Introduction

Pharmacognosy name derived from two Greek words i.e. Pharmacon (Drugs) and gnosis(knowledge). Ethnopharmacognosy is the relationship between plant and people. Study of medicinal plants based on ancient literature and investigation in modern concept, is ethnology. Study of crude drug from plant or animal origin.

Related to the field of botany and plant chemistry.

The Ayurvedic system of healing evolved among the Brahmin sages of ancient India. About 2370 plants are documented in charak samhita and susruta samhita. Ethnopharmacognosy includes the study of traditional concept for distinguishing between various plant parts.

Natural products
Entire organism(plant or animal origin) A part of an organism Exudates or extract Isolated pure compounds

Values of Natural product

Provide a numbers of extremely useful drugs. It supplies the basic compounds of an medicine. Utility as model for synthetic drug processing. Some natural products have no activity but they enhances the

activity of other drugs.

History of Natural drugs

In china, medicinal plants used since 5000 BC. The oldest herbal document Pentaso written by Shen xung in 3000 BC. Charak made 50 groups of herbs each of which meant for particular disease. Sustruta arranged 760 herbs in 70 groups based on their common properties. Plant medicine used in Ayurvedic system were described about 127 plants, around 1200 BC. Eberus papyrus(1550 BC), documented the 100 of plant used to making mummy of dead bodies.

Cont.
Barberians (3000 BC) use the plant for medicine, some of them used till that same way. Hipocrates (460-377 BC): The father of medicine. Identified and used large numbers of medicinal plants. Aristotle(384-322 BC): listed more than 500 medicinally important plants. Theopharastus (370-287 BC): Identified a large number of medicinal plants. Dioscorides (1st century AD): a Greek physician published 5 volumes of De Materia Medica. The Islamic era (770-1197 AD) Era of European exploration(16th -17th century)

Cont.
18th Century , the starting period of pharmacognosy. 19th century : era of pure compound. 20th century: discovery of important drugs from animal kingdom, particularly hormones and vitamins.

Way of knowledge of medicinal plant

The way by which the ancient people acquired knowledge about drugs, these are:

By guess work for trial and error.

While searching for food.

By examining the signature of nature.

By observing other animals instinctive discrimination between toxic and palatable plant. By accident discovery.

Plant for Medicine

Plant with anti-tumor potential

Calastrus hindsii Ageratum conyzoides Aloe vera Vinca rosea

Catharantus roseus
Taxus baccata

Plant with anti-HIV potential

Acer okomotoanum Artemisia annua Croton tiglium Glycyrrhiza lepidata

Polyalthia suberosa
Phyllanthus myrtifolius

Plant with anti-inflamatory activity

Vitex negundo Commiphora mukul Lawsennia spp. Eclipta alba

Plumbago indica
Terminalia chebula

Plant with hepatoprotective activity

Andographis paniculata Swertia chirata Azadirachta indica Solanum nigrum Phyllanthus niruri

Plant with anti-diabetic activity

Gymnema sylvestres Acacia arabica Allium cepa Boerhavia diffusa Trigonella foenum graecum

Modern researches
Takes the classical references. Mainly based on traditional concept. Combination of traditional concept with the modern concept. Scientific prove of traditional concept.

Artistic plants
Tulip Tulipa sp. (Liliaceae)

Sunflower
Helianthus annus (Asteraceae) Rajanigandha

Polianthes tuberosa (Agavaceae)

Calendula Calendula officinalis (Compositae)

Rose
Rosa sp. Jhendu (Genda)

Plants for symbols

Acacia Trees - Acacia symbolizes the the Virgin's purity. Almond Trees - Almond symbolizes divine approval. Bulrush Plants - The bulrush symbolizes faithfulness and humility. Cypress Trees - The cypress symbolizes death. Elm Trees - The elm symbolizes dignity and faithfulness.

Fern Plants - The fern symbolizes humility.

Fig - The fig symbolizes lust or fertility.

Cont
Fir Trees - The Fir tree symbolizes patience. Grapes - Grapes symbolize the blood of Christ.

Holly Plants - Holly symbolizes Christ's crown of thorns and His

Passion. Hyssop Plants - Hyssop Symbolizes penitence, humility and baptism. Ivy - Ivy Symbolizes faithfulness and eternal life. Olive Trees - The olive symbolizes peace. Palm - Palms symbolizes victory.

Plant for nutrition

Plant for making furniture

Western red cedar (Thuja plicata) Especially good for houses, as it withstands almost any climatic condition.

Sugar maple (Acer saccharum)

Furniture making, fine letter blocks for printing press, tool handles and even billiard cues. Teak (Tectona grandis) A timber which exudes a natural oil from its pores Indian laurel It shows strong, used for making home and furniture. Ramin (Gonystylus macrophyllum) Used for door and window frames and in the production of plywood.

Other plants for making furniture or decorative items

American black walnut (Juglans nigra)

European walnut (Juglans regi)

Balsa wood (Ochroma lagopus) Olive (Olea hochstetteri) Plane (lacewood) (Platanus acerifolia) English cherry (Prunus avium) American cherry (Prunus serotina) Muninga (Pterocarpus angolensis) Padauk (Pterocarpus dalbergiodes)

Cont..
American white oak (Quercus alba) American red oak (Quercus borealis/rubra)

English oak (Quercus robur)

Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga taxifolio) Bubinga (Copaifera amoldiana) Tulipwood/poplar (Dalbergia oliveri) European beech (Fagus sylvatica)

Conclusion
Maximum researches on the medicinal plant is carried out. There also have many plants which have no formulation, but they used as folk medicine or remedies. Ancient time different synonyms were used by traditional people.

There have some plant which are not properly identified till day.
Recent pharmacognostical standards provide a guideline to determine the identity, purity and strength of the drug.

References
Silja VP, Verma KS, Mohanan KV, Ethnomedicinal plant knowledge of Mullu kuruma tribe of Wayanad district, kerala. Int. J. of Trad. 2008, Knowledge, Vol 7(4): 604-612. Joseph E L, Charles WW, Edwin AK, Use and nutritional compositio of some traditional mountain pima plant, J. Ethnobiol. 1991, 11(1): 93-114. w w w .catholic-saints.info/catholic symbols/plants-trees-christiansymbols.htm www.finefurnituremaker.com/beautiful_hardwoods.htm