OVERVIEW
The inception of the department dates back to 1986 when it was initially established as a Research Laboratory. Recognizing the evolving landscape of its functions, the department underwent a restructuring process in 1991 and was officially designated as the Phytochemistry Department to better align with the core essence of its operations and focus on the study of plant-based compounds and their chemical properties. This transformation marked a pivotal moment in the department’s history, solidifying its role in exploring the intricate complexities of phytochemical constituents and their applications in various research endeavors.
1. Conducting phytochemical screening on herbal products.
2. Identifying and characterizing phyto-constituents extracted from plants.
3. Establishing standards for herbal products.
4. Developing formulations for herbal preparations.
– The Department conducts screenings of herbal preparations to assess their organoleptic and physicochemical characteristics, including identifying compound classes present.
– Standardization of herbal preparations involves developing and validating analytical methods to ensure their identity and purity, considering parameters like solvent extractive values, organoleptic evaluation, volatile compounds, marker compounds, chromatographic profiles, spectroscopic profiles, and foreign matter analysis.
– Formulation of herbal preparations aims to create formulations from plant extracts with documented historical use, integrating ethno-pharmacological insights obtained from literature analysis. This interdisciplinary approach involves agrobotany, phytochemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, and toxicology.
– Additionally, the Department offers training facilities for students from various local and foreign institutions, providing opportunities for attachment, post-graduate project supervision, and part-time teaching at the University of Ghana.