American Journal of Ethnomedicine

Drug discovery a history of a pharmacognostic approach

10^th International Conference on Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Plants
May 26, 2022 | Webinar

Antonio Steardo

University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy

ScientificTracks Abstracts: Am J Ethnomed

Abstract

Since the ancient Romans and ancient Greek used medical herbs, the pharmacognostic profiles of medicinal herbs guaranteed cures and remedies for minor daily health problems. Over the centuries, the tradition of medical herbs has allowed many simple therapies and complex diseases treatment. This gave birth to a part of modern pharmaceutical chemistry at the end of the 19th century. It started by the extraction of active ingredients from medicinal herbs. During the twentieth century, chemical modification led natural molecules to it characterizes the discovery of new molecules. They were improving their pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profile. Both the research and discovery of herbal medicine came from tradition, even though their study ran into nefarious errors. During my pharmacologist career, I combined endogenous pharmacological modulation systems looking for new therapies. The discovery of many drugs derives from pharmacognostic research and the ethnobotanical tradition. There is no doubt that the chemistry of pharmacognostic products leads to the extraction of complex structures sometimes. Indeed, the most fascinating part is the historical testimonies on herbs studied over the centuries by those who practiced them. The oriental medicine, as well as the ancient Aesculapius, Galen, Paracelsus and Hippocrates, used herbal medicine. Its uses still leave some surprises to those who practice Drug Discovery in this sense.

Biography

Doctor Antonio Steardo specialized in Pharmacology and graduated in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Chemist. He has now gained years of experience since 2002 in the pharmaceutical products trade sector as he could have been behind the counter of the Steardo pharmacy from an early age. Already in elementary school, the curiosity for chemistry manifests itself during his games and continues lectures at the department of science at the University of Salerno. Therefore during the cycle of studies, he prefers biochemistry and biochemistry of drug action, graduating in July 2007 with a thesis on the functioning of the endocannabinoid system on Alzheimer’s disease in pharmacology. Following the beginning of his pharmaceutical chemistry studies, he stopped for a competition as a postgraduate in pharmacology at the University of Rome La Sapienza in July 2014. Expecting constant improvement as a professional update, he enrolled in the continuing professional training department at the University of Oxford to follow courses in experimental and translation therapy and on medical research. His desire to improve leads him to attend international conferences and seminars.