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Pharmacognosy

The word "pharmacognosy" is derived from the Greek words  pharmakon (drug), and gnosis meaning  knowledge.
Pharmacognosy  embraces the knowledge of history, distribution, selection, preservation, preparation, identification, evaluation and use of drugs and economic substances that effect the health of man and animals.

Or

An applied science that deals with the biologic, biochemical and economic features of natural drugs and their constituents.

Branches of Pharmacognosy:

Medical ethnobotany:
 the study of the traditional use of plants for medicinal purposes.

Ethnopharmacology:
the study of the pharmacological qualities of traditional medicinal substances.

Phytochemistry:
 Study of chemicals derived from plants (including the identification of new drug candidates derived from plant sources).

Zoopharmacognosy:
 The process by which animals self-medicate, by selecting and using plants, soils, and   insects to treat and prevent disease.

Pharmcognosy-Biotechnology:

  Synthesis of natural bioactive molecules using biotechnology.

Herbal interactions:

The interactions of herbs with other drugs and body.

Marine pharmacognosy

The study of chemicals derived from marine organisms.

Abscission Layer:

A layer of separation consisting of thin walled cells formed across the base of petiole at leaf fall.

Achene:

A simple, dried one seeded indehiscent fruit.

Achlemydeous

Flowers without perianthi.e without calyx and corolla.

Acropetal Succession:

Produced in a succession towards the apex applied to the development of organs.

Actinomorphic:

Applied to flowers which can be cut vertically into two similar halves in two or more planes;regular.

Adnate:

Attached by the whole length, as the stipules attached to the petiole in rose; also applied to anther lobes which are attached by their entire length to the filament.

Adulterant:

Any substance that lessens the purity or effectiveness of a substance; it is necessary to remove the adulterants before use.

Or

Making impure or corrupt by adding extraneous materials.

Adsorption chromatography:

 Adsorption chromatography is that in which the stationary phase is an adsorbent.

Aggregate Fruit:

A fruit formed from a flower with free carpels.

Ala:

The lateral petal of papilionaceous corolla.

Albuminous Seed:

Seed containing albumen or endosperm.

Algae:

Lower plants either unicellular or multicellular without tissue differentiation but containing chloroplasts.

Alkaloids:

Any of various organic compounds normally with basic chemical properties and usually containing at least one nitrogen atom in a heterocyclic ring, occurring chiefly in many vascular plants and some fungi. Many alkaloids, such as nicotine, quinine, cocaine, and morphine, are known for their poisonous or medicinal attributes.

Alternate:

Applied to leaves when they arise singly at the nodes.

Amphithecium:

The outer layer of young capsule in bryophytes.

Analogous Organs:

Organs corresponding in but not in structure and development.

Anatropous:

An inverted ovule in which the micropyle lies close to the hilum at one end and the chalaza is situated at the other end.

Androecium:

The collective terms for the stamens of flower.

Androphore:

Stalk bearing the stamens.

Anemophilous Flowers:

Wind pollinated flower.

Angiosperms:

Plants with seeds enclosed in an ovary.

Annual:

Living for one season, such plants grow and produce seeds in one season and thus complete their life cycle in one year.

Annular Vessels:

Vessels having thickening material deposited in the form of transverse rings.

Annulus:

A row of thickened cells around the capsule of a Fern sporangium, by the contraction of which the dehiscence of the capsule is brought about.

Or

A ring of cells in the moss capsule which splits when the lid comes off.

Anther:

The upper usually enlarged portion of stamen containing the pollen grains, pollen bearing part of stamen.

Antheridium:

The male organ for production of spermatozoids.

Antipodal Cells:

A group of three cells at the chalazal end of the embryo sac of angiosperms.

Apetalous:

Without petals.

Apocarpous:

When the carpels in a flower are quite free from each other.

Apogamy:

Production of sporophyte from gametophyte without the intervention of sexual organs.

Apophysis:

The basal, sterile, swollen portion of capsule of moss.

Apospory:

Production of gametophyte from sporophyte without the intervention of spores.

Archegonium:

Female organ in which egg cell is produced, found in gymnosperms and bryophytes.

Asexual reproduction:

Reproduction without the involvement of sex cells.

Autogamy:

Self pollination resulting in self fertilization.

Autophyte:

A polant that can manufacture its own food.

Avicides:

An avicide is any substance (normally, a chemical ) which can be used to kill birds.

Axil:

The upper angle formed by a leaf with stem.

Axil Placentation:

Arrangement of placentas when the ovules are attached to the central axis of ovary.

Anastomosis:

The connection of various parts to form a network, as in leaf veins.

Abaxial:

Facing away from the axis.

Abbreviated (syn. abridged):

Shortened, as when one part is shorter than another.

Abiotic:

Nonliving, as opposed to biological.

Abiotic Stress:

Nonliving environmental factors such as frost, drought, excessive heat, high winds, etc., that can have harmful effects on plants.

Abiotic Transformation:

Any process in which a chemical in the environment is altered by nonbiological mechanisms, e.g., by exposure to sunlight.

Abscission (adj. abscissile):

The normal shedding of leaves, flowers or fruit from a plant at a special separation layer, or abscission zone.

Abscission Zone:

The area of separation when a plant sheds a leaf, flower or fruit.

Absent petiole:

A leaf without a petiole; sessile.

Absorbents:

Antacid herb.

Absorption Spectrum:

A graph of the amount of light a substance absorbs, plotted as a function of energy, frequency, or wavelength.

Acariasis:

An infestation with or a disease caused by mites.

Accessory Organs:

Parts of a flower that are not directly connected with male and female organs, e.g., petals and sepals, etc.

Acclimatization (syn. adaptation):

The physiological process by which an organism adapts to a new environment.

Accumbent:

A cotyledon having the edges lying against the radicle.

Acid Rain:

Rain which has turned acidic due to the presence of sulfur or nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere. Acid rain can harm and even kill plants and aquatic life.

Acid soil (adj. Acidic):

Soil with a pH level below 7 is considered acidic; also called sour.

Acrocarpous:

In mosses, having the sporophyte terminal on a stem or ordinary branch.

Adaptation (alt. Adaption):

The ways an organism becomes better fitted to survive and reproduce in a particular environment.

Or

 A genetically changing characteristic that raises an organism's ability to survive.

