History of Pharmacy and Pharmacy proffesion

History of Pharmacy and Pharmacy proffesion.

Friends in general we know what  pharmacy deals with. So guys pharmacy is the art, practice, or profession of preparing, preserving, and dispensing medical drugs. 

The real definition of Pharmacy is,the word “pharmacy” was coined from the Greek word “pharmakon” meaning “medicine” or a “drug“. Pharmacy is the health science that links medical science with chemistry and it is charged with the discovery, production, control, disposal, safe and effective use of drugs. The practice of pharmacy requires excellent knowledge of drugs, their mechanism of action, side effects, interactions, mobility and toxicity. 

Now we move on to history of Pharmacy 

History of pharmacy can be divided into two sub classes. i.e.

Pre-History & Written History

1)Prehistoric

Paleopharmacological studies attest to the use of medicinal plants in pre-history. Here paleo means old or historical so historic pharmacological studies show proofs of using  medicinal plants for their treatment .For example, herbs were discovered in the shanidar Caves in iraq and remains of the areca nut  in the Spirit Cave thailand. At that time they used mud,leaves, leaf juices and cool water to stop bleeding of wounds.They used these methods by observing how animals used to heal their wounds.

2) The written history of Pharmacy

Sumerian cuneiform tablets record prescriptions for medicine.Ancient Egyptian pharmacological knowledge was recorded in various papyri such as the Ebers Papyrus of 1550 BC, and the Edwin Smith Papyrus of the 16th century BC.

In Ancient Greece, according to Edward Kremers and Glenn Sonnedecker, "before, during and after the time of Hippocrates there was a group of experts in medicinal plants. Probably the most important representative of these rhizotomoi was Diocles of Carystus (4th century BC). He is considered to be the source for all Greek pharmacotherapeutic treatises between the time of Theophrastus and Dioscorides."

In ancient Greece and Rome and during the Middle Ages in Europe, the art of healing was recognized a separation between the duties of the physician and those of the herbalist.

From 60 and 78th AD that is in 15th century AD, the Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides wrote a five volume book, De Materia Medica covering over 600 plants and coining the term materia medica. It formed the basis for many medieval texts, and was built upon by many middle eastern scientists during the Islamic Golden Age.

The earliest or oldest known Chinese manual on materia medica  was compiled during the Han dynasty and was attributed to the mythical Shennong. Earlier literature included lists of prescriptions for specific ailments, exemplified by a manuscript "Recipes for 52 Ailments", found in the Mawangdui tomb, sealed in 168 BC. 

The earliest known compilation of medicinal substances in Indian traditional medicine dates to the 3rd or 4th century AD )(attributed to Sushruta, who is recorded as a physician of the 6th century BC).

The first pharmacist in the world is Al -hiti from Baghdad.

And also in Baghdad the first pharmacies, or drug stores, were established in 754, under the Abbasid Caliphate during the Islamic Golden Age . By the 9th century, these pharmacies were state-regulated.

After ancient era in empiric era The pharmacopoeia became a regulatory tool for pharmacists. The Benjamin Franklin started the first hospital in 1751. It had a pharmacy and with a 1st hospital pharmacist was Jonathan roberts.

And also in 1821 the Philadelphia college of Pharmacy was Founded.

William proctor the father of american Pharmacy .He was owned an pharmacy called apothecary at that period and he also dedicated his Time and attention for advancement of Pharmacy.

Next comes Industrialization era

In 1800s increased technical sophistication , rapid mass production of medicines followed by standardization, biologically prepared products, complex chemical synthesis and increased use of parenteral medications were all the part of this period. The late 1880s, German dye manufacturers had perfected the purification of individual organic compounds from tar and other mineral sources and had also established rudimentary methods in organic chemical synthesis.

Chloral hydrate was introduced as a sleeping aid and sedative in 1869 and  Chloroform was first used as an anesthetic in 1847.

Derivatives of phenothiazines had an important impact on various aspects of medicine, beginning with methylene blue which was originally used as a dye after its synthesis from aniline in 1876.Phenothiazines were used as antimalarials, antiseptics, and antihelminthics up to 1940. In  1950, chlorpromazine was discovered, which began the "psychopharmacological revolution".

The next comes the patient caring era the beginning of this period concentrated on research to develop new medicines. They also researched about adverse drug reactions so drug monitoring and review also started.

Thank you so much readers this was in depth Information about history of Pharmacy.