BOTANICA FARMACEUTICA DELLE PIANTE OFFICINALI - FARMACOGNOSIA A - L

Module FARMACOGNOSIA

Applying knowledge and understanding: By the end of the course, students will be able to identify medicinal plant materials and recognize the chemical structures of their active constituents. They will understand the pharmacological activity of these constituents when used therapeutically, as well as their applications in other sectors, such as health and wellness. Furthermore, students will learn the fundamentals of general pharmacognosy and become familiar with preparations derived from medicinal plant materials.

Making judgments: Students will be able to independently evaluate preparations based on medicinal plants (phytotherapeutics, traditional herbal medicines, dietary supplements, herbal products, medical devices, nutraceuticals), distinguishing between empirical use and use based on scientific evidence. They will be able to advise users on the rational use of these products for specific ailments or conditions, providing information on efficacy, side effects, contraindications, drug interactions, and toxicity. Additionally, they will be able to interpret and critically evaluate findings regarding plant-derived products by consulting scientific literature.

Communication skills:

Students will be able to advise users on the rational use of medicinal plant-based preparations for specific ailments, providing information on the efficacy, side effects, contraindications, drug interactions, and toxicity of plant-derived products.

Learning skills:

Students will develop the ability to independently locate bibliographic material and update their professional skills by consulting specialized databases.

According to the RDA (Art. 12 – University Educational Credits/CFU), the standard workload of 25 total hours per credit may comprise: a) 7 hours dedicated to lectures or equivalent teaching activities, with the remainder devoted to individual study; or b) between 12 and 15 hours dedicated to classroom exercises or equivalent supervised activities (laboratory work), with the remainder devoted to study and personal review. The teaching method for the "Pharmacognosy" course is based on lectures and utilizes both projected slides and samples of dried medicinal plant materials.

If the course is delivered in blended or remote mode, appropriate adjustments may be made to the above, in order to ensure consistency with the syllabus.  To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, interested students may request a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures based on educational objectives and specific needs.

Students can also contact the CInAP (Centro per l’integrazione Attiva e Partecipata — Servizi per le Disabilità e/o i DSA, (https://www.cinap.unict.it/content/referenti) and referring teacher (prof.ssa Santina Chiechio email: santina.chiechio@unict.it) within of department.

Knowledge of:

Animal and Plant Biology

Human Anatomy

Chemistry

Attendance is mandatory, as stipulated by the Degree Programme's academic regulations. Absences are permitted for no more than 30% of the total teaching hours, calculated across all forms of instruction (https://www.dsf.unict.it/it/corsi/lm-13/regolamento-didattico).

MODULE 1: GENERAL PHARMACOGNOSY (2 ECTS)

Definitions. Natural drug, organized and unorganized drug, active principle, phytocomplex, medicinal plant, and officinal plant.

Chemical Constituents of Plant Drugs. Carbohydrates, lipids, terpenes, steroids, phenols, polyphenols, sulfur compounds, alkaloids.

Medicinal Plants in the Modern Era. Medicinal plants as sources of drugs or for the semi-synthesis of drugs. Plant drugs and their preparations (phytotherapeutics, traditional herbal medicinal products, dietary supplements, herbal products, medical devices, nutraceuticals).

Issues Regarding the Phytocomplex. Factors affecting active principle content: natural endogenous and exogenous factors (harvesting time, latitude, altitude, soil, climate, light, temperature, and biotic factors) and artificial factors (cleaning, drying, stabilization, sterilization, fermentation). Extraction techniques (infusion, decoction, maceration, percolation, steam distillation, supercritical fluid extraction) and preparations derived from plant drugs (powders, infusions, decoctions, herbal teas, extracts, tinctures, syrups, juices, macerates, hydrolats, essential oils, fixed oils). Standardization of extracts.

Quality Control of Plant Drugs. Causes of quality alteration, basic principles of quality control, identification of plant drugs (macroscopic and microscopic examination, organoleptic characteristics). Purity tests (foreign matter, ash determination, moisture content, swelling index, bitterness value, foaming index, determination of volatile oils). Biological assays.