Admixture:

A material other than water, aggregates, or cement that is used as an ingredient of concrete or mortar to control setting and early hardening, workability, or to provide additional cementing properties.

Adventitious:

Describes an organ growing where it is not normally expected, e.g., roots growing from a stem.

Adventitious Root (syn. stem root):

A root that arises from a stem, rather than from the primary root.

Aeration:

The processes by which air and other gases in a medium are exchanged or refreshed.

Aerial:

Refers to any plant part that is above water in aquatic plants; less often used with terrestrial plant parts found above ground.

Agar:

A gelatinous substance produced by red algae, often used as a culture medium.

Aging:

When said of a lake, refers to the enrichment of waters, rapid growth of aquatic plants, and sedimentation which accelerate the death of a lake.

Allergy:

Sensitivity resulting in reactions such as rash, inflammation, etc., when exposed to an allergen, e.g., pollen, strawberries, etc.

Anabolism:

The process of building up protoplasm from simple substances.

Anastomose (v. anastomosing, adj. Anastomosed):

Netted, as are veins in a leaf.

Anchor Root:

A large root serving mainly to hold a plant in place in the soil.

Androgynous:

Of an inflorescence composed of both staminate and pistillate flowers.

Or

With antheridia and archegonia in the same cluster of leaves, i.e., either synoicous or paroicous.

 

Angular (alt. angulate):

Angled. Refers to an organ that shows a specific number of angles, e.g., mints, Labiatae, which have stems that are 4-angled, and are square in the cross section.

Annular:

In the form of a ring.

Apocarpous:

With carpels separate rather than united. See also: syncarpous.

Axial:

Refers to the main line or trunk of the entire plant, the specific branch, the inflorescence, etc.

Bast Cells:

In botany, a tissue, otherwise called the liber or phloëm, formed of or containing very narrow, long, and tough flexible cells, called bast-cells or bast-fibers, and occurring most abundantly in the inner bark of dicotyledons. The younger and softer portion lying nearest to the cambium has been called soft bast.

Bark:

The outer dead tissues of stem or root.

Basifixed:

Applied to anthers when attached at the base to filaments.

Berry:

A fleshy fruit with the seeds embedded in the pulp.

Biennial:

Plants which complete their life cycle in two yrs, floers, fruit, seeds formed in second year.

Bifacial leaves:

Leaves with distinct upper and lower surfaces.

Bilabiate:

Two lipped said of a flower.

Bipinnate:

When the leaflets of a pinnate compound leaf are themselves pinnate, twice pinnate.

Bract:

A leaf like structure at the base of a flower.

Bracteole:

A small bract on the pedicel of a leaf.

Brtophyta:

A group of plants including mosses and liverworts.

Bromelain:

Enzymes in the pineapple and related plants of the family Bromelidaceae, which hydrolyse proteins. They are available as by-products from commercial pineapple production, usually from the stems, and are used to tenderize meat.

Bt technology:

Spores and crystalline insecticidal proteins produced by B. thuringiensis have been used to control insect pests since the 1920s. B. thuringiensis-based insecticides are often applied as liquid sprays on crop plants, where the insecticide must be ingested to be effective. Use of this bacteria in pest control refers to Bt technology.

Bud:

A young shoot in which all the parts are very small and the delicate younger leaves are protected by the older ones.

Bulb:

An underground shoot having short flat stem with numerous roots below and thick fleshy leaves and buds above as in onion.

Bulbil:

A small bud produced in the axil of a leaf or in the place of a flower which gets detached from the parent plant and givesrise to a new plant.

Basal (alt. basilar):

Growing from the base of a stem; used in reference to leaves at the base of the stem.

Or  

Canes of a rose bush, originating from the bud union.

Or

Describes cells at the base or insertion of the leaf, often of different shapes and colors from those of the main part of the leaf.

Blistered:

Where the surface of an organ is puckered, the veins being tighter allowing the tissue to round up.

Blunt:

Not pointed

Caducous:

Falling off very early.

Callus (adj. callose):

A hard protuberance or callosity, sometimes resulting from a wound.

Or

In the grasses, the tough often hairy swelling at the base or insertion of the lemma.

Or

Thick pad of dense protein matter formed in old sieve tubes.

Or

Mass of large thin walled cells formed on cut surfaces by the active division of cambium and parenchyma.

Calyptra:

A lid or hood. In mosses, the thin veil or hood covering the mouth of the capsule.

Or

Membranous covering over the capsule of a moss, formed from the apical portion of the venter of the archegonium.

Calyx:

The outer most whorl of a typical flower; collective name for sepals.

Capsule:

A dry dehiscent fruit that develops from two or more united carpels.

Or

The thin-walled, spore-containing structure of mosses and related plants.

Carcinoma:

A carcinoma is any cancer that arises from epithelial cells. Carcinomas invade surrounding tissues and organs and may metastasize, or spread, to lymph nodes and other sites.

Carpel:

A floral leaf bearing ovules.

Carpopore:

The central axis of a schizocarpic fruit.

Caruncle:

A spongy outgrowth of a seed coat near the hilum as in castor oil seed.

Caryopsis:

Simple, dry, one seeded fruit in which the pericarp and testa are thin and fused together.

Catkin:

Spike of unisexual flowers which falls from the plant after maturity.

Cauline:

Pertaining to or belonging to stem.

Cell:

Structural unit of plant.

Cell sap:

The watery fluid in the vacuoles of a cellcontaining salts, sugars, etc.

Centrifugal:

Applied to an inflorescence in which the flowers open from the centre to the periphery.

Centripetal:

Applied to an inflorescence in which the flowers open from without inwards opposed to centrifugal.

Celite :

A fine white powder composed of the siliceous skeletons of diatoms; used in treating diarrhea and as a feed additive. Called also infusorial earth, purified siliceous earth.

Chalaza:

Part of ovule from where its integuments arise.

Characteristic:

Trait, feature, ability, distinguishing quality, attribute of a particular plant is termed as characteristic.

Chemotropism:

Growth movement stimulated by a chemical substance.

Chlorophyll:

Green matter of plants contained in chloroplasts.

Chloroplasts:

Protoplasmic bodies containing chlorophyll and capable of manufacturing food.

Chondriosomes:

Small rod shaped and filamentous, livivg bodies in the cytoplasm of cells.

