The aim of the course is to teach the principles of botany and the concept of the plant as a producer of chemicals useful for health. For this reason, the aim of the course is to provide to  students  the knowledge of Plant Biology, Pharmaceutical Botany and Phytochemistry.

Plant Biology: principles of plant biology, plant cell, plant tissues, structure and organization of plant organs: root, stem, leaf, etc.

Pharmaceutical Botany: study of plants of pharmaceutical interest that have therapeutic properties, their systematic botany and their active components (chemical structure and function).

List of  treated plants:

Pterydophyta: Aspidiaceae: Dryopteris filix-mas. Gimnosperme: caratteri generali. Ginkoaceae: Gingko biloba. Pinaceae: Pinus sp.pl. (P. pinaster, P. sylvestris, P. pinea, P. mugo, P. halepensis). Taxaceae: Taxus. Clamidosperme. Ephedraceae: Ephedra sp.pl. Angiospermae. Dicotiledoni. Lauraceae: Laurus nobilis, Cynnamomum camphora, Cynnamomum zeylanicum. Monimiaceae: Peumus boldus. Ranunculaceae: Aconitum napellus, Hydrastis canadensis, Adonis vernalis. Papaveraceae: Papaver somniferum, Chelidonium majus. Cannabaceae: Cannabis sativa, Humulus lupulus. Polygonaceae: Rheum palmatum, Rheum officinalis. Hipericaceae: Hypericum perforatum. Malvaceae: Malva sylvestris, Althaea officinalis. Cruciferae: Brassica nigra, Sinapis alba. Caesalpiniaceae: Cassia acutifolia, Cassia angustifolia. Fabaceae: Glycyrrhiza glabra. Myrtaceae: Eucalyptus globulus, Eugenia caryophyllata. Euphorbiaceae: Ricinus communis. Rhamnaceae: Rhamnus frangula, Rhamnus purshiana. Erythroxylaceae: Erythroxylon coca. Araliaceae: Panax ginseng. Apiaceae: Foeniculum vulgare, Pimpinella anisum. Gentianaceae: Gentiana lutea. Apocynaceae: Strophantus sp. pl. (S. hispidus, S. kombè, S. gratus), Rauwolfia serpentina, Catharantus roseus. Solanaceae: Atropa belladonna, Hyoscyamus niger, Datura stramonium. Lamiaceae: Lavandula angustifolia, Mentha piperita, Melissa officinalis, Salvia officinalis, Rosmarinus officinalis, Thymus vulgaris. Plantaginaceae: Plantago psyllium. Scrophulariaceae: Digitalis purpurea, D. lanata. Rubiaceae: Cinchona succirubra, C. ledgeriana, C. calisaya, Cephaelis ipecacuana. Valerianaceae: Valeriana officinalis. Asteracae: Chamomilla recutita, Chamaemelum nobile, Artemisia annua, Silybum marianum. Monocotiledoni. Colchicaceae: Colchicum autumnale. Liliaceae: Urginea maritima. Alliaceae: Allium sativum. Asphodelaceae: Aloe sp. pl. (A. ferox, A. succotrina, A. vera).

No prerequisites required

Knowledge and understanding:

At the end of the course the student must be able to know the plant cell and the structural and functional characteristics of the different groups of terrestrial plants; to identify and to describe the main plants of pharmaceutical interest and the drugs obtained from them; to know the main groups of secondary metabolites of plants of pharmaceutical interest.

Applying knowledge and understanding:

At the end of the course, the student must be able to know the organization of the plant cell and the tissues and organs of plants; to grouping herbal drugs according to the active ingredients they contain and their therapeutic activity; to apply the knowledge acquired for the correct use of   phytochemicals in the field of health products.

Making judgements:

At the end of the course, the student must be able to decide independently on the use of herbal drugs and / or active ingredients of plant origin more suitable for different needs.

Communication skills:

At the end of the course the student must be able to communicate clearly and with the appropriate terms from a scientific point of  view, in the field of plant biology, pharmaceutical botany and products containing molecules synthesized by plants and their use for health.

 Learning skills:

At the end of the course the student will have to be able to deal independently with the specific scientific means today available, and to use these means for his scientific updating in the field of plant drugs.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

The teaching material and specific communications from the lecturer can be found, together with other supporting activities, inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises) and specific communications from the lecturer can be found, together with other supporting activities, inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Front lessons (Italian) with PC and video-projector (Power Point).

Course books

Claudio Longo, Giovanna Marziani, Biologia delle piante, UTET

Pasqua- Botanica generale e biodiversità vegetale- PICCIN

E. Maugini, L. Maleci Bini, M. mariotti Lippi - Manuale di Botanica Farmaceutica - Piccin

Assessment

Oral examination. To verify the level of preparation of the student, 3 questions will be asked regarding the topics of the course. If the students enrolled on the exam exceed ten units, the exam will be written with three open questions. The evaluation in both cases is expressed in thirtieth and the evaluation will take into account the knowledge of the topics, their exposure, the correct use of the appropriate terminology, the ability to reason and the ability to establish connections between the different topics where possible. After considering the plants of pharmaceutical interest listed in the program, the student will have to bring 5 of his choice for the exam.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

The teaching material and specific communications from the lecturer can be found, together with other supporting activities, inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

 

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises) and specific communications from the lecturer can be found, together with other supporting activities, inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Course books

Claudio Longo, Giovanna Marziani - Biologia delle piante - UTET

Pasqua- Botanica generale e biodiversità vegetale- PICCIN

E. Maugini, L Maleci Bini, M. Mariotti Lippi- Manuale di Botanica farmaceutica - Piccin

Assessment

Oral examination. To verify the level of preparation of the student, 3 questions will be asked regarding the topics of the course. If the students enrolled on the exam exceed ten units, the exam will be written with three open questions. The evaluation in both cases is expressed in thirtieth and the evaluation will take into account the knowledge of the topics, their exposure, the correct use of the appropriate terminology, the ability to reason and the ability to establish connections between the different topics where possible.

After considering the plants of pharmaceutical interest listed in the program, the student will have to bring 5 of his choice for the examination.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.