Phytotherapy

Data

Official data in SubjectManager for the following academic year: 2026-2027

Topic

The aim of the course is to introduce students to the physiological effects (both beneficial and harmful) of plants and plant drugs commonly used in nutrition and in phytotherapy. The mode of action, indications, application and typical formulations of plant drugs used in the treatment of the most important disease types will be demonstrated through case studies. Particular attention will be paid to the interactions between active compounds of plants and other drugs. The course aims at providing authentic information among the today so widespread beliefs and misbeliefs, relying on evidence based medicine.

Lectures

• 1.

  Clinical Phytotherapy

  - Rák Tibor
• 2.

  Fundamentals of Healthy Nutrition

  - Farkas Ágnes
• 3.

  Herb–Drug–Food Interactions

  - Horváth Györgyi
• 4.

  Herbal Medicinal Products with Sedative and Antidepressant Effects

  - Rák Tibor
• 5.

  Herbal Medicinal Products Used in Gastrointestinal Diseases I

  - Csikós Eszter
• 6.

  Herbal Medicinal Products Used in Gastrointestinal Diseases II

  - Papp Nóra
• 7.

  Herbal Medicinal Products Affecting the Urinary Tract

  - Bencsik Tímea
• 8.

  Prevention and Therapeutic Aspects of Cardiovascular Diseases with Medicinal Plants

  - Bencsik Tímea
• 9.

  Antidiabetic and Cholesterol-Lowering Herbal Medicinal Products

  - Bencsik Tímea
• 10.

  Application of Phytotherapy in the Prevention and Treatment of Common Cold

  - Bencsik Tímea
• 11.

  Herbal Medicinal Products for Regulating the Menstrual Cycle and Alleviating Menopausal Symptoms. Phytotherapeutic Options in the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

  - Farkas Ágnes
• 12.

  Herbal Medicinal Products Used in Dermatology

  - Papp Nóra
• 13.

  Analgesic Herbal Medicinal Products for Musculoskeletal Disorders

  - Csikós Eszter
• 14.

  Case studies.

  - Bencsik Tímea

Practices

Seminars

Reading material

Obligatory literature

Literature developed by the Department

Notes

Recommended literature

Aronson J.K. (ed.): Meylers Side Effects of Herbal Medicines, Elsevier, Amsterdam-Oxford-Tokyo, 2009

Barnes J., Anderson L.A., Phillipson J.D.: Herbal Medicines, 2nd edition, Pharmaceutical Press, London-Chicago, 2002

ESCOP Monographs, The Scientific Foundation for Herbal Medicinal Products, 2nd edition, Thieme, Exeter; Stuttgart; New York, 2003

European Medicines Agency guidelines; www.ema.europa.eu

Conditions for acceptance of the semester

The condition for acceptance of the semester is the completion of the Moodle tests associated with the course, as well as the preparation and presentation of the assigned project tasks.

Mid-term exams

Oral exam at the end of the semester.

Making up for missed classes

Individual assignment.

Exam topics/questions

1. Clinical Phytotherapy

2. Fundamentals of Healthy Nutrition

3. Herb–Drug–Food Interactions

4. Herbal Medicinal Products with Sedative and Antidepressant Effects

5. Herbal Medicinal Products Used in Gastrointestinal Diseases I

6. Herbal Medicinal Products Used in Gastrointestinal Diseases II

7. Herbal Medicinal Products Affecting the Urinary Tract

8. Prevention and Therapeutic Aspects of Cardiovascular Diseases with Medicinal Plants

9. Antidiabetic and Cholesterol-Lowering Herbal Medicinal Products

10. Application of Phytotherapy in the Prevention and Treatment of Common Cold

11. Herbal Medicinal Products for Regulating the Menstrual Cycle and Alleviating Menopausal Symptoms

12. Phytotherapeutic Options in the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

13. Herbal Medicinal Products Used in Dermatology

14. Analgesic Herbal Medicinal Products for Musculoskeletal Disorders

Case studies.

Examiners

• Bencsik Tímea
• Csikós Eszter
• Farkas Ágnes
• Horváth Györgyi
• Papp Nóra
• Rák Tibor

Instructor / tutor of practices and seminars