A Lecture on the topic “Authentication and Quality Check for Botanical Drugs as the First and Foremost Footstep in Medical Plant Research ” was organized by Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacognosy on 06.09.2024, from 11.00 a.m – 12.00 p.m. Dr. Koppala Narayana Sunil Kumar, was the guest speaker of the day. The Programme started with welcome address by Principal Dr. A. Jerad Suresh and he felicitated the speaker. With tremendous enthusiasm around 100 participants from B.Pharmacy VII Semester and M.Pharmacy students attended the Guest Lecture.
The speaker insisted that authentication should be implemented in the whole process from the collection of the raw material to the finished products. In addition, they can be used to eliminate adulterants and fraudulent behavior of unscrupulous individuals. A practical
and powerful tool, i.e., DNA barcodes, is developed for identifying medicinal plants and their adulterants in trade and for ensuring safety in their use. He insisted to ensure both safety and efficacy of herbal medicines, implementation of and adherence to good agricultural and collection practice (GACP), good plant authentication and identification practice (GPAIP) in analysis are necessary.
Finally, students understood how successive stages of research built on the findings of earlier stages, such as authentication. The speaker responded to many of the attendees’ questions, making the session entirely participatory. A vote of appreciation was proposed by Dr. S. Hemalatha, Professor, Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy. She expressed her deep gratitude to Dr. Koppala Narayana Sunil Kumar for hosting this lecture and thanked the faculty and students for their gracious cooperation. Additionally, she praised the speaker for giving up his valuable time. All students received their certificates of participation. Finally, the lecture ended with the National Anthem.
