Historical pharmacognostic collection and library at the University of Zagreb

The study of pharmacy was introduced at the University of Zagreb (Croatia) in 1882 following the Decision of the Emperor Francis Joseph I. Since then, pharmacognosy has been an important part of the pharmacy education at the University of Zagreb. Today, pharmacognosy is taught and researched at the Department of Pharmacognosy of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, which was established in 1896 as the first independent institute of pharmacognosy in the world [1]. At this unique Department formerly called Institute of Pharmacognosy, its founder Professor Julije Domac and his successors preserved an exceptional collection of medicinal drugs as well as a collection of very old and rare pharmaceutical and medical books and manuscripts dating from 17^th to 19^th centuries. The Pharmacognostic collection was renovated in 2016 on the occasion of the 120^th anniversary of the Institute. Today, the collection counts more than 1200 specimens of medicinal drugs of plant and animal origin that found their use in traditional medicine and contributed to the development of modern-day pharmaceuticals. Most of the specimens are very rare and old and come from all corners of the world, such as the aloe in monkey skin from Africa or curare from South America. Beside its scientific and educational significance for new generations of pharmacists, the Pharmacognostic collection and library have an important historical and cultural value.

• References

• 1 Inić S, Kujundžić N. The first independent pharmacognosy institute in the world and its founder Julije Domac (1853-1928). Pharmazie 2011; 66: 720-726