Scope and History of Pharmacy

• What are the different fields in pharmacy?

  • Community Pharmacy
  • Industrial Pharmacy
  • Research Pharmacy
  • Production
  • Quality Control
  • Drug Distribution/Marketing
  • Hospital Pharmacy
  • Clinical Pharmacy
  • Regulatory Affairs
  • Pharmaceutical Journalism
  • Government Service
  • Organizational Management
  • Medical Communication
• What does the term "pharmacy" originate from?

  It comes from the Greek word "pharmakon," which can mean either remedy or poison.
• How was illness perceived in prehistoric times?

  • Illness was believed to be caused by forces of evil or supernatural elements.
  • Healing was thought to be a work of magic.
  • Healers were referred to as magicians or priests.
• Who were the shamans in prehistoric times?

  Shamans believed in supernatural beings and used potions to cure the sick.
• What was the earliest known practice of pharmacy according to the Babylonian era?

  It involved two types of medical care providers: Asipu (magical healer) and Asu (empirical healer).
• What were the roles of Asipu and Asu in Babylonian pharmacy?

  • Asipu: Magical healer relying on spells and magical stones.
  • Asu: Empirical healer providing treatment based on experience without precise knowledge of the disorder.
• What significant contribution did the Sumerians make to pharmacy?

  They wrote the earliest prescriptions from at least 2700 B.C.
• How did the Assyrians view illnesses?

  They believed that illnesses were punishments for breaking the law.
• What was the Egyptian perspective on pharmacy?

  They considered pharmacy to be the highest branch of medicine.
• Who were the notable figures in ancient Egyptian pharmacy?

  • Thot: Egyptian God of Healing
  • Anepu/Anubis: Apothecary of the Gods
  • Imhotep: World’s first doctor and architect
• What is the Caduceus?

  It is a symbol used to represent medicine in ancient Greece.
• Who is known as the Father of Pharmacology?

  Pedanios Dioscorides is known as the Father of Pharmacology.
• Who is referred to as the Father of Pharmacy?

  Hippocrates is referred to as the Father of Pharmacy.
• What contributions did Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle make to the sciences?

  • They created the sciences of comparative botany, zoology, anatomy, physiology, and embryology.
  • Socrates worked on "De materia medica," a leading pharmacological text for 16 centuries.
• Who is Asclepius?

  Asclepius is the God of Medicine/Medicinal Art in ancient Greece.
• What does the Cup of Hygeia symbolize?

  The Cup of Hygeia symbolizes pharmacy and healing.
• What significant events occurred in the timeline of pharmacy?

  • Early 2000 B.C.: Shen Nung, Father of Chinese Pharmaceuticals
  • 1500 B.C.: Papyrus Ebers, a collection of 800 prescriptions
  • 500 B.C.: Terra Sigillata, first therapeutic agents
  • 300 B.C.: Theophrastus, Father of Botany
  • 100 B.C.: Mithridates VI practiced poisoning and antidotes
• Who is Galen and what is his significance?

  Galen practiced and taught both Pharmacy and Medicine in Rome and is associated with galenicals.
• Who are Damian and Cosmas?

  They are the Patron Saints of Pharmacy and Medicine.
• What role did monasteries play in the history of pharmacy?

  • Preserved Western knowledge of Pharmacy and Medicine.
  • Translated Greek books into Latin by the monks.
• Where was the first pharmacy shop established?

  The first pharmacy shop was in Baghdad.
• Who is Ibn Sina, also known as Avicenna?


  Ibn Sina was a pharmacist, poet, physician, philosopher, and diplomat during the Arabian era.
• What is the significance of the Nuovo Receptario?

  It is the first pharmacopeia in Europe written in the Italian language.
• What is a pharmacopeia?

  • A book containing directions for the identification of compound medicines.
  • Published by the authority of a government or a medical or pharmaceutical society.
• Who is Theophrastus Phillipus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim, also known as Paracelsus?


  He believed in preparing specific medicinal agents for combating specific diseases.
• Who is Andreas Vesalius and what is his contribution?


  He is the founder of Modern Human Anatomy and authored a significant book on human anatomy.
• What did Valerius Cordus contribute to pharmacy?


  He authored one of the greatest pharmacopeias known as Dispensatorium.
• What is the significance of the Society of Apothecaries in London?

  It was established by Francis Bacon.
• Who was Christopher Marshall?


  He established an apothecary shop in Philadelphia.
• Who was Jonathan Rogers?


  He was the first hospital pharmacist.
• What was John Morgan's contribution to pharmacy?


  He advocated prescription writing.
• Who is Carl William Scheele and what did he discover?


  He discovered O, Cl, and glycerin.
• Who is Andrew Craigie?


  He is known as America’s First Apothecary General.
• What did Friedrich Wilhelm Adam Serturner discover?

  He discovered the painkiller morphine in opium.
• What did Pierre-Joseph Pelletier and Joseph Bienaime Caventou discover?


  They discovered Quinine used against malaria.
• Who discovered the element iodine?

  Bernard Courtois discovered the element iodine.
• What was the significance of the Shakers in pharmacy?

  They established the first U.S. industry in medicinal herbs.
• Who was Daniel B. Smith?


  He was the first President of the American Pharmaceutical Association.
• Who is William Proctor, Jr.?


  He is known as the Father of American Pharmacy.
• What did Stanislas Limousin introduce to pharmacy?


  He introduced the use of the medicine dropper and invented glass ampules.