BOTANICA FARMACEUTICA APPLICATA

Knowledge and understanding: the course provides the tools for the recognition of the main plants of pharmaceutical and herbal interest

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: the student acquires the skills necessary to understand the use and use of medicinal plants in the pharmaceutical and herbalist industry

Learning skills: the student becomes able to recognize and identify plants of specific pharmaceutical and herbal interest

Making judgments: the student develops his critical ability in knowing how to recognize a medicinal plant.

Ability to solve a problem: the student is encouraged to recognize the botanical and pharmaceutical characteristics of medicinal plants

The Applied Pharmaceutical Botany course will be divided into face-to-face lectures (7 CFU) and shared and co-operative group laboratory exercises dedicated to recognising and identifying plants of specific herbal and pharmaceutical interest (1 CFU), during which students will be invited to participate in feedback assessment activities.

Introduction to the study of the Pharmaceutical Botany. Classification. species concept. taxonomic system and evolution of systems. Supply of Medicinal Plants.
Vegetative reproduction. Sexual reproduction. The biological cycles. 
Mushrooms. Morphology. The mycelium. Heterotrophy. Propagation. sexual reproduction. Systematics of mushrooms. Morphology, pharmaceutical and application interest of: Zygomycota, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota. Intoxication with mushrooms
Algae. General characters. Morphology, pharmaceutical and application interest of: Rhodophyta: Gelidiaceae: Gelidium Sp.; Gigartinaceae: Chondrus crispus; Phaeophyta: Laminariaceae: Laminaria sp., Fucus
Overview of lichens and mosses. Morphology. utilization 
Spermatophytes. Gymnosperms. Morphology, ontogenetic cycle and practical interest of: Cycadophyta, Ginkgophyta, Coniferophyta, Ephedrales
Plant tissues: Meristematic and embryonic tissues. Parenchymal tissue, tegumental tissue, conducting tissue, segregating tissue, and mechanical tissue.
Angiosperms. The flower and its entirety. The inflorescences. Sexual reproduction. The seed. The fruit. Leaves.
Classification of angiosperms.
Primary and secondary metabolites

LILIOPSIDA (MONOCOTILEDONES)

ALLIACEAE: Allium sativum;

AGAVACEAE: Agave americana

ASPARAGACEAE: Convallaria majalis; Asparagus officinalis

LILIACEAE: Drimia maritima (Urginea maritima), Colchicum autumnale

ZINGIBERACEAE: Curcuma longa, Zingiber officinalis

MAGNOLIOPSIDA (DICOTILEDONES)

LAURACEAE: Cinnamomum sp., Laurus nobilis

PAPAVERACEAE: Papaver somniferum, Chelidonium majus

LAMIACEAE: Mentha sp., Lavandula officinalis, Thymus vulgaris, Salvia officinalis, Origanum sp., Melissa officinalis, Rosmarinus officinalis

BURSERACEAE: Boswellia

CACTACEAE: Opuntia ficus indica

CANNABACEAE: Cannabis sativa, Humulus lupulus

POLYGONACEAE: Reum sp.

STERCULIACEAE: Cola acuminata, C. vera, Teobroma cacao

FABACEAE: Glycyrrhiza glabra, Cassia senna

APIACEAE: Angelica archangelica, Foeniculum vulgare, Pimpinella anisum

EUPHORBIACEAE: Ricinus communis

ERICACEAE: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi; Vaccinum sp

RHAMNACEAE: Rhamnus frangula, R. purshiana

ERYTHROXYLACEAE: Erythroxylon coca

GROSSULARIACEAE: Ribes nigrum

MYRTACEAE: Melaleuca alternifolia

RUTACEAE: Citrus sp.

APOCYNACEAE: Strophanthus sp., Rauwolfia serpentine, Vinca

SOLANACEAE: Atropa belladonna, Datura stramonium, Nicotina tabacum

SCROPHULARIACEAE: Digitalis sp.

PASSIFLORACEAE: Passiflora incarnata

VALERIANACEAE: Valeriana officinalis

RUBIACEAE: Cinchona sp.,

ASTERACEAE: Matricaria chamomilla, Anthemis nobilis, Calendula officinalis, Cynara scolymus, Silybum marianum, Taraxacum officinale, Echinacea sp,.

