Cultural History of Medicinal Plants

Cultural History of Medicinal Plants
A global perspective of how medicinal plants have shaped cultural history and how they are used to treat illness and disease. Issues relating to conservation, natural history, biodiversity, and cultural diversity.
PWS
101
 Hours3.0 Credit, 3.0 Lecture, 0.0 Lab
 PrerequisitesNone
 TaughtFall
 ProgramsContaining PWS 101
Course Outcomes

PWS 101 Learning Outcomes

1. Explain and interpret a global history of how indigenous people can use plants to treat illnesses and disease.

2. Understand and explain the differences between injurious, remedial, and psychoactive plants.

3. Explain the difference between the Western philosophy of traditional medicine and local indigenous practices for treating illnesses and disease.

4. Analyze and interpret a dose response curve.

5. Define and explain the meaning of an LD-50 and LC-50.

6. Diagram the history behind commercially available cancer chemotherapeutic drugs that are of plant origin, including the drug name, species of plant it was extracted from, acute and delayed toxicity, and major contraindications.

7. Explain the limitations and myths associated with the herbal industry.

8. Read and interpret peer reviewed literature on studies designed to show how human health has improved by using herbal remedies.

9. Explain why it is important to preserve and protect sensitive habitat such as the tropical rainforests, which contain a wealth of biological information related to future drugs as yet undiscovered.

10. Analyze the differences and similarities of how cultures of the world treat illnesses and disease