Chromatin:

Portion of nucleus which readily takes up stain.

ChromatographyAny of various techniques for the qualitative or quantitative separation of the components of mixtures of compounds; all characterised by the use of a mobile phase (gas or liquid) moving relative to a stationary phase (liquid or solid) - the differences between the rates of migration of the compounds between the two phases effects the separation.

Chromoplasts:

A plstid containing other colouring matter than chlorophyll i.e. containing yellow or orange red pigments.

Chromosomes:

Protoplasmic bodies of definite number into which the nucleus breaks up during mitotic division.

Cladodes:

Flattened stems or branches carrying on the functions of leaf.

Cleistogamous:

Applied to unopened flowers which are self pollinated.

Coccus:

A part of schizocarpic fruit.

Or

A spherical or oval bacterium.

Coenocyte:

A cell containing numerous nuclei.

Coleorhiza:

A sheath surrounding the radicle in maize, wheat.

Collenchyma:

A kind of strengthening tissue, the cell walls of which are thickened at the angles.

Or

Plant tissue consisting of elongated cells thickened at the corners, often found between the epidermis and the cortex of young stems.

Columella:

Central, sterile (non.sporogenous) part of the capsule of a moss.

Complete flower:

A flower having all usual parts including sepals, petals, stamens and carpels.

Compound leaves:

Leaves whose blades are divided into several distinct leaflets.

Conjugation:

Union of two similar sexual cells or gametes.

Connective:

Band of tissues which connects the two anther lobes together.

Corm:

A short, solid, vertical. Enlarged, underground stem having scale leaves and buds, an enlarged base of a stem.

Corolla:

Petals of a flower.

Corona:

An outgrowth from corolla.

Cortex:

Portion of stem or root lying between epidermis and stele.

Corymb:

A racemose inflorescence in which the stalks of the lower older flowers are longer than those of the upper younger ones so that all the flowers reach at the same level.

Cotyledons:

First leaves of the embryo.

Cremocarp:

A schizocarpic fruit which splits into two one seeded mericarps.

Cross pollination:

Transfer of pollen grains of a flower to the stigma of another flower on the same plant or on different plants.

Crytogams:

Flowerless plants.

Cuticle:

Layer of cutin secreted by epidermal cells; it is impervious to water.

Cutinisation:

Impregnation of cell wall with a waxy substance called cutin.

Cyclic:

Arranged in whorls.

Cymose:

An inflorescence in which main axis end into a flower and gives rise to branches which repeat the same manner.

Cystolith:

A pear shaped mass of calcium carbonate crystals in the epidermal cells of the leaf of Ficus family.

Cambium:

The internal layer of living cells between the inner bark and the sapwood where growth takes place that produces secondary xylem and phloem.

Capsule:

A dry dehiscent fruit composed of more than one carpel that splits partly open at maturity.

Or

The enlarged distal end of the sporophyte; it contains the spores, and is sometimes known as the sporangium.

Carminatives:

Herbal medicines that can dispel gas from the intestines, relieving colic.

Cathartics:

Potent herbal laxatives.

Coalescence:

The union of parts or organs of the same kind.

Compound leaf:

A leaf divided into smaller leaflets.

Concentric:

Having a common center, as the rings on a target.

 

DDT:

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane: an insecticide that is also toxic to animals and humans; banned in the United States since 1972.

Dehiscence:

Dehiscence is the opening at maturity of a plant structure, such as a fruit, anther, or sporangium, to release its contents. Sometimes this involves the complete detachment of a part. Structures that open in this way are said to be dehiscent.

Demarcation:

An outline, boundary, delimitation, separation.

Distal:

Towards the apex in position.

Deciduous:

Falling off in autumn.

Decussate:

Arrangement of opposite leaves when they are placed alternately at the right angles to each other.

Diadelphous:

Said of stamens when they are united by their filaments in two groups or bundles.

Diachasium:

A cymose inflorescence in which lateral branches arise in pairs.

Dichotomous:

Forked at the apex into two.

Dicotyledons:

Having two cotyledons.

Didynamous:

Said of stamens when they are two pairs of them, one pair being longer than other.

Dioecious:

Unisexual, with staminate and pistillate flowers on different plants.

Disc florets:

Flowers on the central portion of the capitulum of Compositae as distinguished from marginal or ray florets.

Dorsal suture:

Mid rib of carpel or its backside.

Dorsifixed:

An anther with filament on its back.

Drupe:

A fruit in which endocarp is stony and epicarp and mesocarp are fleshy.

Embryo:

Young plant contained in a seed.

Embryo sac:

Cell in the ovule in which the embryo is formed.

Endocarp:

Innermost layer of pericarp.

Endodermis:

Inner most layer of cortex outside pericycle.

Endosperm:

Nutritive tissue around the embryo in seed.

Endothecium:

Inner layer of young capsules in bryophytes.

Epicalyx:

Bracts situated outside calyx.

Epibasal:

Forming the upper part of embryo.

Epidermis:

Outermost protective layer of cells of leaves and stems.

Epigeal:

Ytpe of germination in which cotyledons come above ground.

Epigynous:

Borne on ovary; used for floral parts when the ovary is inferior.

Epipetalous:

Applied on stamens when they arise from petals.

Epiphytes:

Plants growing on other plants for the sake of attachment not for parasitic purposes.

Exine:

Outer core of spore or pollen grain.

Extipulate:

Without stipules.

Extrose:

Opening of stamens towards petals, direcrd outwards.

Exudate:

An exudate is any fluid that filters from the circulatory system into lesions or areas of inflammation. It can apply to plants as well as animals. Its composition varies but generally includes water and the dissolved solutes of the main circulatory fluid such as sap or blood.

Or

Material that oozes out of a plant including gum, sap, resin, and latex.

Family:

A group of allied genera.

Fertilization:

Fusion of dissimilar gametes.

Fibres:

Long, narrow, thick walled cells tapering at both ends and without any contents.

Flavanoids

Natural chemicals that prevent the deposit of fatty material in blood vessels.

Or

A phenolic compound that is produced by the plant and that activates symbiotic responses in free-living rhizobial bacteria.

Fluorescence:

Fluorescence is the emission of electromagnetic radiation light by a substance that has absorbed radiation of a different wavelength.

