The laboratory is a section of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of Antwerp, but works as an independent unit. The Laboratory of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceuticals is a cooperation between two laboratories: - Laboratory of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry of Prof. dr. A.J. Vlietinck - Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy of Prof. dr. A. Ludwig

Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy:
The main activity of the laboratory is the physical characterisation of pharmaceutical preparations. The techniques for which an accreditation has been obtained are osmometry and flow shear rheometry. Most samples examined are pharmaceutical preparations although it is possible to test samples of all kinds (food, paints, cosmetics, etc.,...).
The research performed in the laboratory applies the techniques used in the accreditation field extended to oscillation/creep shear rheometry, penetrometry, particle size measurement and zetapotential determination. These techniques allow a thorough examination of different pharmaceutical preparations (polymer dispersions, ointments, creams, suspensions, emulsions, and colloidal systems).

Laboratory of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry:
This laboratory consists of two units, the accredited laboratory and a research unit.
The laboratory has been accreditated by Beltest according to the European standards NBN-EN 45001
In the accredited analytical laboratory the following kinds of analyses are performed
- Analyses requested by the Belgian Pharmaceutical and Food Inspections and by the Belgian Court of Justice
- Analyses for industrial clients
- Development and validation of methods for industrial clients (analytical part of a registration dossier)
The samples include:
- Pharmaceutical bulk products
- Active products, excipients, auxiliary ingredients
- Plant bulk products
- Pharmaceutical or Plant preparations
- Galenical en officinal preparations
- Pharmaceutical proprietary medicinal products
- Parapharmaceutical products
- Plant preparations (herbal drugs, herbal drug preparations and (finished) herbal medicinal products)
When reference products necessary to perform the analyses are not commercially available, the reference product can be isolated by the laboratory and validated against a secondary standard which is commercially available.
Techniques used in the laboratory include HPLC, GC (FID and MS), UV spectrophotometry, IR and meltingpoint determination. Beside these techniques we also use TLC densitometry to perform quantitative analyses.
In the research unit of the laboratory medicinal plants are investigated. By means of bioassay guided fractionation pure active compounds are isolated which are tested in different biological test systems. Structures are elucidated and structure-activity relationships established.