The Japan Association for Herbs (in Japanese: Nihon Yakuyo-shokubutsu Tomo-no-kai) was established on September 27, 1973. The first president of the association was Professor Tsunematsu Takemoto, the Dean of the Pharmaceutical Institute, Tohoku University at that time. The secretariat of the association located in the Pharmaceutical Affairs Division of the Miyagi Prefectural Health Department. Our initial activities included the publication of a newsletter twice a year and a visit to a medicinal botanical garden among other events. At the time of its inauguration, the number of association members was approximately 450. As of December 2022, the association has approximately 250 members, and there are three branches located in Yamagata Prefecture, and in Watari-cho and Zao-cho, both in Miyagi Prefecture. Each of these branches hold independent events. The main activities of the association's head office include the publication of newsletters twice a year, plant observation meetings, public lectures, medicinal cooking classes, vegetable dyeing classes, and joint observation meetings with the Sendai Mushroom Association, all of which are conducted as independent projects. Approximately 10 times a year, seminars are held on medicinal herbs in collaboration with the Pharmaceutical Affairs Division of Miyagi Prefecture. Our goal for the future is to continue to further disseminate pharmaceutical information related to medicinal plants.

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Research into the history of pharmacy often makes use of materials held by university archives. This paper analyzes the difference between the role of historical research and that of archives. An important role of archiving is to appraise which records to keep and which to discard. University archives have been established for the purpose of preserving materials from institutions that have emerged in the past, as well as those materials collected in the process of compiling university histories. The first university archives in Japan was established at Tohoku University in 1963. This was followed by others at The University of Tokyo, Kyushu University, and Nagoya University in the latter half of the 20th century. The role of archives has been strengthened by law since the 21st century. The number of university archives has also increased. Currently, there are 12 institutions with functions equivalent to those of the National Archives of Japan. On the other hand, the operation of university archives often requires expertise in the field of history. University histories also need to be compiled on a regular basis. For this reason, university archives need to cooperate with institution administrations, libraries and museums, and archivists are required to have a deep knowledge of university history.

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Purpose: Atractylodes lancea is an original plant source for the crude drug Sojutsu, and was introduced in Japan during the Edo period. It was commonly named Sado-okera as it was actively cultivated in Sado. Currently, few local residents in Sado know about Sado-okera, and only the stocks planted in gardens by their ancestors remain today. In this study, the aim was to conduct detailed investigations to better understand the reasons that led to the current state of A. lancea in Japan. Method: The author re-examined the books, documents, and reports previously published on A. lancea, and also reviewed the regional history of Sado and related historical documents. Furthermore, from 2019 to 2022, he conducted interview-based surveys with individuals who were thought to be knowledgeable about A. lancea, mainly in Sado, including local pharmacies handling crude drug products. Results: The reasons for A. lancea not being currently cultivated on a large scale in Sado include the following: it was obligatory to supply the drug to the government during World War II; and following the end of the war, the failure subsequently increase its production due to the misidentification of a component peculiar to A. lancea as mold, resulted in the disposal of the product inventory, and efforts to produce from stock seeds in the fields failed. Conclusion: A. lancea was actively cultivated in Sado and existed even during the Showa period. However, subsequent efforts to produce it were unsuccessful. Currently, only a few Sado residents know of its existence. For this reason, A. lancea was found to be in danger of extinction.

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Introduction: In this study, the author investigated the etymon of the Japanese word ZAYAKU and how this drug form is perceived in Japanese medicine from a pharmaceutical point of view. Methods: The author used materials from the National Diet Library’s Digital Collection, Kyoto University Library, Waseda University Library, the search results from Google Books, and the author's collections. Results and Discussion: In Kinki-Youryaku (published in 3rd Century A.D.), two kanji characters for zayaku were found, and their meaning is to put a drug in. The author found the word zayaku (suppository) in Edo-Halma (HARUMAWAGE : Dutch-Japanese dictionary; 1796). Udagawa et al. translated the Dutch word zetpil into the Japanese word zayaku. Zet means sit as Japanese za and pil means drug as yaku. However, suppositories were rarely used in traditional Dutch medicine in Japan during the Edo Era. Before the beginning of the Meiji Era, English medicine was introduced to Japan, and suppositories were used in Japanese Navy medicine. Nevertheless, the Japanese government adopted the German medical system in 1869, and suppositories were not registered in either the first or second editions of the Japanese Pharmacopoeia. When Japanese physicians and pharmacists published the third edition of the Japanese Pharmacopoeia (1906), suppositories were registered in it.

