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History of Pharmacy

Early humans treated illnesses and wounds by applying plants, mud, or water. Over time, certain crude drugs were found to be more effective, beginning the practice of herbal medicine. Tribal healers and priests, known as apothecaries, prepared and administered herbal remedies. Their success was sometimes due to placebo effects, natural healing, or experience. As medical knowledge advanced, pharmacy separated from medicine in 1240 AD, and specialists prepared standardized drugs of uniform quality. Today pharmacy has various branches utilizing advances in basic sciences to develop and provide specialized medications.

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Eswar Gupta Maddi
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21 views3 pages

History of Pharmacy

Early humans treated illnesses and wounds by applying plants, mud, or water. Over time, certain crude drugs were found to be more effective, beginning the practice of herbal medicine. Tribal healers and priests, known as apothecaries, prepared and administered herbal remedies. Their success was sometimes due to placebo effects, natural healing, or experience. As medical knowledge advanced, pharmacy separated from medicine in 1240 AD, and specialists prepared standardized drugs of uniform quality. Today pharmacy has various branches utilizing advances in basic sciences to develop and provide specialized medications.

Uploaded by

Eswar Gupta Maddi
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Evolution / History of Pharmacy

The early man used crude drugs from plant, animal and mineral
sources to cure diseases.

Early man treated an external wound by pouring water on it, or by


covering the wound with a fresh leaf. Sometimes mud was applied on the
wound.

From experience, humans learnt that certain crude drugs were more
effective than others and from these beginnings came the practice of drug
therapy.

Many early races of people believed that disease was caused by the
entry of demons or evil spirits into the body. So treatment was done with
spiritual incantations and some plant materials were administered to the
patient.

Generally the wise man or woman of the tribe, who had knowledge
regarding the crude drug plant, was asked to treat the disease. He / She
prepared the medicine / remedy from the crude drug and gave it to the
diseased person. Thus the art of apothecary originated.

It was believed that the apothecary who prepared remedies from


crude drugs had connections with the world of spirits. It was believed that
God’s grace, absence of evil spirits, healing intent of the apothecary and
observing ceremonies were required for the drugs to work effectively.
Because of this the tribal apothecary was respected and worshiped. Many
times the apothecary became the tribal leader.

Many of the failures in treatment by apothecary were due to wrong


selection of drugs, under dosage or over dosage and sometimes poisoning.
His success was due to experience, coincidence of drug selection, natural
healing, and placebo effects. Even today placebo products (no drug in
product) are given to patients, and are used in research.

As time passed the art of apothecary combined with priestly


functions and the priest magician / physician became the healer of body
and soul. Hence in early history tribal leaders / priests performed as a
physician cum pharmacist.

1
Through history many individuals contributed to advancement of
health sciences.

“Hippocrates” a Greek physician gave descriptions of hundreds of


drugs and he redefined “Pharmakon” as a purifying remedy for good
only. (Previously it was defined as a drug that can be used for good or evil).

“Dioscoridies” a Greek physician and botanist described a number


of drugs which have use in medicine. He described the process of
identifying, collecting natural drugs, storage methods, detection of
adulterants etc, now this area of pharmacy is called Pharmacognosy.

“Galen” a Greek Pharmacist - Physician tried to create a perfect


system of physiology, pathology and treatment. His medical writings include
descriptions of a number of crude drugs, drug formulas, and methods of
compounding. Galen formulations were followed for over 1500 years and
this field of preparations was once called Galen Pharmacy, now it is
pharmaceutics.

With time variety of drugs increased and compounding became


more complex and specialists were needed to prepare medicinal products.
Pharmacy was officially separated from medicine in 1240 AD by Emperor
Frederick II of Germany. Pharmacist was required to prepare reliable
drugs of uniform quality according to their art.

A Swiss Physician and chemist “Paracelsus” (1493-1541) believed


that it was possible to prepare a specific medicinal agent for each disease.
Later research was carried out in Laboratories to synthesize drugs.
“Paracelsus” transformed pharmacy from a profession based on botanical
science to a profession based on chemical science.

With time, knowledge of basic sciences increased which were


applied to Pharmacy. Today we have different branches of pharmacy
catering to various needs.

By
Eswar Gupta M
Chalapathi Institute of Pharmaceutical
Sciences,

2
Guntur.

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