● About the Department
Who We Are
The Department of Pharmacognosy & Herbal Medicine at the University of Cape Coast is dedicated to the science and therapeutics of natural products of medicinal importance. Pharmacognosy is the study and evaluation of drugs derived from plants, marine organisms and other natural sources — a discipline that forms the bridge between traditional healing knowledge and modern pharmaceutical science.
Our teams constantly explore ways to harness the medicinal value embedded in Ghana's rich natural heritage. Being part of a seafront university, we leverage the vast marine resources of the Gulf of Guinea alongside Ghana's diverse plant ecology to identify novel bioactive agents for managing diseases in three principal therapeutic areas: pain and inflammation, infectious diseases, and neurological disorders.
As a key department in the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programme, we ensure students are comprehensively trained in natural product drug discovery and in the rigorous evaluation of medicinal products from natural sources — equipping them to safeguard the healthcare of a population with an ever-growing demand for plant-based and natural health products.
We welcome prospective students, researchers and collaborators from across Ghana and the global scientific community.
Key Facts
● Department Leadership
A Word from the Head of Department
The Department of Pharmacognosy & Herbal Medicine welcomes you to the science and therapeutics of natural products of medicinal importance. Our teams are constantly exploring ways to harness the medicinal value of nature — a heritage deeply embedded in Ghana's rich traditions.
Being part of a seafront university gives us access to the vast marine resources of the Gulf of Guinea alongside Ghana's diverse plant ecology — a unique advantage in identifying novel agents for pain and inflammation, infectious diseases and neurological disorders.
We welcome prospective students and collaborators.
— Dr. Daniel Anokwah, Head of Department
View Full Staff Directory →● Scientific Excellence
Research Focus & Analytical Capabilities
Pain & Inflammation
The department investigates plant-derived compounds with analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Research targets traditional remedies used in Ghanaian communities, applying modern pharmacological screening to validate and characterise their bioactive constituents.
Key plants: Aframomum melegueta, Piper guineense, Clausena anisata
Infectious Diseases
With malaria, tuberculosis and antimicrobial resistance posing persistent public health threats in West Africa, the department screens plant and marine extracts for antimicrobial, antifungal, antiparasitic and antiviral activity — feeding the drug discovery pipeline.
Key plants: Cryptolepis sanguinolenta, Croton membraneceus, Kigelia africana
Neurological Disorders
The department explores psychoactive and neuroprotective natural products — investigating potential agents for epilepsy, anxiety, cognitive decline and other CNS conditions. Marine neurotoxins and plant alkaloids from Ghana's coastal ecosystem form a unique resource for this research.
Key plants: Tabernanthe iboga, Withania somnifera, Costus igneus
Analytical Instrumentation
Our Laboratory Equipment
We employ state-of-the-art analytical methods to identify, isolate and profile the secondary metabolites that underpin the biological activity of our plant and marine specimens — feeding a rigorous drug discovery pipeline.
HPLC
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography for compound separation and quantification
UV Spectroscopy
Ultraviolet spectroscopic analysis for chromophore identification and purity assessment
IR Spectroscopy
Infra-red spectroscopy for functional group identification in isolated phytochemicals
NMR Spectroscopy
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance for full structural elucidation of novel natural products
● Scientific Work
Research Projects
The department conducts research spanning drug discovery, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and natural product evaluation. Projects below represent both completed and ongoing work. Contact the department to collaborate or enquire further.
Bioassay-Guided Fractionation of Cryptolepis sanguinolenta for Antimalarial Lead Compounds
Systematic fractionation and activity-guided isolation of alkaloid fractions from the roots of C. sanguinolenta — one of Ghana's most clinically important antimalarial plants — to identify novel lead molecules with improved selectivity indices.
Principal Investigator: Department of Pharmacognosy & Herbal Medicine, UCC
Neuroprotective Activity of Withania somnifera and Costus igneus Extracts in Rodent Models
Investigation of CNS-active constituents from garden-cultivated specimens for potential application in epilepsy and cognitive decline — utilising HPLC profiling and NMR structural elucidation of isolated withanolides and diterpenoids.
Principal Investigator: Department of Pharmacognosy & Herbal Medicine, UCC
Pharmacognostic Evaluation of Coastal Marine Organisms from the Gulf of Guinea for Anti-infective Agents
Leveraging UCC's unique seafront location, this project screens marine invertebrates, algae and coastal flora for novel anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and antiviral compounds using UV, IR and NMR spectroscopic methods.