Fluorescence quenching:

A technique used in investigations dealing with binding of antigens (haptens) by purified antibodies, applicable in cases in which the bound antigen (hapten) absorbs (quenches) light emitted during fluorescence of protein (antibody) excited by ultraviolet light.

Follicle: Follicle - In botany, a follicle is a dry unilocular many-seeded fruit formed from one carpel and dehiscing by the ventral suture in order to release seeds, such as in larkspur, magnolia, banksia, peony and milkweed.

Or

A follicle is a small spherical or vase-like group of cells containing a cavity in which some other structure grows. Follicles are best known as the sockets from which hairs grow in humans and other mammals, but the bristles of annelid worms also grow from such sockets.

Foot;

Part of embryo or sporophyte which absorbs food from prothallusor gametophyte in Bryophytes.

Fracture:

The act of cracking something.

Or

A fracture is the (local) separation of an object or material into two, or more, pieces under the action of stress.

Free central placentation:

Attachment of ovules to an axis which is not connected to ovarywall but arises from the bottom of ovary.

Free nuclear division:

Repeated division of nucleus without formation of cell wall.

Fruit:

Ripened ovary with its contents.

Fungus:

A lower plant devoid of chlorophyll.

Funicle:

Stalk of ovule or seed.

Galls:

Galls or plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues and can be caused by various parasites, from fungi and bacteria, to insects and mites.

Gamete:

A sexual cell.

Gametophyte:

Sexual generation.

Gamopetalous:

Petals united; corolla of one piece. Gamosepalous.

Gas chromatography (GC): 

GC is that in which an inert gas moves the vapors of the materials to be separated through a column of inert material.

Genus:

A group of allied species.

Geotropism:

Movement of growing members of plants in response to the stimulus of gravity.

Germination:

Development of seedling from embryo of seed.

Glycosides:

Glycosides are naturally occurring compounds containing a carbohydrate (glycone) and a non-carbohydrate (aglycone) moiety in a same molecule.

Grafting:

Attachment of the parts of two plants in such a way that they unite and grow together.

Guttation:

Exudation of water through stomata.

Gymnosperms:

Plants with naked seeds.

Gynaceum:

Collective name for carpels.

Gynobasic:

Applied to a style which arises as a prolongation of the thalamus between the carpels.

Gynophore:

Stalk of pistil, which may be more or less elongated.

Habitat:

Locality in which plant grows.

Hairy root culture:

Hairy root culture, also called transformed root culture, is a type of plant tissue culture that is used to study plant metabolic processes or to produce valuable secondary metabolites, often with plant genetic engineering.

Halophytes:

Plants growing on salt marshes or on alkaline soil.

Or

A halophyte is a plant that naturally grows where it is affected by salinity in the root area or by salt spray, such as in saline semi-deserts, mangrove swamps, marshes and sloughs, and seashores. An example of a halophyte is the salt marsh grass Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass).

Haustarium:

Adventitious root of a parasitic plant which penetrates the tissue of host to absorb food.

Hearing Fracture:

Fracture that produces an audible sound is termed as hearing  fracture.

Helicoids cyme:

A uniparous, cymose inflorescence in which the lateral branches are developed on one side only.

Hermaphrodite:

Bisexual flowers.

Hesperidium:

A berry formed from polycarpellary, syncarpous pistil and covered by leathery rind like in orange.

Heterogamous:

Having two kinds of flowers.

Heterothallic:

Said of species the individuals of which are structurally alike but functionally dissimilar behaving as plus and minus strains in conjugation.

High-performance liquid chromatography , high-pressure liquid chromatography:

(HPLC) a type of automated chromatography in which the mobile phase is a liquid which is forced under high pressure through a column packed with a sorbent.

Hilum:

Scar left on seed where it was attached to the stalk.

Humus:

Decaying organic matter in the soil.

Hybrid:

The act of mixing different species or varieties of animals or plants and thus to produce hybrids.

Or

Crossbreed: breed animals or plants using parents of different races and varieties; "cross a horse and a donkey.

Hydathodes:

A hydathode is a type of secretory tissue in leaves, usually of Angiosperms, that secretes water through pores in the epidermis or margin of leaves, typically at the tip of a marginal tooth.

Hydrophytes:

Aquatic plants, also called hydrophytic plants or hydrophytes, are plants that have adapted to living in or on aquatic environments. Because living on or under water surface requires numerous special adaptations, aquatic plants can only grow in water or permanently saturated soil.

Or

A plant that grows partly or wholly in water whether rooted in the mud, as a lotus, or floating without anchorage, as the water hyacinth.

Hydrotropism:

Curvature movement induced by the stimulus of moisture.

Hyphae:

Fungal threads.

Hypogeal:

Germination of seeds when cotyledons don’t come above ground.

Hypogynous:

Applied to flowers when sepals, petals and stamens are inserted below ovary.

Imbibition:

Passage of water through cell wall and protoplasm by making them more porous.

Imbricate:

Overlapping of sepals or petals.

Imparipinnate:

Applied to a pinnate compound leaf with an odd terminal leaflet.

Indehiscent:

Said of the fruit which when ripe don’t open or split to shed their leaves.

Indusium:

Covering of the sorus in ferns.

Inferior:

Said of the ovary, from the top of which the other parts of flower arise.

Inflorescense:

Collection of flowers on an axis.

Innate:

Applied to an anther when it is attached at its base to the apex of the filament.

Integument:

Covering of the ovule.

Intercalary growth:

Growth confined to the region between the apex and the base of an organ.

Internode:

Part of stem between two nodes.

Intine:

Inner coat of pollen grain.

Introse:

Applied to anthers which open inwards towards the pistil; directed inwards.

Involucre:

A series of bracts surrounding several flowers or peduncles.

Involucel:

An involucre about a part of a flower cluster, a secondary involucre.

Isogametes:

Gametes similar in form and size.

Karyokinesis:

Indirect nuclear division ; same as mitosis.

Keel:

Boat shaped anterior petals of a papilionaceous corolla.

Kinases:

In chemistry and biochemistry, a kinase, alternatively known as a phosphotransferase, is a type of enzyme that transfers phosphate groups from high-energy donor molecules, such as ATP, to specific substrates. The process is referred to as phosphorylation.

Or

An enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of a proenzyme to an active enzyme.

