Medical Herbs

Recommended Prerequisites

Pharmacognosy, Pharmacology and Laboratory Techonology.

Teaching Methods

The teaching methodologies include master classes and laboratory classes and also discuss issues that are prepared by the students and shared with all stakeholders in the teaching unit. There are two optional types of evaluation.

Learning Outcomes

Ethnopharmacology knowledge and of bioactivity. Importance of Medicinal Plants in the developmen, production of plant-derived drugs and its therapeutic application. Extractive methods, phytochemical characterization and dosage of bioactive constituents, using trivial and sophisticated analytical methods. Evidence interactions, toxicity and adverse effects.Best practices related to medicinal plants and derived products. Skills to:
Macroscopic and microscopic recognition of Medicinal Plants using the examples from Medical School of the Botanical Garden  (University of Coimbra). Advice on safe use extracts and/or phytochemicals from Medicinal Plants with therapeutic efficacy. Quality control of plants and their extracts. Medicinal Plant Research, as a source of drugs and raw material for synthesis and / or hemi-synthesis of new bioactive molecules. 

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

Medicinal Plants(MP) as a therapeutic resource integrated in World Health Organization Strategy. Methodologies for MP: ethnobotany, ethnopharmacology,chemotaxonomy.Chemical variability. Biodiversity and impact on human health.
Good agricultural practices, harvesting and conservation MP. Methods for extraction and bioactive constituents.
Production, processing and control of MP and aromatherapy: expansion and risks. Toxic plants.
Quality, safety and efficacy of herbal products. Structural Elucidation: strategies approach that combines high resolution chromatography and spectroscopy.
Screening of bioactivities and evaluation of structure/activity as strategy for research of new therapeutic molecules. Macroscopic and microscopic description of Medicinal Plants, pharmacological actions, uses, drug interactions, contraindications, precautions and / or mechanisms of action of existing plants and / or compounds in them, whose bioactivity

Head Lecturer(s)

Maria da Graça Ribeiro Campos

Assessment Methods

Final Assessment
Exam: 100.0%

Continuous Assessment
Resolution Problems: 20.0%
Mini Tests: 80.0%

Bibliography

Bruneton, J. Pharmacognosie. Phytochimie. Plantes Médicinales, 3ª ed. Technique & Documentation,Paris,1999

Campos M.G. & Proença da Cunha A. Efeitos tóxicos no Homem e animais domésticos das plantas tóxicas espontâneas em Portugal.Associação Nacional das Farmácias,2001

Chevalier A Enciclopédia de Plantas Medicinais, 1996

Mukherjee, P. Quality Control of Herbal Drugs. Apothecaries, New Delhi, 2002

Proença da Cunha, A. et al. Farmacognosia e Fitoquímica. Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisboa, 2005

Proença da Cunha A, Roque O. Plantas Medicinais da Farmacopeia Portuguesa,Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisboa 2008

Proença da Cunha A et al. Plantas e Produtos Vegetais em Fitoterapia, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisboa 2003

Samuelsson, G Drugs of Natural Origin. 4th ed. Apotekarsocieteten, 1999

Simões CMO et al. Farmacognosia – da planta ao medicamento, 5ª ed., Editora da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, 2003

Volák J, Stodola J, Severa F. Plantas Medicinais, 1990