Principal Investigator: Department of Pharmacognosy & Herbal Medicine, UCC
Secondary Metabolite Profiling of Selected Ghanaian Medicinal Plants Using HPLC-DAD and NMR
Systematic phytochemical profiling of high-priority plants in the UCC herb garden — establishing a reference fingerprint library for quality control, adulteration detection and standardisation of herbal medicinal products on the Ghanaian market.
Principal Investigator: Department of Pharmacognosy & Herbal Medicine, UCC
Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants Used by Traditional Healers in the Central Region of Ghana
A structured field survey documenting plant species, preparation methods and therapeutic claims from licensed herbal practitioners across the Central Region — providing the ethnopharmacological basis for subsequent laboratory investigations.
Outcome: Database of 80+ documented medicinal plant uses submitted to UCC institutional repository
Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Properties of Aframomum melegueta Seed Extracts
Evaluation of the anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity of ethanol and aqueous seed extracts of Grains of Selim in murine models — establishing pharmacological validation for its widespread use in traditional Ghanaian pain management.
Outcome: Findings published in peer-reviewed pharmacology journal
Quality Assessment and Standardisation of Selected Herbal Medicinal Products on the Ghanaian Market
Assessment of commercially available herbal preparations for identity, purity, content uniformity and microbial contamination — revealing significant quality gaps and providing recommendations for the Food and Drugs Authority of Ghana.
Outcome: Policy recommendations submitted to the FDA Ghana
Phytochemical and Pharmacological Evaluation of Croton membraneceus Root for Anti-BPH Activity
Comprehensive characterisation of the diterpene constituents of C. membraneceus and pharmacological testing in testosterone-induced BPH animal models — supporting clinical trials and the regulatory pathway for this widely used Ghanaian herbal remedy.
Outcome: Contributed to clinical trial dossier for Croton membraneceus
Interested in collaborating or joining a research project?
The department welcomes institutional collaborators, postgraduate researchers and funding partners. Contact us through SoPPS-UCC.
● Living Laboratory
Our Research Herb Garden
View All 50+ Plants →Our herb garden is a living botanical laboratory housing over 50 documented plant species for academic, teaching and research purposes. Each species is used in pharmacognostic studies — from phytochemical screening and extraction to bioassay-guided fractionation. All images are copyrighted; please attribute to UCC when using for research.
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Tabernanthe iboga
Iboga — psychoactive alkaloid ibogaine, researched for neurological disorders
Read More →
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Piper guineense
West African pepper — analgesic, antimicrobial and bioavailability enhancer
Read More →Viewing 12 of 50+ plant species in our garden
The full collection includes additional species from tropical, subtropical and temperate zones — all cultivated and documented for research use.
● Professional Identity
The P.H.A.R.M.A.C.I.S.T. Values
Every SoPPS-trained pharmacist and pharmacognosist embodies ten professional attributes — the cornerstones of ethical, excellent and impactful pharmaceutical practice.
Collaborate or Join Us
We welcome students, researchers and institutional collaborators interested in natural product science, ethnopharmacology and herbal medicine research.
Department of Pharmacognosy & Herbal Medicine · School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences
University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
The Department of Pharmacognosy & Herbal Medicine at UCC welcomes you to the science and therapeutics of natural products of medicinal importance. Pharmacognosy is the study and the evaluation of drugs from plants and other natural sources. The teams at this Department are constantly exploring ways to harness the medicinal value of nature that has been the heritage of rich traditions in Ghana. Being on a seafront university, we also take advantage of the vast marine resources at our disposal in addition to the plant ecology to identify novel agents for the management diseases mainly in the therapeutic areas of pain and inflammation, infectious diseases, and neurologic disorders. We use High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, Ultraviolet, Infra-red, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and other methods to identify and profile secondary metabolites to feed the drug discovery pipeline. Also, as a key department in the PharmD programme, the Department ensures our students are well trained in natural product drug discovery as well the evaluation of medicinal products from natural products to safeguard the healthcare of a population increasingly in demand for natural products for their healthcare needs.
We welcome prospective student and collaborators.
P : Patient-centeredness
H : Honesty
A : Astuteness
R : Responsibility
M : Meticulousness
A : Accountability
C : Competence
I : Integrity
S : Scholarship
T : Teamwork