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A pharmacopoeia is a collection of authoritative, legally recognized standards and guidelines for the quality, purity, and strength of drugs, excipients, and dosage forms.
It outlines the composition, preparation, storage, and labelling requirements of pharmaceutical products, serving as a reference for healthcare professionals.
History of Pharmacopoeia
1) Early compilations
Early examples include "De Materia Medica" by Dioscorides (1st century AD) and "Canon of Medicine" by Avicenna (11th century AD).
2) First national pharmacopoeias
The first official pharmacopoeias were published in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.
The first national pharmacopoeias appeared in the 17th century, such as the Pharmacopoeia Londinensis (1618) and Pharmacopoeia Augustana (1629).
3) International harmonization
In the 19th and 20th centuries, differences in national standards led to efforts for harmonization, culminating in the International Pharmacopoeia (1951) under WHO.
4) Modern pharmacopoeias
Major modern pharmacopoeias include the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.), British Pharmacopoeia (BP), and Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP).
History of Pharmacy in India
The history of the pharmacy profession in India can be broadly divided into four phases: ancient history, the colonial period, the post-independence period, and the modern era.
1) Ancient history
Pharmacy in India has roots in traditional systems like Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani.
Texts like Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita describe medicinal plants and preparations.
2) Colonial period
Under British rule, allopathic medicine was introduced, and the first pharmacy course was offered in 1863 at Calcutta Medical College.
3) Post-independence period
After 1947, the Pharmacy Act of 1948 established the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) to regulate the profession. The first B. Pharm course started in 1953.
The government promoted the pharmaceutical industry, and the 1970 Patent Act spurred the growth of generic drug production.
4) Modern era
Post-1990s liberalization led to the expansion of the pharmaceutical industry, making India a leading producer of generic drugs.
Pharmacy education diversified with courses like D.Pharm, M.Pharm, and Pharm.D. Key regulatory bodies include PCI, IPA, AICTE, and NIPER.
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