Lamina:

Blade or expanded part of a leaf.

Latex:

Milky secretions of plants like Ficus.

Legume:

A simple dry fruit formed from a single carpel and splitting along two sutures.

Lenticel:

A spot in the bark of tree, consisting of loosely arranged cells.

Ligule:

An outgrowth, membranous or hairy at the junction of the bladewith the sheath in the leaves of grasses.

Loculicidal Dehiscence:

Splitting of a capsule through the middle of each carpel so as to expose the cavity or loculus.

Lysigenous:

Applied to a cavity which is formed by the disintegration of a group of cells.

Mast Cells:

A large connective tissue cell that contains histamine and heparin and serotonin which are released in allergic reactions or in response to injury or inflammation.

Mechanical tissue:

The strengthening tissue; the tissue that gives strength and rigidity to the plant such as sclerenchyma and collenchyma.

Medulla:

Central core or thin walled parenchymatous cells within the stele dicotyledons stem.

Medullary Rays:

The rows of parenchymatous cells which extend from the pith to cortex.

Meiosis:

Reduction division of chromosomes.

Mesocarp:

Middle layer of pericarp in fruit.

Mesophyll:

Tissue of leaf  between the epidermal layers.

Metabolism:

Chemical changes occurring in the living organism.

Methylene Blue:

A dark green dye used as a stain, an antiseptic, a chemical indicator, and an antidote in cyanide poisoning.

Micropyle:

Hole in the ovule through which pollen tube enters at the time of fertilization.

Mitosis:

Indirect division of cells.

Molluscicides:

Also known as snail baits and snail pellets, are pesticides against molluscs, which are usually used in agriculture or gardening to control slugs and snails that can damage crops by feeding on them.

Monadelphous:

Stamens united by their filaments into one group.

Monocotyledons:

Having one cotyledon only.

Monaecious:

Having the stamens and pistil in separate flower but on same plant.

Mycelium:

Vegetative part of Fungus, consisting of hyphae.

Mycorrhiza:

Association of a fungus with the roots of certain plants for mutual benefit.

Nausea:

Nausea is a sensation of unease and discomfort in the upper stomach with an urge to vomit. An attack of nausea is known as a qualm.

Nauseant:

A nauseant is a substance or an agent that is used to generate the tendency to vomit.

Natural dyes

Natural dyes are dyes primarily obtained from natural sources.

Nectary:

A gland which secretes nectar.

Node:

Slightly enlarged portion of stem where one or more leaves arise.

Nomenclature:

The procedure of assigning names to the kinds and groups of organisms listed in a taxonomic classification.

Nucellus:

Parenchymatous tissue of the ovule within the integument containing the embryo sac or megaspore.

Nucleolus:

A dense, small body inside the nucleus.

Nucleus:

A dense, spherical body in the cytoplasm of cell controlling its activities and initiating its division.

Oospore:

Fertilized egg cell; zygote resulting from the fusion of the spermatozoid with an oosphere.

Oenogamete:

A multi nucleate gamete.

Organoleptics:

Refers to the properties that can be perceived by the senses: colour, texture, flavour and aroma.

Osmosis:

Diffusion of a fluid through a semipermeable membrane.

Ovary:

The basal swollen part of pistil containing ovules.

Ovule:

An unripe seed in the ovary.

Ontogenys:

The origin and development of an individual organism from embryo to adult. Also called ontogenesis.

Palisade Parenchyma:

Parenchyma containing elongated chlorophyll containing cells situated at right angles to the surface below the upper epidermis of most leaves.

Papain:

A digestive enzyme, collected from papaya fruit. Papain hydrolyzes proteins and has a proteolytic capacity (digests proteins). Papain has the ability to digest dead tissue without affecting the surrounding live tissue, also used to tenderize meet.

Parasite:

A plant which grows on and derives its food from another living plant which is called its host.

Parenchyma:

A tissue composed of thin walled cells.

Paripinnate:

Having an even number of leaflets and no terminal leaflet.

Parietal placentation:

Attachment of ovules to placenta on the inner surface of the wall of ovary.

Partition chromatography:

A method using the partition of the solutes between two liquid phases (the original solvent and the film of solvent on the adsorption column).

Perianth:

Calyx and corolla taken together, usually taken for flowers in which there is no clear distinction between calyx and corolla.

 Pericarp:

Wall of the fruit developed from ovary wall.

Pericycle:

Layer of cells just within endodermis.

Perigynous

Said of flowers in which sepals,petals and stamens are borne on the edge of a cup shaped receptacle so that these floral parts are inserted around the ovary and not beneath it.

Perennial plant:

A perennial plant or perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years.

Phellogen:

The cork cambium

Phloem

Portion of a vascular bundle consisting of sieve tube and parenchyma .

Photosynthesis:

Formation of carbohydrate from water and carbondioxide within the chloroplasts and in the presence of sunlight.

Phyllode:

A flattened petiole performing the functions of leaf.

Phytoplankton:

Free-floating flora that convert inorganic compounds into complex organic compounds. This process of primary productivity supports the food-chain.

Or

A plant which grows and lives in the upper layers of the ocean and which forms the basis of the marine food chain or web.

Pinnule:

A secondary pinnae or leaflet in a bipinnately composed.

Pistil:

Central organ of flower usually consisting of ovary, style and stigma.

Pistillode:

Rudimentary or undeveloped pistil.

Placenta:

An outgrowth in ovary to which ovules are attached.

Plasmolysis:

Separation of cytoplasm from cell wall due to exosmosis.

Plastid:

A specialized portion of cytoplasm having a definite work to do such as the manufacture of starch, chlorophyll and other pigments.

Plerome:

The central core of tissue in the growing point just within the periblem.

Plumule:

Part of the axis of embryo in the seed above the insertion of the cotyledons.

Pneumatophores:

The breathing roots of certain marshy plants such as those of Rhizophora.

Pollen:

Yellow, powdery substance contained in the pollen sacs of anther lobes; pollen grains.

Procambial strands:

Bands of primary meristematic cells which give rise to vascular bundles.

Prothallus:

Gametophyte resulting from the germination of asexual spores.

Protenema:

The filamentous growth produced by the germinating spores of a moss and on which the leafy moss plant is developed as a lateral bud.

Protoplasm:

Living substance of plants and animals.

