Pharmacognosy Unit of Ayurveda Research Institute, an indispensable part of Government Ayurveda College, Thiruvananthapuram is conducting research on the pharmacognostic aspect of medicinal plants used in ayurvedic preparations and setting up parameters for the scientific identification and genuineness of raw drugs. The research works are published in the book series titled “Pharmacognosy of Ayurvedic Drugs- Kerala”. Other than the above publication the unit has also published books such as “Handbook on Medicinal plants”, “Oushadha Sasyangal” and “Sadharana Rogangalum Nivarana Margangalum”. Moreover, the unit also provides necessary facilities and guidance to post graduate students (MD and PG Diploma) of various departments of Govt. Ayurveda College, Thiruvananthapuram in carrying out the botanical pharmacognostic studies of their dissertation/thesis works. The unit also conducts academic sessions/classes for PG, PG Diploma and UG students of Govt. Ayurveda College, Thiruvananthapuram during their herbal garden visits. The unit has a well equipped laboratory with digital compound- and stereo-microscopes for carrying out morpho-anatomic pharmacognostic studies, a herbarium and a museum/ botanical reference standard repository of raw drug specimens besides a library with a huge collection of scientific books.

Pharmacognosy Unit has a Model Demonstration Garden extending to an area of about five acres of land. The repository contains a prestigious collection of about 400 species of medicinal plants including rare, endemic and endangered species. With a view to promote the cultivation of medicinal plants and because of high demand from the general public, a medicinal plant nursery was started in this unit on 23rd May 1995. The medicinal plant garden of the unit include greenhouse gardens to maintain potted medicinal plants, a star garden with trees associated with each birth star, a nursery and associated mist chambers for propagation of medicinal plants. The Model Demonstration Garden has been instrumental in not only supporting the academic and research activities of the unit but also involved in promoting various aspects of botanical endeavours such as cultivation, conservation and utilization aspects of medicinal plants. This has elevated the importance of the garden with respect to promoting awareness regarding the traditional ayurvedic herbal medicinal plants among the society as well as in providing a platform for students and general public to learn about medicinal plants. Moreover, the medicinal plant garden maintained in the Pharmacognosy unit is of environmental significance as the rich flora and the associated fauna serves as a tract of ecosystem on its own in the heart of the Thiruvananthapuram city.
Moreover, the unit is also involved in extension activities such as implementing several projects of State Medicinal Plants Board involving quality planting material production in the Model Demonstration garden and its free distribution among various organizations; participating in various exhibitions/ global ayurveda fest /conducting national seminars, training and awareness programmes/ workshops to popularize the importance and awareness of medicinal plants in the society.

• Pharmacognosy Laboratory facility for carrying out morpho-anatomic botanical works using the digital compound and stereomicroscopes on payment of prescribed fee in the Office of Govt. Ayurveda College, Thiruvananthapuram.
• Facilities for Herbal garden visit
• Supply of Genuine fresh raw drugs and plant twigs for research and Herbarium works
• Providing facilities for authentication of medicinal plant specimens

• Facilities for Herbal garden visit.
• Sales of medicinal plant saplings through sales counter of the Pharmacognosy unit subject to the availability on payment of Government fixed rate of Rs 15 (Fifteen rupees) per plant saplings at the office of the Pharmacognosy unit.
• Sales of fresh raw drugs through sales counter of the Pharmacognosy unit subject to the availability on payment of Government fixed rate at the office of the Pharmacognosy unit. The price details (Government fixed rate) of the raw drugs are as follows :

  Sl No	Quantity of raw drug	Rate
  1.	Upto 250g	Rs.15
  2.	300-500g	Rs.30
  3.	550-750g	Rs.45
  4.	800-1000g	Rs.60

The publication works of the Pharmacognosy Unit unit are available for purchase from the department of publication division, Govt. Ayurveda College, Thiruvananthapuram. The price details of the publications are as follows : -

1.	Pharmacognosy of Ayurvedic Drugs – Kerala	Vol.1	Rs. 15/-
2.	Pharmacognosy of Ayurvedic Drugs – Kerala	Vol.2	Rs. 113/-
3.	Pharmacognosy of Ayurvedic Drugs – Kerala	Vol.3	Rs. 20/-
4.	Pharmacognosy of Ayurvedic Drugs – Kerala	Vol.4	Rs. 50/-
5.	Pharmacognosy of Ayurvedic Drugs – Kerala	Vol.5	Rs. 50/-
6.	Pharmacognosy of Ayurvedic Drugs – Kerala	Vol. 6	Rs. 50/-
7.	Pharmacognosy of Ayurvedic Drugs – Kerala	Vol. 7	Rs. 85/-
8.	Pharmacognosy of Ayurvedic Drugs – Kerala	Vol. 8	Rs. 88/-
9.	Pharmacognosy of Ayurvedic Drugs – Kerala	Vol. 9	Rs. 89/-
10.	Pharmacognosy of Ayurvedic Drugs – Kerala	Vol. 10	Rs. 9/-
11.	Pharmacognosy of Ayurvedic Drugs – Kerala	Vol. 11	Rs. 134/-
12.	Pharmacognosy of Ayurvedic Drugs – Kerala	Vol. 12	Rs. 199/-
13	Pharmacognosy of Ayurvedic Drugs – Kerala	Vol. 13	Rs. 109/-
14.	Pharmacognosy of Ayurvedic Drugs – Kerala	Vol. 14 -	Rs.760/-
15.	OushadhaSasyangal (Malayalam)		Rs.75/-
16.	SadharanaRogangalumNivarana Margangalum(Malayalam)    -		Rs.75/-
17.	Hand book on Medicinal Plants		Rs.75/-