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Unit of study_
OLET2510: Ethnopharmacology
2025 unit information
The use of biologically active products derived from nature for medicinal, spiritual and recreational purposes is no new phenomenon. Ethnopharmacology is a unique and diverse interdisciplinary area of study that converges historical, social and scientific perspectives in an attempt to learn the why, how, where and what of human relationships with these products. This unit aims to introduce you to relevant concepts in the fields of pharmacology and botany, and provide a broad cultural overview of a number of these natural products derived from plants, animals and fungi. By doing this unit, you will learn why these products are used, be it for medicinal or ritualistic purposes, and how they are prepared and administered by some of the cultural groups who use them. You will also be introduced to the pharmacological principles underlying how these natural products affect the body. In turn, you will apply your knowledge and understanding to explore a natural product in greater depth, while engaging in interdisciplinary discourse with students from differing backgrounds. Furthermore, you will examine and reflect on ethical conundrums encountered in different societies.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Medicine and Health
| Study level | Undergraduate |
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| Academic unit | Pharmacy |
| Credit points | 2 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. Compare examples of natural products used by global Indigenous communities
- LO2. Describe methods used by these communities to prepare and administer these natural products
- LO3. Understand how the active constituents in these natural products can produce effects in the human body
- LO4. Summarise the history and application of at least one plant
- LO5. Infer the ethical implications of ethnopharmacological enquiry and drug development
Unit availability
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