Pungent:

Having a strong odor that stings the nose, said especially of acidic or spicy substances.

Pyrenoids:

Protein bodies around which starch is formed, found in the chloroplasts of many algae.

Raceme:

A sikple inflorescence in which pedicellate flowers are borne on a common elongated axis in an acropetal succession.

Radical leaves:

Appearing to arise from root or arising from the base of stem near the ground.

Radicle:

Primary root of embryo.

Raphides:

Needle like crystal of calcium oxalate.

Receptacle:

More or less enlarged end of the peduncle or of a pedicle from which the parts of flower arise also called thallus.

Resins:

Any of numerous clear to translucent yellow or brown, solid or semisolid, viscous substances of plant origin, such as copal, rosin, and amber, used principally in lacquers, varnishes, inks, adhesives, synthetic plastics, and pharmaceuticals.

Respiration:

Oxidation of protoplasm as a result of which waste substances are produced and at the same time energy is set free for the use of living organisms.

Rhizoid:

An elongated cells or a row of cells performing the functions of a root in the prothallus of Bryophytes.

Rhizome:

A creeping underground stem giving off adventitious roots down into the soil and aerial shoots above.

Room temperature:

Room temperature is a common term that can either denote a certain temperature to which humans are accustomed or a specific temperature. In the United Kingdom for instance, room temperature is traditionally 18 °C (64 °F) (ironically this is nowadays regarded as being too cool, possibly due to the widespread use of central heating). Room temperature may otherwise be indicated by general human comfort, with the common range of 20 °C (68 °F) to 25 °C (78 °F), though people may become acclimatized to higher or lower temperatures.

Runner:

A slender trailing system taking roots at the nodes.

Saffron:

Name given to dried stigmata and part of style of Saffron crocus which are harvested, dried, and used for cooking. It has a pleasant spicy smell and is used for colouring foods, a deep golden colour.

Salinity:

Concentration of soluble minerals (mainly salts of alkali metals or of magnesium ) in water.

Salt:

A compound formed by the interaction of an acid and a base, the hydrogen atoms of the acid being replaced by another positive ion derived from the base.

Salt rejection:

In reverse osmosis the ratio of salts removed to the original salt concentration.

Salvage Plasma:

Plasma obtained by centrifugation of outdated whole blood.This type of plasma is difficult to convert to serum because most coagulation factors have lost their activity.

Salve:

An ointment, cream or balm with soothing, healing or calming effects.

Or

An herbal preparation blended with a beeswax or olive oil base, reduced and placed in jars. For use on burns, chapped skin, scrapes and other skin irritations, depending on the herb used.

Sanitization:

That part of decontamination that reduces viable microorganisms to a defined acceptance level normally achieved by using a chemical agent.

Saponins:

Glycosides found in some plants which form a lather in aqueous solutions and cause the hemolysis of red blood cells even in high dilutions.

Saponification:

Alkaline hydrolysis of triacyl glycerols to yield fatty acids as soaps.

Saturated Air:

 When there is a state of mutual equilibrium between the moist air and the liquid or solid phases of water . Saturated air holds as water vapours as it can for a given temperature and pressure.

Saturation Humidity:

The air is saturated when the partial pressure of water vapor in the air at given temperature equals the vapor pressure of water at the same temperature.

Saturation index:

Relation of calcium carbonate to the pH, alkalinity, and hardness of water ti determine its scale forming tendency.

Scale:

Mineral deposit that can coat the inside of  boilers or the surfaces of RO membrane.

Scale Up:

To take a biopharmaceutical manufacturing process from the laboratory scale to a scale at which it is commercially feasible.

Secondary Containment:

Level of containment that is external to and separate from primary containment.

Secure Retention:

Ability to generate accurate and complete copies of records in both human-readable and electronic form suitable for inspection, review and copying by FDA.

Seed Lot System:

A system according to which successive batches of a product are derived from the sane master seed lot at a given passage level.

Spa:

The term spa is associated with water treatment which is also known as balneotherapy.

Scoville scale:

The Scoville scale measures the hotness or piquancy of a chili pepper, as defined by the amount of capsaicin it contains. Capsaicin is a chemical compound which stimulates chemoreceptor nerve endings in the skin, especially the mucous membranes.

Sclerenchyma cells

A supportive tissue of vascular plants, consisting of thick-walled, usually lignified cells. Sclerenchyma cells normally die upon reaching maturity but continue to fulfill their structural purpose in the plant.

Streptokinase:

A proteolytic enzyme that is produced by hemolytic streptococci, is capable of converting plasminogen to plasmin, and is used medically to dissolve blood clots.

Stone Cell:

A nearly isodiametric sclereid that is found in certain fruits, such as the quince and pear.

Somatic

Pertaining to or characteristic of the soma or body.

Or

Pertaining to the body wall in contrast to the viscera.

Master Seed Lot:

A culture of a microorganism distributed from a single bulk into containers in a single operation in such a manner as to ensure uniformity, to prevent contamination and to ensure stability.

Working Seed Lot:

A culture of microorganisms derived from the master seed lot and intended for ues in production.

Self Draining:

Capable of elimination of all fluids from the system due to force of gravity.

Semiautomatic Arc Welding:

Arc welding with equipment that controls only the filler metal feed.

Saprophyte:

A plant which derives its food from dead organic matter.

Scalariform Tracheids:

Tracheids having thickening in the form of a rungs of a ladder as the pitted walls of tracheids in the ferns.

Schizogenous Cavity:

A cavity formed by the splitting apart of cells and enlargement of intercellular space.

Sclerenchyma:

A tissue consisting of long, narrow, thick walled cells without protoplasm serving as  mechanical support in plant body.

Scutellum:

Shield like cotyledons in the grains of grasses.

Self pollination:

Pollen grains of a flower reaching the stigma of the same flower.

Septicidal:

Applied to a capsule splitting along the septa.

Sexual Reproduction:

Reproduction involving the union of gametes.

Sieve Tubes:

The rows of long tubular cells with perforated transverse walls found in the phloem of vascular bundles.

Sorus:

A group of sporangia.

Species:

A group of individuals which breed freely with each other and produce fertile offsprings.

Sporangium:

A sac or case in which spores are produced.

Spore:

 A reproductive body in Cryptogams, consisting of a single cell which becomes free and is capable of development into a new plant, an asexual reproductive cell.