Clinical Efficacy of Plant Drug-Based Preparations. Clinical studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. Monographs on plant drugs. Phases of clinical trials.

MODULE 2: SPECIAL PHARMACOGNOSY (5 ECTS credits)

Central Nervous System. Anxiety and insomnia: valerian, lavender, passionflower.

Depression: St. John's wort, saffron. Cognitive decline: ginkgo. Central stimulants: coffee, tea, guarana, maté, cola, cocoa. Substances of abuse: khat, coca, ephedra, opiates, Cannabis, mescal buttons, *Psilocybe mexicana*, *Salvia divinorum*.

Cardiovascular System. Hypertension: garlic, hawthorn, olive. Chronic venous insufficiency and hemorrhoids: horse chestnut, centella, bilberry, vine leaves, butcher's broom, witch hazel, French maritime pine, sweet clover, bromelain. Congestive heart failure: digitalis, strophanthus, squill.

Lipid Metabolism Disorders. Hyperlipidemia: red yeast rice, garlic, fenugreek, guggul gum. Overweight: ephedra, bitter orange, guar gum, garcinia, bladderwrack.

Pain and Inflammation. Anti-inflammatories/analgesics: willow, devil's claw, boswellia, turmeric, ginger, opium, Cannabis. Migraine: feverfew, caffeine, ergot alkaloids.

Respiratory System. Cold and flu: echinacea, pelargonium, elderberry, eucalyptus, thyme. Cough and bronchitis: marshmallow, grindelia, plantain, ivy.

Adaptogens and Immunomodulators. Ginseng, eleutherococcus, rhodiola, ashwagandha, astragalus, echinacea.

Gastrointestinal System. Oral cavity disorders: aloe gel, tea tree oil, propolis. Dyspepsia: gentian, wormwood, chili pepper, caraway, mint, boldo, artichoke, fennel. Gastritis: licorice. Constipation and diarrhea: manna, psyllium, anthraquinone-containing drugs. Nausea and vomiting: ginger. Inflammatory bowel disease: boswellia. Hepatobiliary system: milk thistle, artichoke, boldo, dandelion.

Urinary system. Water retention: birch, horsetail, couch grass, parsley, rupturewort. Urinary tract infections: American cranberry, bearberry.

Reproductive system. Benign prostatic hyperplasia: saw palmetto, African plum, nettle. Erectile dysfunction: ginseng, maca. Menopausal disorders and premenstrual syndrome: soy, black cohosh, dong quai, chaste tree.

Skin system. Skin inflammation: chamomile, calendula, aloe gel, St. John's wort oil, oats. Skin infection: tea tree, lemon balm, burdock. Wounds, burns, and bruises: arnica, centella, bromelain.

Galactagogues. Milk thistle, fennel, fenugreek, goat's rue.

Active principles with antineoplastic activity.

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

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

applicativi, Piccin

3. Capasso R, Borrelli F, Longo R, Capasso F. Farmacognosia Applicata: Controllo di Qualità delle Droghe Vegetali. Springer.

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

5. Heinrich M, Barnes J, Gibbons S, Williamson EM. Fundamentals of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy. Churchill Livingstone

ALTRO MATERIALE DIDATTICO

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

- www.ema.europa.eu

ASSESSMENT METHODS

END-OF-COURSE EXAMINATION

Learning is assessed via a written exam, typically consisting of six open-ended questions focusing on general pharmacognosy (2 questions) and special pharmacognosy (4 questions). The average duration of the written exam is 90 minutes.

Answers are graded based on the depth of the response.

 Learning assessment may also be carried out on-line, should the conditions require it.

To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, interested students may request a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures based on educational objectives and specific needs.

Students can also contact the CInAP (Centro per l’integrazione Attiva e Partecipata — Servizi per le Disabilità e/o i DSA, (https://www.cinap.unict.it/content/referenti) and referring teacher (prof.ssa Santina Chiechio email: santina.chiechio@unict.it) within of department.

Decoction and infusion

Tinctures

Extracts: definition

Rhubarb: contraindications

Ginseng toxicity

St. John's wort: drug interactions