FAFG2_12 Pharmacognosy II

Faculty of Pharmacy
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/5/0. 10 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
prof. PharmDr. Karel Šmejkal, Ph.D. (lecturer)
prof. PharmDr. Karel Šmejkal, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
PharmDr. Martin Helcman (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Juraj Markuš (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Polina Shpet (assistant)
Guaranteed by
prof. PharmDr. Karel Šmejkal, Ph.D.
Department of Natural Drugs – Departments – Faculty of Pharmacy
Prerequisites
FAFG1_12 Pharmacognosy I
Knowledge of organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, phytochemistry, biochemistry, physiology.
This knowledge will be strictly demanded.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 24 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/24, only registered: 0/24
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Objectives of Pharmacognosy are to impart knowledges of those drugs of biological origin and their constituents that are of value for their therapeutic, profylactic and diagnostic use in the human and veterinary medicine.
Its scope includes the study of the physical, chemical, biochemical and biological properties of drugs, drug substances, or potential drugs or drug substances of natural origin as well as the search for new drugs from natural sources. Research problems in pharmacognosy include studies in the areas of phytochemistry, microbial chemistry, biosynthesis, biotransformation, chemotaxonomy, and other biological and chemical sciences.
Pharmacognosy represents a highly interdisciplinary science which is one of five major areas of pharmaceutical education.


Learning outcomes
The student must be able to microscopically and macroscopically identify selected drugs, know their main content substances, use, basic biosynthetic reactions, basal classes of secondary metabolites. Know the main plants used in the pharmacy. Chemical characteristics of secondary metabolites, basic knowledge of structure-activity relationships, basic knowledge of adverse effects and interactions.
Syllabus
  • Syllabus of lectures
    " Drugs affecting the central and peripheral nervous system
    " Drugs affecting vegetative nervous system
    " Drugs affecting the cardiovascular system
    " Drugs affecting hemocoagulation, fibrinolysis and used as the substitution of blood plasma
    " Drugs affecting water balance of the organism
    " Drugs affecting the respiratory system
    " Drugs affecting the digestive system
    " Uterotonics, antiuratics, antiphlogistics
    " Dietetics, roborants, geriatrics, sources of vitamins, pomocní léčba od diabetes mellitus
    " Hormones, enzymes
    " Anti-infectious and anti-invasive drugs
    " Drugs used for their local activity
    " Biogenic additives
    " Natural substances inspirational for synthesis
    Laboratory practice summer half
    1. Drugs containing saccharides
    Identification
    Tests of purity
    2. Drugs containing polysaccharides and mucilages
    Identification
    Determination of swelling number
    3. Drugs containing phenolic glycosides
    Identification
    Chromatographic proof of arbutin and hydroquinone
    Titrating determination of arbutin
    4. Drugs containing cardioglycosides (Control test I)
    Identification
    Chromatographic proof
    Colorimetric determination
    5. Drugs containing antraquinone glycosides
    Identification
    Chromatographic proof
    Colorimetric determination of hypericin
    6. Drugs containing flavonoid glycosides
    Identification
    Colorimetric determination of flavonoids
    Chromatographic proof
    7. Drugs containing saponins (Control test II)
    Identification
    Determination of hemolytic activity on blood agar
    Determination of number of foamability according to Kofler
    Determination of glycyrrhizinic acid
    8. Drugs containing tannins
    Identification - color and precipitation reactions
    Chromatographic proof
    Colorimetric determination
    9. Drugs containing volatiles
    Identification
    Chromatographic proof
    Hydro distillation determination
    10. Drugs containing alkaloids I. (Control test III)
    Identification ? color and precipitation reactions
    Titration determination of tropane alkaloids
    11. Drugs containing alkaloids II.
    Identification - color and precipitation reactions
    Gravimetric determination of purine alkaloids
    Thin layer chromatography of poppy opium alkaloids
    12. Drugs containing bitter substances
    Identification
    Determination of number of bitterness
    13. Drugs containing mustard glycosides
    Identification and purity
    14. Drugs containing coumarins, anthocyanins (Control test IV)
    Chromatographic proof
Literature
    required literature
  • Dewick P. Medicinal natural products, a biosynthetic approach. Hoboken, 2008. ISBN 9780470741689. info
  • Bruneton Jean. Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants. 1999. ISBN 1898298637. info
    recommended literature
  • Samuelsson G., Bohlin L. Drugs of Natural Origin. A Treatise of Pharmacognosy. 7th revised edition. 2015. info
  • Evans W Ch. Trease and Evans' Pharmacognosy. 2009. ISBN 9780702029332. info
  • Wichtl M. Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals. 2002. info
Teaching methods
Dialogic (discussion, interview, brainstorming)
Methods of written actions (e.g., for comprehensive exams, final exams)
Demonstration
Exercise and work skills training
Laboratory work
Assessment methods
Practical examination - recognition of selected drugs, knowledge of content compounds, and their utilization Oral examination
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
Teacher's information
Required for crediting:
100% attendance of all the practices
Passing the written tests (60% is required to pass)
Required for examination:
Basic knowledge of plant secondary metabolism, structures of pharmaceutically, pharmacologically, or toxicologically important compounds, drugs and plant names, pharmacological or technological effects, and usage, basic methods for identification and quantification.
General examination combining Pharmacognosy I and Pharmacognosy II
Apart of pharmacognosy examination is macroscopic recognition of 10 drugs and microscopic identification of three preparates.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/pharm/spring2025/FAFG2_12