Sporophyte:

Asexual generation which produces spores.

Stele:

 A vascular cylinder consisting of xylem and phloem usually associated with cellular tissue.

Stipules:

Appendages at the base of petiole.

Stomata:

Minute openings in stem or leaves which serve as gaseous exchange between atmosphere and interior of plants.

Striate:

Marked with fine longitudinal lines or ridges.

Strobilus:

A sporophyll bearing axis.

Style:

Part of pistil between ovary and stigma usually more or less elongated.

Suberisation:

Impregnation of cell wall with suberin.

Suspensor:

A filament of cells forming a temporary organ of attachment for the embryo as in most flowering plants.

Suture:

A line of junction, a line of dehiscence.

SEM(scanning electron microscope):

Utilizes an electron beam to produce images over broad magnification range of 10x to 105x.The technique is somewhat limited by the conductivity of the material.

Sensible heat ratio:

The ratio of room sensible heat to room total heat as expressed in the formula

                                            Sensible heat ratio =   Room sensible heat
                                                                                  Room total heat

Sensitizer:

A chemical that causes a substantial portion of exposed people or animals to develop an allergic reaction in normal tissue after repeated exposure to chemical.

Senescence

Senescence or biological aging is the change in the biology of an organism as it ages after its maturity. Such changes range from those affecting its cells and their function to that of the whole organism. There are a number of theories as to why senescence occurs, including ones that claim it is programmed by gene expression changes and that it is the accumulative damage of biological processes.

Service life:

Life expectancy or number of cycles for which a processing unit will maintain its performance.

Slippery Elm (Ulmus fulva):

Demulcent; soothes damaged tissue, soothes ulcer, anti-inflammatory, contraindicated during pregnancy.

Smoke purge:

Use of mechanical ventilation to remove smoke produced as a result of fire.

Smoke Test:

Visualization of air flow streams in a clean space using artificially generated smoke .

Solid Extract:

Solid or semi solid extracts prepared from native extracts by adjusting to the correct strength with suitable diluents.

SOP(standard operating procedures):

Desctiption of necessary activities to respond to normal and abnormal situations in an operating system. It must be created for a system requiring qualification.

Sporicide:

An agent that destroys bacterial and fungal spores.

Stability:

It refers to physico-chemical condition of a parenteral, biological or shelf life of liable drugs.

Stability Index:

An empirical modification of saturation index used to predict scaling or corrosive tendencies in water systems.

Stainless Steel:

There are more than 70 types of stainless steel. These steel are produced in wrought form. Generally all are iron based with different concentrations of carbon, coper, titanium etc.

Standard Dimensional Ratio:

Most commonly accepted means for providing a pipe wall thickness category and constant mechanical properties for many plastic materials.

Standardize:

To analyse a concentrated botanical extract so that perdetermined levels of certain compounds are guaranteed to be present in every batch.

Start Up:

Initial operation of equipment to prove that it is installed properly and operates as intended.

Statistical Process Control:

A process control method to demonstrate mathematically that a process or system is operating within the limitations established for the parameters in question.

Steam In Place:

Sterile absence of air usually refers to absence of viable microorganisms.

Sterilization:

Act or process, physical or chemical that destroys or eliminated all viable microbes including resistant bacterial spores from a fluid or a solid.

Sterilizing Filter:

A filter that when challenged with the microorganisms Brevundimonas diminuta at a minimum concentration of 107 organisms per square centimeter of filter surface produces a sterile effluent.

Steroid:

An organic compound incorporating a perhydrocyclopertanophenanthrene nucleus.

Sterol:

one of a group of fat like substances found in animals, plants, fungi and microbes which are alcohols with cyclic nucleus perhydrocyclopertanophenanthrene nucleus.

Stomachic:

Stimulates the action of stomach.

Strain:

A population of cells all descended from single cells.

Structure Activity Relationship:

Influence of structural features such as conformation of drug molecules and optical and geometric isomerism.

Substrate:

Reactive material' the substance on which an enzyme acts.

Sumac:

Commonly called Sumac or Sumach, approximately 250 species of Rhus are placed in the family Anacardiaceae. Rhus is a genus of woody shrubs and trees, flowers are in dense panicles with five petals. Fruit forms dense clusters of reddish drupes.

Surface Residual:

A foreign substance that adheres to a surface by chemical reaction, adhesion, adsorption or ionic bonding.

Surface Texture:

Repititive or random deviations of the nominal metal surface from the three dimensional topography of the surface. Surface texture includes roughness, waviness, lay and flaws.

Synthetic:

Compounds produced by total synthesis from unrelated and base reactants.

Semi Synthetic:

Compounds produced by a chemical modification of a natural product.

Symbiosis

Phenomenon of two entities performing a joint function that neither entity can perform alone.

Synergistic

Acting  together. In Botanical medicine, the notion that therapeutic efficacy results from the combined actions of multiple active constituents, rather than a single constituent.

Synergy

In medicinal plants, constituents that somehow work together are said to be working in synergy.

Syconus:

A multiple fruit formed from a fleshy receptacle which is lined on the inside with fruits.

Symbiosis:

An association of two different kinds of organisms involving mutual benefit.

Taste:

The sensation that results when taste buds in the tongue and throat convey information about the chemical composition of a soluble stimulus.

Tannin

Acidic substances found in bark of certain plants.

Taxonomy:

Classification of organisms into groups based on similarities of structure or origin.

Team Biologics:

A partnership between FDA's office of Regulatory affairs and CBER to focus on inspectional and compliance issues in biologics. Its goal is to ensure the quality and safety of biologic products.

Teratogenic Compounds:

Compound which have profound effects on developmental stages of an organism.

Terpenoids:

Terpenoids form the largest group of plant products and are the most common ingredient in volatile oils. They include camphor, digitalin and are sometimes referred to as isoprenoids due to the fact that all terpenoids are derived from 5-carbon precursor isoprene.

Thermophile:

An organism that grows well at temperature greater than 50 degree celsius.

Thin-layer chromatography(TLC):

 Chromatography through a thin layer of inert material, such as cellulose.

Time Stamp:

A part of audit trail that clearly documents that sequence of events in human terms helping to authenticate an electronic signature and minimizing the chances of signer repudiation.

