Pharmacognosy

The Department of Pharmacognosy is dedicated to natural and herbal medicinal product research in pharmaceutical sciences. This department deals with the study of biology, chemistry, biochemistry, taxonomy, and ethnobiology of natural products obtained from plant, animal, marine and other life origins. We use interdisciplinary approaches to identify, analyse, and purify multi-component mixtures from plant, fungal, or marine sources focusing on the characterization of their bioactive secondary metabolites. Pharmacognosy has undergone significant change in recent years and today represents a highly interdisciplinary science, which is one of the major pillars of Pharmaceutical education. Areas of active interest include natural products chemistry, isolation, characterization and biological studies of phytoconstituents using animal models, herbal cosmetics, novel herbal formulations, and their standardization.

Research Area: 

The details of research studies being conducted in the department are as follows

  • Drug discovery and lead generation from natural sources
  • Development of formulation methods, standardization and stability studies of herbal drugs, herbo minerals, nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals of natural origin
  • General quality control methods for crude drugs and protocol development for specific medicinal plant materials
  • Development of technologies for natural products involving extraction, isolation and quantification
  • Ayurvedic formulation development and standardization with novel approaches
  • Biological evaluation and validation of medicinal plants in various therapeutic areas like antiacne, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, antioxidants, anti ulcer, and anti-inflammatory.

Department Research publications: More than 25 publications in national and international peer reviewed journals.

Conference and seminar attended:  60+ 

Seminars organized:

  • Savitribai Phule Pune University sponsored one day Seminar on “Phytopharmaceuticals: A Challenging perspectives to Herbal Industry” on 05th February 2016

Grants: 

  • Savitribai Phule Pune University sponsored (BCUD) Research Grant on , “Development and Evaluation of Polyherbal formulation for Anti acne action”  of  Rs. 2,00,000/- (2016-2018)

Benediction From The Hod

Dr. R. S. Karodi

HOD

Pharmacognosy is a specific discipline which deals with versatile studies of the drug and auxiliary substances of biological origin like Plants, Animals & Minerals. This subject provides information about procedure used in manufacturing of materials of natural origin, extraction, isolation, purification of medicinal substances and quality control.
Pharmacognosy department research activities are based on natural materials (drugs, marine products, fresh plants, vegetable and animal products), their analytical tests and isolation of their active constituents, determining their structures, and their importance. It also aims at studying the morphological evaluation of practically important drugs.
Learning is a continuous process and does not end with the acquisition of a degree, especially because steady and rapid advances in research technologies shorten the life of tools and techniques prevalent today. Therefore we do not aim to make our students walking manuals of any language or package. Instead, they are given a strong foundation in pharmaceutical sciences and problem-solving techniques, and are made adaptable to changes.
About Dr. R. S. Karodi
Dr. R. S. Karodi, born on 20th June 1985, completed his Graduation from MCE Socy’s Allana College of Pharmacy, camp, Pune and Post Graduation from Dr. D. Y. Patil Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and research, Pune and completed his Ph.D in the year 2018 from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad. He has total 15 years of teaching & 02 years of research experience. He is actively involved in the field of research. The research areas of his interest include phytopharmaceuticals, indigenous formulations and further investigations. Apart from academic activities he is involved in other aspects of development of department.
He has published more than 22+ research papers in international journals and participated in many international conferences in various institutes/Universities in India.
He is actively involved in collaborative research activities in consultation with other department and industries. He is a life member of official organizations like Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) and Association of Pharmaceutical Teachers of India (APTI). He has also been awarded ideal teacher award by Centre for Educational and Social Development and Nehru Yuva Kendra, Pune, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India.

It is my distinct honor and pleasure to welcome you to the Dr. D. Y. Patil College of Pharmacy, Akurdi, Pune which include the Department of Pharmacognosy. The department occupies area of 308 Sq. Mtr which covers two spacious equipped laboratories namely Bruneton Pharmacognosy laboratory and William Withering Pharmacognosy Laboratory. Pharmacognosy deals with the study of natural products which involves isolation, characterisation, formulation and preclinical aspects in collaboration with other department which fulfil the interdisciplinary research. The use of crude extracts or semi-pure mixtures originating phytotherapy is probably the best known and also the most debated area in pharmacognosy. Although sometimes considered as alternative medicine, when critically conducted, it can be considered the scientific study on the effects and clinical use of herbal medicines.
We are now in the 21st century that usher us into the new world of scientific, informatics and medical achievements. We believe that this approach to teaching-learning, coupled with practical experience in our reputed organization, equips our students to handle the challenges posed by the pharmaceutical industry. I am confident that you will find our students worthy of your organization. With your drive and determination, the department of Pharmacognosy will help you to realize your dreams of achieving academic excellence.