VITACEAE: Vitis vinifera

The programme is divided into five parts according to a timeline of the topics covered.

Part 1: 1.5 CFU - 10.5h             

Introduction to the study of the Pharmaceutical Botany. Classification. species concept. taxonomic system and evolution of systems. Supply of Medicinal Plants.

Vegetative reproduction. Sexual reproduction. The biological cycles. 

Mushrooms. Morphology. The mycelium. Heterotrophy. Propagation. sexual reproduction. Systematics of mushrooms. Morphology, pharmaceutical and application interest of: Zygomycota, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota. Intoxication with mushrooms

Part 2: 1 CFU - 7h             

Algae. General characters. Morphology, pharmaceutical and application interest of: Rhodophyta: Gelidiaceae: Gelidium Sp.; Gigartinaceae: Chondrus crispus; Phaeophyta: Laminariaceae: Laminaria sp., Fucus. Overview of lichens and mosses. Morphology. utilization 

Part 3: 1 CFU - 7 h 

Spermatophytes. Gymnosperms. Morphology, ontogenetic cycle and practical interest of: Cycadophyta, Ginkgophyta, Coniferophyta, Ephedrales

Plant tissues: Meristematic and embryonic tissues. Parenchymal tissue, tegumental tissue, conducting tissue, segregating tissue, and mechanical tissue

Angiosperms. The flower and its elements. The inflorescences. Sexual reproduction. The seed. The fruit. Leaves.

Part 4: 3.5 CFU - 24.5h 

Classification of angiosperms.

Primary and secondary metabolites

LILIOPSIDA (MONOCOTILEDONES)

ALLIACEAE: Allium sativum;

AGAVACEAE: Agave americana

ASPARAGACEAE: Convallaria majalis; Asparagus officinalis

LILIACEAE: Drimia maritima (Urginea maritima), Colchicum autumnale

ZINGIBERACEAE: Curcuma longa, Zingiber officinalis

MAGNOLIOPSIDA (DICOTILEDONES)

LAURACEAE: Cinnamomum sp., Laurus nobilis

PAPAVERACEAE: Papaver somniferum, Chelidonium majus

LAMIACEAE: Mentha sp., Lavandula officinalis, Thymus vulgaris, Salvia officinalis, Origanum sp., Melissa officinalis, Rosmarinus officinalis

BURSERACEAE: Boswellia

CACTACEAE: Opuntia ficus indica

CANNABACEAE: Cannabis sativa, Humulus lupulus

POLYGONACEAE: Reum sp.

STERCULIACEAE: Cola acuminata, C. vera, Teobroma cacao

FABACEAE: Glycyrrhiza glabra, Cassia senna

APIACEAE: Angelica archangelica, Foeniculum vulgare, Pimpinella anisum

EUPHORBIACEAE: Ricinus communis

ERICACEAE: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi; Vaccinum sp

RHAMNACEAE: Rhamnus frangula, R. purshiana

ERYTHROXYLACEAE: Erythroxylon coca

GROSSULARIACEAE: Ribes nigrum

MYRTACEAE: Melaleuca alternifolia

RUTACEAE: Citrus sp.

APOCYNACEAE: Strophanthus sp., Rauwolfia serpentine, Vinca

SOLANACEAE: Atropa belladonna, Datura stramonium, Nicotina tabacum

SCROPHULARIACEAE: Digitalis sp.

PASSIFLORACEAE: Passiflora incarnata

VALERIANACEAE: Valeriana officinalis

RUBIACEAE: Cinchona sp.,

ASTERACEAE: Matricaria chamomilla, Anthemis nobilis, Calendula officinalis, Cynara scolymus, Silybum marianum, Taraxacum officinale, Echinacea sp,.

VITACEAE: Vitis vinifera

Part 5: 1 CFU (Laboratory Activities) - 12h 

Tissue and plant recognition; classification and collection of Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. Theoretical-practical verification to be offered at the end of each group exercise.

