Pharmacognosy is study of the physical, chemical, biochemical and biological properties of drugs, drug substances or potential drugs or drug substances of natural origin as well as the search for new drugs from natural sources.
The Department conducts research work such as Phytochemical screening of natural drugs based on Ethnobotanical clues or traditional usage based on folklore. Plant preparations are said to be medicinal or herbal when they are used to promote health beyond basic nutrition. The study of drugs from plants includes the subjects of botany, chemistry and pharmacology. (more…)
Department of Pharmacognosy and Botany was established in 1919 as the “Cathedra of Pharmacy and Pharmacognosy” at pharmaceutical division of Tbilisi State University. The first chief of the cathedra was Academician I. Kutateladze (1921-1925). From 1926 the Cathedra of Pharmacognosy became an independent unit, which, as the subordinate of Pharmaceutical and Medical Institute, was managed by Prof. E. Aboll (1926-1952), Prof. V. Shotadze (1952-1962) and Prof. L. Eristavi (1962-1997). Since 1997 the cathedra has been headed by Prof. J. Kuchukhidze. From 1930, the course of botany was added to the Cathedra of Pharmacognosy, which, after organization of Pharmaceutical Institute, was rearranged into the Cathedra of Botany, and from 1953 was joined to the Cathedra of Pharmacognosy as an independent docent course. 
Teaching at the department is conducted for the 2nd and 3rd year students of the faculty of Pharmacy on the following subjects: Pharmaceutical Botany (for the 2nd year students) and the main program of Pharmacognosy (for the 3rd year students). At the end of the educational program students undergo summer practical courses and take final exams by the unified testing form. MA course includes the following subjects: “The standardization, certification and quality control of crude drugs of plant and “Pharmacognosy based on the principles of Phуtotherapy”. 
Pharmacognosy, defined as the study of the physical, chemical, biochemical and biological properties of drugs or potential drugs or drug substances of natural origin as well as the search for new drugs from natural sources is a specialized area of applied science which deals with natural products that affect the health of humans and animals. Due to the widespread use of botanicals in developing as well as their resurgence in industrialized nations, significant concerns have been raised about their quality, safety and efficacy. Pharmacognosy plays a critical role in ensuring the authenticity, purity and consistency of the materials employed in this regard. It contributes significantly to the practice of Pharmacy and Herbal Medicine. The Department of Pharmacognosy offers various courses as part of the 4 year Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) and Bachelor of Science in Herbal Medicine (BSc. Herbal Medicine) degree programmes. 
The areas of medicinal chemistry and pharmacognosy focus on the interdisciplinary application of chemical and biochemical principles to the identification and development of therapeutic agents. Research in medicinal chemistry includes the synthesis of organic medicinal products, elucidation of the biochemistry of medicinal agents, examination of the relationship of chemical structure to biological activity, qualitative and quantitative analysis of drugs and related products, and application of computational chemistry to drug design. Research in pharmacognosy encompasses the isolation and structure determination of pharmacologically active natural products from plants and microbes, studies on the structure and biochemistry of biological products, examination of the biosynthesis of natural products, and evaluation of the biochemical effects of these active constituents. 
The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prince of Songkla University, is the first institution of higher learning in Pharmaceutical Sciences in southern Thailand which offers study programs in undergraduate level and higher. It was initially set up as a unit in the Establishment of Medical Sciences Center Project, Prince of Songkla University, in 1972. The Faculty was formally established in 1978, with assistant professor Dr. Sunalinee Nikrothanonta as the first Dean. The first batch of students was admitted, through the direct entrance examination, into the Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences program, in 1979. Up to the academic year 2008, a total of 30 batches of students have been admitted and the Faculty has produced more than 2,000 graduates to serve the country.
Starting from microscopy, pharmacognosy has developed into a hightech science during the last 40 years. Today, it plays an integral role in the field of Pharmaceutical Sciences through the discovery, identification, and evolution of bioactive compounds from natural sources. Studies of plants used in European, North American, African, and Asian traditional medicine are conducted with the goals of identifying bioactive constituents and discovering new lead compounds.