Ateneo - UPO

The first part of the course deals with the definition of pharmacognosy, drugs and medicinal and officinal plants up to modern drug discovery. It also includes elements of anatomy, biology, physiology, characterization of higher plants and the definition of their secondary metabolites. Systematic characterization of fungi, lichens and ferns.
Quality controls required on the raw material.
Classes of primary and secondary metabolites.
Main preparation techniques for products based on medicinal plants and galenic preparations.
The second part of the Medicinal Plants course is based on:
- botanical description and characterization of the main gymnosperms and angiosperms of pharmacological interest,
- knowledge of their uses in traditional medicine,
- knowledge of their drugs,
- knowledge of the main active ingredients contained in drugs of food and pharmaceutical interest, receptor interactions, mechanism of action and effects, side effects and interactions with other drugs.

Capasso F. Farmacognosia - Farmaci naturali, loro preparazioni ed impiego terapeutico, ed. Springer

Clementi F., Fumagalli G., Farmacologia generale e molecolare, ed. Edra

Rossi F., Cuomo V., Riccardi C. Farmacologia. Principi di base e applicazioni terapeutiche. Ed. Minerva Medica

Other reference texts

Official Pharmacopoeia of the Italian Republic

European Pharmacopoeia

The student must be able to define and recognise medicinal plants and know the controls required for their validation, know the classes of secondary metabolites of medicinal plants.
Be aware of the main techniques to obtain galenic and officinal preparations.
The course is also structured in such a way to provide the student with the necessary foundations to understand the action, to describe and characterize the pharmacological effects of active ingredients of plant origin; therefore give basic concepts necessary to tackle the courses of the following years both relating to pharmacology such as pharmacology and chemotherapy, toxicology and pharmacovigilance, and courses of other disciplines, such as pharmaceutical chemistry. The program represents, for the future pharmacist, an important stage in acquiring specific skills on molecules of natural origin capable of interacting with our organism, possible mechanisms of action and related risks, in order to promote their correct use, given the growing interest in the natural product.
Have and use correct terminology and language skills.

The exam in Animal and Plant Biology, Physiology are preparatory to the exam in Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Plants.
Knowledge of Organic Chemistry is also required.

Oral lessons with the use of botanical samples and computer support: slide projection. The slides will be made available to the students. Group exercises on possible formulations of active ingredients.
Product sheets containing the botanical composition of products will be viewed and the student will be guided to identify the function

Frontal lessons. Mandatory attendanze at 75% for exam admission. Addendance will be monitored. Simulations of advice/sale/preparation of phytotherapeutics or botanicals to the requesting patient, paying attention to the choice of the correct natural product, avoiding interactions or unwanted effects.
Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities

Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The exam consists of a single oral test; the student will have to answer three questions demonstrating that they have understood, know how to argue and make adequate connections, using appropriate scientific language. Oral test with open questions. The subject of questions will be all the material explained in class. In order to achieve the knowledge and skills corresponding to the minimum level of sufficiency, the student is asked to demonstrate:
(knowledge)
• to know the anatomy of higher plants and the terminology necessary to describe it
• to know the concept of drugs and preparation processes
• to know the main secondary metabolites and their physiological functions
• to know the aspects that influence the quality and safety of a drug
• to know the main plants and the respective drugs used in traditional medicine

(skills)
• understand how the therapeutic activity depends on the drug and its preparation conditions
• know how to identify the parameters to be verified to guarantee drug safety
• know how to identify the plant responsible for a therapeutic activity
Soft skills
• know how to identify, describe the drug and the mechanism of action responsible for a therapeutic activity
• critically evaluate the drug production process
• identify the most correct drug to use based on the problem presented

To achieve an advanced level, the student must be able to combine the knowledge acquired to identify plants that can have therapeutic activity by describing their active metabolites and different mechanisms of action and independently design some formulations,
knowing, given a list of plants, what the preparation containing them can be used for, the metabolites involved and how it works
Know possible interactions or adverse effects.

Historical aspects
Biology and physiology of higher plants
- The plant cell
- Plant tissues
- Plant organs
- Modified epidermal cells
- External and internal secretory structures
- The reproductive organs

Anatomy of higher plants
- Root and underground organs
- Keg
- Leaves
- Flowers
- Fruits and seeds

Stimuli that influence the production of secondary metabolites

Plant active ingredients
Alkaloids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, glucosides, terpenoids, steroids, essential oils, mucilages, bitters and iridoids

Drugs
- Collection of drugs
- Preparations

Quality check
Methods of preparation of tinctures, extracts, essential oils.

Systematic Botany
-Mushrooms
-Lichens
-Ferns
-Gymnosperms
-Angiosperms

The Pharmacopoeia monograph and comparison between the monographs of the Italian, European and WHO Pharmacopoeia
List and description of some herbal drugs registered in FU or PhEu of greatest interest and use in Italy:
- drugs active on the respiratory system
- drugs active on the gastrointestinal system
- drugs active on the cardiovascular system
- drugs active on the nervous system
- drugs stimulating the immune system
Each drug in the following list will be explained in detail:
description of the family to which it belongs, botanical description of the individual plant, use in traditional medicine (if present), identification and description of the drug, active ingredients present, pharmacological and/or toxicological effects of the active ingredients and their targets and pharmacological applications and interactions with drugs

Reporting form for adverse reactions to medicinal herbal products

The course aims to enable the student to acquire skills required in the workplace such as a good knowledge of medicinal plants used for the preparation of phytotherapeutics and herbal products currently on the market. Knowing how to recognize the good quality requirements of a raw material and the main galenic and industrial preparation techniques (extraction, concentration, distillation, tinctures). The student must have the ability to apply their knowledge independently, having mastery of uses, contraindications or toxicological effects and advise and guide the choice of a herbal or phytotherapeutic remedy. They must also absolutely demonstrate that they have good language skills and that they know how to respond by arguing appropriately and with the correct connections.