The Department was the first body to prove through the research work conducted by Professor Maurice Iwu that Garcinia kola (Bitter kola) has all it takes to treat Hepatitis. Secondly Professor Iwu has investigated and integrated Picralima nitida as part of the work being developed for anti-malaria at walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington DC, U.S.A. The National Pharmacopeias South East zonal office is being co-ordinated in the Department of Pharmacognosy and Environmental Medicine, University of Nigeria Nsukka. In 2010 the name of the Department was successfully changed from the Department of Pharmacognosy to Department of Pharmacognosy and Environmental Medicine.