Department of Pharmacognosy

General information

Establishment: The Department of Pharmacognosy, under the Faculty of Pharmacy, Lac Hong University was established together with the Faculty of Pharmacy in 2013. The main office is in room I209, Campus 6, Lac Hong University. The Department of Pharmacognosy is responsible for teaching and equipping students majoring in Pharmacy basic and specialised knowledge of natural medicinal materials. Besides, the Department also participates in scientific research, guides undergraduates for doing theses, guides high school students in the Provincial Science and Technology Exam.

The Department’s staff include: 1 PhD (Nguyen Thi Nhu Quynh), 2 Masters (Ngo Van Cuong, Le Thi Thu Hong) and 1 technicians (Pham Thi Giang)

Main courses: Pharmaceutical Practises 2 (Herbal Medicine Identification), Pharmacognosy 1, Pharmacognosy 2, Practical Pharmacognosy, Traditional Pharmacology.

Teaching objectives: Department of Pharmacognosy provides students with knowledge about the origin, chemical composition, testing methods, effects and uses of medicinal herbs. The Department of Pharmacognosy also shows students scientific methods to study chemical composition and evaluate the quality of medicinal herbs. 

Pharmaceutical Practises 2: provides freshmen with basic knowledge of medicinal plants identification, Latin names, pharmacological effects, uses of some commonly used herbs in Vietnam.

Pharmacognosy 1, Pharmacognosy 2: provides students with general knowledge (structural characteristics, physical properties, chemical properties, extraction, isolation, main herbals) of some groups of natural compounds including carbohydrate, cardiac glycoside, saponin, flavonoid, antraglycoside, tannin, coumarin, iridoid glycoside. 

Practical Pharmacognosy: illustrates the theoretical knowledge. Students are equipped with skills to extract, determine the groups of compounds in medicinal herbs, test and distinguish real-fake medicinal herbs. The subject also enhances specialised knowledge and skill of using microscopes in distinguishing confusing medicinal herbs. 

Traditional Pharmacology (optional): provides students knowledge of the using traditional remedies in the treatment

Research areas:

The researches of the Department are aimed at improving quality, ensuring safety and efficiency in the production and use of medicinal herbs and medicinal products. Over the past years, the research topics of the Department have focused on main areas:

- Extraction, Isolation, and Identification of Compounds in Herbal Medicines

- Bioassay Screening of Herbal Medicines

- Pharmacological and Toxicological Study of Herbal Medicines

- Chemical Standardization and Quality Control of Herbal Medicine