Brief History

Drug discovery from natural products have played and continue to play an invaluable role as sources of drugs or lead compounds in the prophylaxis and treatment of diseases. Plants, especially those with ethnopharmacological uses have been the primary sources of medicines and have an advantage over other sources in drug discovery for various reasons. Consequently, there is a need to embark on the search for pharmacological agents from plants and other natural sources with the hope of obtaining entirely new drugs or lead compounds to deal with the increasing burden of disease. Developing excellent appreciation of drug development from natural sources and Phytotherapy are fundamental to the training of pharmacists. The department aims to ensure that all students are competently trained in the theory and practice of Pharmacognosy and Herbal Medicine to better equip them to explore the folkloric use of phytomedicines and appreciate Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) practices.