Tissue Culture:

Growing mammalian cells in the laboratory in a tissue culture medium (in vitro). For example this allows researchers to determine the effects of various chemicals on mammalian cells without experimenting directly on live animals or man.

Topical Product:

a pharmaceutical product meant to be applied to the skin or soft tissue in the form of liquid, cream, or ointment and therefore needs not to be aseptic.

Total bacteria Count:

an estimation of total number of bacteria in a sample based usually on standard method procedures for collecting, incubating and counting colony forming units.

Total Heat:

Sum of sensible heat and latent heat.

Total Solids:

It includes both dissolved and suspended solids. Determined by weighing sample before and after evaporation.

Toxic:

Pertaining to a substance that is harmful.

Toxicology:

Scientific study of toxic substances including their chemistry, pharmacology, prevention and treatment of exposure to toxins.

Or

A science that deals with poisons, their effects and the problems involved.

Traceability:

A prerequisite for trustworthy records apart from data security. It is the part of laboratory data system audit trail that holds the evidence of who did what to a record and when.

Tracer:

A radioactivity labelled nucleic acid component included in a reassociation reaction in amounts too small to influence the progress of a reaction.

Tracheids:

Tracheids are elongated cells in the xylem of vascular plants that serve in the transport of water and mineral salts.

Traditional Chinese Medicine:

A system of ethnomedicine based on the use of herbal medicines and other therapies originating and derived from Chinese folk medicine.

Transduction

The transfer of genetic material encoded in the gene represented as a linear sequence of DNA, is copied into an exactly complementary sequence of ribonucleotides known as mRNA.

Transgenics:

Alteration of a plant or animal's DNA such that it contains a gene from another organism.

Or

Plants whose DNA is modified using genetic engineering techniques. In most cases the aim is to introduce a new trait to the plant which does not occur naturally in this species.

Translation

Process in which genetic code carried by mRNA directs the synthesis of proteins from amino acids.

Triglyceride

Combination of glycerol with three or five different fatty acids; syn: triacylglycerols or neutral fats.

Tulsi

An annual herb with much branched stem having verticillate inflorescence. Flowers are purple in colour.

Turbidity

A suspension of fine particles that obscures light rays but requires many days for sedimentation because of small particle size.

Turnover:

Also known as hand over in UK. It is a formal transfer of custody for a system or unit to another group, department or operating company.

Ultracentrifugation:

Separation of macromolecules on the basis of their density and shape using the gravitational field generated in a high speed centrifuge. It is used in rDNA work for the separation of RNA and DNA and for purification of plasmids.

Ultrafine Particle:

Particle with an equivalent diameter less than 0.1um.

Ultra Violet Lamp:

A low-pressure Mercury vapour lamp giving 254nm wavelength suitable for UV disinfection.

Ultrapure Water:

Water with a specific resistance higher than 1 megohm-cm. In laboratory, it usually refers to type I reagent grade water.

Unicellular:

Composed of a single cell.

Uniform Building Code:

Most widely adopted model building code in the United States in a performance based document meeting the needs of government units charged with the enforcement of building regulations.

Vata:

This dosha is formed by the combination akasha(space) & vayu(air) .Vata is the force that motifies and drives the body, but imbalance of it in the body can give rise to diseases.

Vasaka:

Vasaka, also called adhatoda, adalodakam or malabar nut, consists of dried, as well as fresh, leaves of the plant Justicia adhatoda, belonging to family Acanthaceae.

Vector:

An agent such as an insect that can carry a disease producing organism from one host to another, the agent used to carry new genes in cell. These molecules become part of cell protoplasm.

Vinca:

Dried whoe plant of Catharanthus roseus.

Virulence:

Disease producing power of a microorganism.

Viscosity:

Tendency of a fluid to resist flowing because of molecular attraction.

Volatile Oil:

Volatile oils are those plant-derived oils which are totally volatile or evaporating in nature. They are highly aromatic in nature and used in perfumery industry.

Wasabi:

Member of cabbage family commonly known as Japanese horseradish. It is green and has strong flavor. It is available as powder or in root form. It is used as condiment.

Waviness:

Its a component of surface texture. It includes all irregularities whose whose spacing is greater than the roughness sampling length.

Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens):

Astringent, diuretic, stimulant, lactagogue.

Workstation:

An open or closed work surface usually with direct air supply.

Xenobiotics:

Industrial chemicals that have a chemical structure not found in natural compounds that may resist degradation by microorganisms.

Xerophyte:

A xerophyte or xerophytic organism (xero meaning dry, phyte meaning plant) is a plant which is able to survive in an environment with little available water or moisture, usually in environments where potential evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation for all or part of the growing season.

Yeasts:

Unicellular fungi belonging mainly to the Ascomycetes that usually multiply by budding. Their commercial significance lies in their ability to secrete enzymes,e.g. In baking and brewing industries. It is a source of vitamins and proteins.

Yield, Expected:

Quantity of material or the percentage of theoretical yield anticipated at any appropriate phase of production based on previous laboratory, pilot scale or manufacturing scale.

Yield, Theoretical:

Quantity that would be produced at anu appropriate phase of manufacture, processing or packing of a particular API based on the quantity of components to be used in the absence of any loss or error in actual production.

Za'atar:

A popular mixture of spices that originated in the Middle East. It is traditionally composed of marjoram, wild oregano, thyme, toasted white seasame seeds and sumac. In Lebanon, there is a belief that this particular mixture keeps the mind alert.

Zedoary:

Name of a perannial herb and member of ginger family. Its flavor is similar to ginger. The edible root of Zedoary has a bright orange interior. It is reputed to be an aid to digestion, a relief for colic and an agent for purifying blood.

Zeolite:

Naturally occurring or synthetic permutite, a hydrated alkali aluminium silicate that permits limited base exchange. Used for softening of hard water.

Zeta Potential:

The charge or potential existing at the surface of particle. It is the positive charge measured at the surface of the membrane across the pH range.

Zoonosis:

any disease in humans acquired from one of the lower animals ,e.g. Rabies.

Zooplankton:

The animal portion of the living particles in water that freely float in open water, eat bacteria, algae, detritus and sometimes other zooplankton and are in turn eaten by planktivorous fish.

Zygote:

Single cell formed from the conjugation of gametes (egg and sperm cells). The zygote has twice as many chromosomes as do gametes.