Pharmacognosy

DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACOGNOSY

The Department of Pharmacognosy is dedicated to the scientific study of drugs derived from natural sources, including plants, animals, marine organisms, and other biological origins. Pharmacognosy continues to evolve as a dynamic and multidisciplinary field, integrating ethnobiology, ethnomedicine, phytochemistry, and phytomedicine. The discipline plays a pivotal role in the discovery, characterization, production, and standardization of crude drugs and natural product–based therapeutics. Pharmacognosy maintains strong interconnections with botany, plant chemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, and modern analytical sciences, making it essential for developing safe, effective, and standardized natural health products and herbal drugs.

Overview

Pharmacognosy is one of the fundamental branches of pharmaceutical sciences, focusing on the identification, extraction, isolation, and evaluation of bioactive compounds from natural sources. The discipline encompasses the study of medicinal plants, animal-derived products, microorganisms (such as bacteria and fungi), and marine organisms.

Research and academic activities in Pharmacognosy primarily emphasize:

• Natural product–based drug discovery
• Phytochemical investigation and characterization
• Biological evaluation of natural compounds
• Herb–drug interactions and safety assessment
• Phytotherapy and evidence-based traditional medicine

FACULTY MEMBERS

DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACOGNOSY
S. No	Name of the Faculty	Designation	Qualification
	Dr. Siju V Mathew	Professor & HOD	M. Pharm., PhD.,
	Mr. V. Vijayanandhan	Assistant Professor	M. Pharm., (PhD)
	Mr. Venkatachalam PA	Lecturer	M. Pharm