Pharmacognosy

Book excerpt: Pharmacognosy: Fundamentals, Applications and Strategies, Second Edition represents a comprehensive compilation of the philosophical, scientific and technological aspects of contemporary pharmacognosy. The book examines the impact of the advanced techniques of pharmacognosy on improving the quality, safety and effectiveness of traditional medicines, and how pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics have a crucial role to play in discerning the relationships of active metabolites to bioavailability and function at the active sites, as well as the metabolism of plant constituents. Structured in seven parts, the book covers the foundational aspects of Pharmacognosy, the chemistry of plant metabolites, their effects, other sources of metabolites, crude drugs from animals, basic animal anatomy and physiology, technological applications and biotechnology, and the current trends in research. New to this edition is a chapter on plant metabolites and SARS-Cov-2, extensive updates on existing chapters and the development of a Laboratory Guide to support instructors execute practical activities on the laboratory setting. Covers the main sources of natural bioactive substances Contains practice questions and laboratory exercises at the end of every chapter to test learning and retention Describes how pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics play a crucial role in discerning the relationships of active metabolites to bioavailability and function at active sites Includes a dedicated chapter on the effect of plant metabolites on SARS-CoV-2