or learning disabilities (LDs):

To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with applicable laws, interested students may request a personal interview to plan any compensatory and/or extenuating measures, based on their educational objectives and specific needs. Students may also contact the CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or Learning Disabilities) contact teacher in our Department, Professor Santina Chiechio.

Knowledge of:

Animal and Plant Biology

Human Anatomy

Chemistry

La frequenza è obbligatoria come previsto dall'Ordinamento Didattico del Corso di Laurea in SFA come riportato nel link: http://www.dsf.unict.it/corsi/l-29_sfa/regolamento-didattico”;

MODULE 1: GENERAL PHARMACOGNOSY (2 credits)

Definitions. Natural drug, organized and non-organized drug, active ingredient, phytocomplex, medicinal and officinal plant, nutraceutical product.

History of Pharmacognosy. Pharmacognosy today. Traditional medicines.

Preparation of Herbal Drugs. Harvesting, cleaning, drying, stabilization, sterilization.

Principles of Herbal Drug Preservation. Drying, freezing.

Preparations with Herbal Drugs. Powders, infusions, decoctions, herbal teas, extracts, tinctures, syrups, juices, macerates, hydrolates, essential oils, fixed oils. Standardization of extracts.

MODULE 2: APPLIED PHARMACOGNOSY (1 credit)

Quality Control of Herbal Drugs. Examination of morphological characteristics. Examination of organoleptic characteristics. Examination of physical characteristics. Microscopic analysis (preparation of organized and disorganized drug preparations, methods for recognizing and identifying characteristic structural elements). Purity tests (determination of foreign elements, ash, moisture, swelling index, bitterness index, foam index, determination of essences). Determination of chemical and biological contaminants. Biological tests.

MODULE 3: SPECIAL PHARMACOGNOSY (3 credits)

Classification of herbal drugs.

Drugs containing carbohydrates. Marshmallow, mallow, echinacea, guar gum, carob gum, manna, psyllium, algae, Iceland moss.

Drugs containing lipids. Olive oil, corn oil, linseed oil, peanut oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, saw palmetto.

Drugs containing glycosides. Anthraquinones (senna, aloe, rhubarb, buckthorn, cascara), saponins (ginseng, eleutherococcus, astragalus, licorice, butcher's broom, horse chestnut, centella, fenugreek, ivy), sulfur compounds (garlic), phenolic compounds (bearberry, rhodiola), and alcohol compounds (willow).

Drugs containing terpenes. Lemon balm, mint, eucalyptus, thyme, ginkgo, common chamomile, Roman chamomile, valerian, marigold, cannabis, gentian, dandelion, rosemary, cumin, lavender, arnica.

Drugs containing phenylpropanoids. Milk thistle, artichoke, burdock, passionflower, St. John's wort, propolis, bilberry, red vine, witch hazel, chasteberry, Chinese angelica, black cohosh, hawthorn.

Drugs containing steroids. Digitalis.

Drugs containing alkaloids. Capsicum, boldo, opium, ephedra, bitter orange, coffee, maté, guarana, cola, cocoa.

MODULE 4: NUTRACEUTICS (3 credits)

Nutraceuticals: origin, quality, and safety.

Role of nutraceuticals in specific pathologies or mechanisms. Nutraceuticals and the Central Nervous System. Hops, sage, saffron, black pepper, omega-3, vitamin E, taurine. Nutraceuticals and the Cardiovascular System. Garlic, olive, cocoa, pomegranate, flax, sweet clover, hesperidin, oxerutin, diosmin, naringenin, L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10. Nutraceuticals and Metabolic Disorders. Red yeast rice, bergamot, cinnamon, melannurca apple. Immunomodulatory nutraceuticals. Chinese mushrooms, cloves. Nutraceuticals and Inflammatory Diseases. Ginger, turmeric, oats, borage, cod liver oil, omega-3, omega-6. Nutraceuticals and the Respiratory System. Elderberry, garlic, thyme, anise. Nutraceuticals and the Gastrointestinal System. Green tea, turmeric, black raspberry, ginger, chili pepper, fennel, wild blackberry. Nutraceuticals and Eye Conditions. Bilberry, chamomile, Chinese sage, lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene. Nutraceuticals and the Urinary System. Parsley, couch grass, cranberry. Nutraceuticals and the Reproductive System. Nettle, pumpkin, African plum, soy, red clover, flax, phytoestrogens, lycopene, vitamin D.

1. Capasso F, De Pasquale R, Grandolini G. Farmacognosia: Botanica, chimica e farmacologia delle piante medicinali. Springer, 2011

2. Mazzanti G, Dell’Agli M, Izzo AA. Farmacognosia e Fitoterapia: basi scientifiche e aspetti

applicativi, Piccin, 2020

3. Samuelsson S, Bohlin L. Drugs of Natural Origin: A Treatise of Pharmacognosy, Seventh Edition. Swedish Pharmaceutical Press, 2017

OTHER TEACHING MATERIALS

- LESSON SLIDES: http://www.unict.it/content/studium

- www.ema.europa.eu

The final exam is written. The questions will be open-ended. Answers will be graded based on the level of depth. During the course, some classroom exercises will be offered, following the same format as the final exam.

Assessment may also be conducted online, if necessary.

The exam dates are reported at the following link: www.dsf.unict.it/sites/default/files/files/ESAMI%20CDL%20SFA(12).pdf;

Information for students with disabilities and/or learning disabilities (LDs):

To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with applicable laws, interested students may request a personal interview to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on their learning objectives and specific needs. Students may also contact the CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or Learning Disabilities) contact teacher in our Department, Professor Santina Chiechio.

Decoction: Definition

Dry Extracts: Definition

Preservation of Herbal Drugs

Roman Chamomile: Macromorphological Analysis

Healthy Uses of Marshmallow

Biological Properties of Aloe Gel

Ginkgo: Drug Interactions

Senna: Side Effects

Soy in Menopause Disorders