History
The Institute of Pharmacognosy, now the Department, is one of the first organizational units of the Pharmaceutical Department of the Medical Faculty of the University of Belgrade. The first director of the Institute was the then assistant professor, Dr. Jovan Tucakov, and until 1991 he was housed in the building of the Histological and Physiological Institute. The Pharmacognosy Garden was an integral part of the then Institute.
It should be mentioned that the Institute of Pharmacognosy, by the decision of the Presidency of the Government of the People's Republic of Serbia from 1952, was merged with the Institute for the Study of Medicinal Herbs "Dr Josif Pančić". Due to the non-functionality of this solution, spatial, organizational, primarily in the teaching sense, the then Institute of Pharmacognosy was returned to the Faculty of Pharmacy in 1954. From 1991 until today, now the Department of Pharmacognosy, is located in building B of the Faculty of Pharmacy, on the first floor. It represents a beautiful whole of office space and library, with a hall for microscopic exercises, a laboratory for chemical exercises of students, as well as laboratories for research work of teachers and associates.
Since the founding of the Department of Pharmacy of the Medical Faculty of the University of Belgrade, the name of Professor Jovan Tucakov has been inextricably linked with medicinal herbs, pharmacognosy and pharmacy in general. Professor Tucakov is also the only pharmacist who was a regular member of SANU. His contribution to the knowledge of ethnopharmacognosy and modern phytotherapy in terms of scientific research, teaching and professional activities is enormous. And what is certain, prof. Even today, Tucakov is the most famous expert in the field of pharmacy.
In addition to academician Tucakov, other teachers of pharmacognosy should be mentioned: prof. dr Milica Smodlaka, prof. Dr. Predrag Lukić, Prof. dr Rada Ivanić, prof. Katica Savić, PhD, Ph.D. Nadežda Krstić-Pavlović, Ph.D. dr Momcilo Gorunović and doc. Dr. Dušica Stošić. Colleagues Anka Srećković, Slobodan Simić, Milan Sekulić, Dušanka Runjajić-Antić, Darinka Milinković, Ivica Panov, Predrag Bogavac and Zvezdana Došlov worked as assistants at the Department.
In addition to teachers and associates, our laboratory assistants, technicians, auxiliary workers and gardeners have always been present throughout the years. Together, they contributed to the life and work of Pharmacognosy, a pleasant working atmosphere, correctness in teaching, inspiring research spirit, friendship and collegiality that generations of our students, colleagues and associates remember us for.