Pharmacognosy is the study of the physical, chemical, biochemical and biological properties of drugs, drug substances or potential drugs or drug substances of natural origin. It is a branch of pharmacology that deals with the nature, source, collection, preparation and evaluation of drugs and their constituents. The term pharmacognosy is derived from the Greek terms pharmakon (drug) and gnosis (knowledge).

The study of pharmacognosy involves the identification and analysis of the active principles of medicinal plants, their constituents and other related substances. The main objectives of the study include the isolation and characterization of active phytochemicals from natural sources, determination of the structure and activity of these components and the evaluation of their potential therapeutic effect. In addition, pharmacognosy also involves the study of the cultural, economic and pharmacological aspects of medicinal plants.

The study of pharmacognosy is an important part of the education of pharmacists, herbalists, and other health care professionals. It helps in the identification and evaluation of herbal medicines and their active principles. It also serves as a bridge between the natural products sciences, biochemistry and clinical medicine. Pharmacognosy plays a vital role in the development of new drugs and drug formulations, as well as the design and synthesis of drugs. Mats university Raipur provides the best course in Pharmacognosy for aspiring pharmacists to hone their skills.