Learning objectives
The course aims at teaching the basic functional aspects of plant organisms, with an emphasis on the systems of production and accumulation of primary and secondary metabolites of pharmaceutical interest, widely used both as active ingredients and as excipients. From this standpoint, the course aims to provide the key to understand the ecophysiological rationale behind the role of plant secondary metabolites in drug discovery.
PHARMACOGNOSY
At the end of the course the student should have acquired knowledge and skills related to the pharmacognosy, the active ingredients of plant origin and their biological activity.
In particular, the student should be able to:
1) To acquire the basic notions of pharmacognosy (source of active principles, technological processes, extraction techniques, phytochemistry, classification of active principles);
To remember the botanical name of the plants and the part of the plant utilized to isolate the active principles;
To acquire preliminary pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic notions for understanding the pharmacological activity of natural substances;
To know the pharmacological activities of the main natural molecules and their mechanisms of action;
To Acquire ability in using the specific language of the discipline.
(Knowledge and understanding skills)
2) To apply the knowledge of the mechanisms of action of the natural molecules to define their pharmacological activity and use
(Knowledge and understanding applied skills)
3) To evaluate the validity of a phytotherapy product in independent manner
(Judgment autonomy)
4) Possess the ability to answer the question precisely, to synthesize information and effectively communicate it to specialists and non-specialists.
(Communicative Skills)
5) Develop skills and methodology that will allow you to study in a highly independent way;
Possess the ability to make links between the studied subjects and with the basic knowledges of anatomy;
To acquire the ability to update the knowledge through the consultation of scientific databases