Contribution of the course to the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being. Target 3.4

1.   Maugini E., Maleci Bini L., Mariotti Lippi M. - Manuale di Botanica Farmaceutica IX Ed. – PICCIN 2014

2.   Leporatti M., Foddai S., Tommasini L. - Testo atlante di anatomia vegetale e delle piante officinali – PICCIN 1997

3.   Poli F. - Biologia Farmaceutica - II Ed. - Pearson 2019

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

The final examination will be assessed on the basis of equally weighted indicators, in accordance with the intended learning outcomes (Dublin Descriptors).

The final grade takes into account the following aspects.

Quality of Knowledge, Skills and Competences

· appropriateness, accuracy, and consistency of the knowledge demonstrated;

· appropriateness, accuracy, and consistency of the skills demonstrated;

· appropriateness, accuracy, and consistency of the competences demonstrated.

Communication Skills

· clarity and effectiveness of presentation;

· appropriate use of discipline-specific terminology;

· logical reasoning and coherence in the organization of the contents;

· ability to establish connections among different topics by identifying common elements and developing a coherent overall framework, with appropriate structure, organization, and logical progression;

· ability to summarize concepts effectively, including the use of discipline-specific symbols and graphical representations, such as formulas, diagrams, and equations.

Interpersonal Skills

· willingness to engage in discussion and interact with the examiner during the oral examination.

Personal Skills

· critical thinking;

· self-assessment skills;

· problem-solving skills;

· decision-making skills.

The written examination consists of five open-ended questions to be completed within a maximum of 2 hours. The oral examination is intended to clarify and further develop the answers provided in the written examination and, where necessary, to complement the assessment through additional questions aimed at verifying the student's knowledge of the course topics, as well as the ability to establish connections among concepts and critically analyse the course contents. The oral examination generally consists of two questions, one of which may be devoted to discussing aspects that emerged from the written examination. The average duration of the oral examination is approximately 20 minutes.

The final grade is expressed on a 30-point scale according to the following criteria.

Fail (Not Passed)

Knowledge and understanding: significant gaps and inaccuracies.
Analytical and synthesis skills: inadequate, with frequent generalizations.
Use of references: completely inappropriate.

Grade: 18–20

Knowledge and understanding: very limited, with evident shortcomings.
Analytical and synthesis skills: barely satisfactory.
Use of references: barely appropriate.

Grade: 21–23

Knowledge and understanding: slightly above the minimum acceptable level.
Analytical and synthesis skills: satisfactory analytical and synthesis abilities; arguments are presented logically and coherently.
Use of references: appropriate use of standard references.

Grade: 24–26

Knowledge and understanding: good.
Analytical and synthesis skills: good analytical and synthesis abilities; topics are presented clearly and coherently.
Use of references: appropriate use of standard references.

Grade: 27–29

Knowledge and understanding: very good.
Analytical and synthesis skills: strong analytical and synthesis abilities.
Use of references: demonstrates in-depth study of the subject.

Grade: 30–30 cum laude

Knowledge and understanding: excellent.
Analytical and synthesis skills: outstanding analytical and synthesis abilities.
Use of references: demonstrates extensive and critical in-depth knowledge of the subject.

Information for Students with Disabilities and/or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with current legislation, students with disabilities and/or specific learning disorders (SLD) may request an individual meeting to discuss and arrange appropriate compensatory and/or dispensatory measures according to the course learning objectives and their specific needs. Students may contact Prof. Santina Chiechio (santina.chiechio@unict.it), who also serves as the Departmental CInAP Representative (Centre for Active and Participatory Inclusion – Services for Students with Disabilities and/or Specific Learning Disorders) of the Department of Drug and Health Sciences.

Examination Dates

Examination dates are published on the website of the Department of Drug and Health Sciences. https://www.dsf.unict.it/it/corsi/l-29_sfa/calendario-esami

ECTS Workload

1. Describe the morphology and classification of a lichen 

2. Describe morphology of a rhodophyta alga and the life cycle of the Florideophycidae 

3. Describe the morphology and reproductive characteristics of bryophytes

4. Describe the botanical and pharmaceutical characteristics of Digitalis purpurea

5. Describe the botanical and pharmaceutical characteristics of Allium sativum