A pharmacopoeia is an authoritative collection of standards for the quality, purity, and strength of drugs, excipients, and dosage forms.
It provides guidelines on the composition, preparation, storage, and labeling of pharmaceutical products.
Pharmacopoeias are maintained by regulatory authorities and are essential references for pharmacists, chemists, and healthcare professionals.
History of Pharmacopoeia:
1) Early compilations:
Ancient texts such as De Materia Medica by Dioscorides (1st century AD) and Canon of Medicine by Avicenna (11th century AD) provided medicinal recipes and formulations.
2) First national pharmacopoeias:
The first official pharmacopoeia, the Dispensatorium (1546), was published in Nuremberg, Germany.
Other notable early works include the Pharmacopoeia Londinensis (1618) and Pharmacopoeia Augustana (1629).
3) International harmonization:
Differences in standards led to confusion in global trade.
In response, the International Pharmacopoeia was created in 1951 by the WHO to harmonize standards.
4) Modern pharmacopoeias:
Major pharmacopoeias today include the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.), British Pharmacopoeia (BP), and Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP).
These are regularly updated to reflect scientific advancements.
History of Pharmacy in India
The history of the pharmacy profession in India can be divided into four key phases:
1) Ancient history:
Rooted in traditional systems like Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani.
Texts such as Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita detailed medicinal plants and preparation methods.
Traditional healers (Vaidyas, Hakims) played a central role in medicine preparation.
2) Colonial period:
Under British rule, allopathic medicine was introduced.
In 1863, the first pharmacy course was launched at Calcutta Medical College.
Western and traditional medicine systems coexisted, marking the beginning of formal pharmacy education.
3) Post-independence period:
After 1947, the Pharmacy Act of 1948 established the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) to regulate education and the profession.
In 1953, the first B. Pharm degree was introduced in Mumbai.
The pharmaceutical industry grew with the Indian Patent Act (1970), allowing companies to produce generic drugs.
4) Modern era:
Economic liberalization in the 1990s attracted foreign investment, and India became a leading producer of generic medicines.
Today, India is a major exporter of affordable medicines worldwide, and pharmacy education has expanded to include D.Pharm, M.Pharm, and Pharm.D programs.
Key organizations like the PCI, Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA), and NIPER play a vital role in shaping the industry.