Final answer:
Pharmacognosy is the study of drugs derived from natural sources, with ethnobotanists preserving knowledge of medicinal plants within various cultures. Pharmacokinetics, on the other hand, deals with a drug's ADME properties. Both are important branches of pharmacology.
Step-by-step explanation:
The study of drugs derived from natural sources is called pharmacognosy. Pharmacognosy focuses on exploring natural sources, such as plants and minerals, to discover and develop medicines. This field is incredibly important in today's world considering the rich biodiversity in places like the Amazon forest, which houses a vast number of unknown medicinal plants. In this context, ethnobotanists play a crucial role in preserving the knowledge of medicinal plants and their uses within different cultures.
Understanding pharmacokinetics is also essential as it encompasses the drug's absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties throughout the different phases of drug discovery and development. Both pharmacognosy and pharmacokinetics are part of the larger field of pharmacology, yet they serve distinct purposes and utilize different methods in the study of drugs.