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Purpose: The World Health Organization (WHO) published Good Pharmacopoeial Practices, the Pharmacopoeial Discussion Group (PDG) has been harmonizing excipient monographs and general chapters, and the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) has published quality guidelines. In addition to these activities, pharmacopoeial harmonization is desired to supply high-quality pharmaceutical products while effectively utilizing limited resources. The ICH proposes a method to promote the harmonization of pharmacopoeias around the world by investigating a preparation and revision process use for General Notices in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP), which is an initial member of the PDG, as an example. Method: The authors investigated the preparation and revision history of the JP, established versions for the 49 General Notices in the current JP 18th edition, and the JP General Notices that were established or revised referencing the contents of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.), and ICH guidelines. Results: The JP was prepared and revised with references to the pharmacopoeias of the Netherlands, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the United States. Some JP General Notices were established or revised while referring to the contents of the USP, Ph. Eur., and ICH guidelines. Conclusion: It is believed that the preparation and revision process of the JP, such as the prompt incorporation of contents from other countries' or regions' pharmacopoeias into the JP after having a thorough understanding, and flexibility revising any issues, makes the JP worthy of being a reference for other countries' pharmacopoeias.

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Purpose: Passionflower has long been widely used as a herbal therapy for mental and neurological disorders. Passionflower has mild hypnotic, sedative and anti-anxiety properties, and has been used to relieve hysteria/neurosis and alleviate/resolve insomnia. In Western Europe, Passionflower is still widely used in phytotherapy today. In 2000, Passionflower was listed in European Pharmacopoeia (EP) and British Pharmacopoeia (BP), and its standards and test methods were specified. Therefore, this time, the author investigates the specifications and test methods of the passive flora listed in EP and BP. The chemical and pharmacologically/biologically active effects of various C-glycosylflavone components contained in Passionflower reported therein were investigated using scientific literature on the Passionflower and its components. The author then discusses the involvement of Passionflower-containing C-glycosylflavone in the hypnotic, sedative, and anxiolytic effects of Passionflower. In addition, the author discusses the development of future pharmaceuticals (crude drugs) based on Passionflower-containing C-glycosylflavone. Method: 1) The author investigated the specifications and test methods of the Passionflower listed in EP3.0 (2000) to EP10.3 (2021) and BP2000 to BP2022. 2) The author used J-Global to search for scientific information on various C-glycosylflavone components contained in Passionflower standards and test methods listed in EP and BP. Among them, scientific literature on various C-glycosylflavones was extracted. The author then investigated scientific information such as the biological activity effect of various C-glycosylflavones contained in Passionflower. Results: 1) In EP and BP, it is specified that various C-glycosylflavones such as vitexin, isovitexin, orientin, isoorientin, and swertisin were detected as passive flora-containing components through qualitative analysis using thin-layer chromatography. 2) A recent study reported that Passionflower can be divided into two chemical species (types) based on their chemical component consistency: conventional isovitexin species and swertisin species. 3) C-glycosylflavone belongs to the flavonoids class of polyphenols. Therefore, it is considered that the antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects of Passionflower correspond to the 1) anti-inflammatory action, 2) antioxidant action, and 3) antioxidative-stress action of the C-glycosylflavone component present. The anti-anxiety effect of Passionflower is thought to be due to specific binding to benzodiazepine receptors in the central nervous system. Furthermore, the sedative effect of Passionflower is thought to be due to activation of GABA by binding to GABA receptors in the brain. Conclusion: The author was able to obtain detailed knowledge of various C-glycosylflavones contained in Passionflower through investigating the specifications and test methods for Passionflower listed in EP and BP in 2000. Passionflower exhibits tranquilizing effects such as antidepressant, anti-anxiety, and anti-stress effects. It is believed that this is due to the mutual effect of the biological activities of various C-glycosylflavone components found in Passionflower. Furthermore, it is thought that a wide variety of bioutilities can be derived from Passionflower based on its biologically active effects of 1) to 3). It is expected that Passionflower can contribute to the maintenance of human health and homeostasis. In the future, the author hopes that Passionflower will be further developed as a pharmaceutical (crude drug).

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Future pharmacy is defined as pharmacy that evolves successively after the present pharmacy. It also includes past, modern, and present pharmacy. The future pharmacists are also defined as pharmacists who are sympathetic in mind and are deeply versed in dispensing and medication for patients, cope well with society, contribute to preventive pharmacy for the increasing disasters, and consider countermeasures against the increasing stimulant drugs that are imported illegally.

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