Traditional & Alternative Medicine

Pharmacognosy and Ethnopharmacology

Pharmacognosy and Ethnopharmacology are interrelated scientific disciplines that explore the discovery, analysis, and development of medicinal substances derived from natural sources, particularly plants, animals, and minerals. Pharmacognosy, one of the oldest branches of pharmaceutical science, focuses on the study of crude drugs obtained from natural origins, emphasizing the botanical, chemical, biochemical, and biological properties of natural substances. It plays a fundamental role in identifying medicinal plants, extracting and characterizing active ingredients, and evaluating their pharmacological effects, safety, and therapeutic potential. The discipline is essential in the drug discovery process, particularly in developing new medicines from natural products. Closely aligned with pharmacognosy, ethnopharmocology is a multidisciplinary field that investigates the traditional uses of medicinal substances by indigenous and local communities.