Efficacy and Safety of Natural Products

Recommended Prerequisites

To achieve the objectives of the course, students should have basic knowledge in the field of biology.

Teaching Methods

Teaching methodologies include theoretical classes using practical examples that encourage the development of a critical spirit and topic discussion; Theoretical-practical classes where natural products related research studies ongoing at FMUC will be presented, seminars given by guests and a visit to the Medical School of the Botanical Garden of Coimbra to show students a vast collection of living plants with medicinal properties.

Learning Outcomes

With this course unit students should be able to:

- Recognize the importance of natural produts for the discovery of new drugs;

- Identify, in their clinical practice, possible side effects and drug interactions related to the use of natural products;

- Be able to advice on the safe use of natural products with therapeutic efficacy.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Natural products in drug discovery:

 - Ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology;

 - Plants in the Portuguese Pharmacopoeia: common and scientific names and main traditional uses;

 - Plant metabolites for research and development of new drugs: phenolic compounds, alkaloids and terpenes

 

2. Safety in products of natural origin:

- Chemical variability of metabolites;

- Toxicity: irritation and gastrointestinal, respiratory, cardiac and neurological disorders;

- Contraindications and drug interactions: the plant-drug interactions observatory.

 

3. Efficacy in products of natural origin:

- Evaluation of in vitro bioactivities;

- Validation of therapeutic efficacy in animal models of disease;

- Clinical trials.

 

4. Main applications of plant metabolites in medicine and current relation with pharmacotherapy:

- Antihypertensive, analgesic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-infectious, anti-depressive and anti-diabetic activities.

Head Lecturer(s)

Mónica da Rocha Zuzarte

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Synthesis work: 40.0%
Exam: 60.0%

Bibliography

- Proença da Cunha (Coord), 2010, “Farmacognosia e Fitoquímica”, 3ª ed., Fundação

Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisboa, ISBN 972-31-1142-2

- Proença da Cunha, O. Roque (2008) “Plantas medicinais da Farmacopeia Portuguesa” 1ª ed., Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisboa.

- Herbal Medicines for Human Use - EU Monographs. European Medicine Agency. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory/herbal-products/european-union-monographs-list-entries

-Tavares AC, Zuzarte M., Salgueiro L. , 2010 Plantas aromáticas e medicinais-Escola Médica do Jardim Botânico da Universidade de Coimbra. Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra.

- Janicke C and Grunwald J. A Farmácia Verde. Everest Editora. ISBN 9789895003488.

- http://www.oipm.uc.pt/home/