PharmacognosyPHR 113 / Lecture 2

Crude Drugs

• Crude drugs are unmodified natural preparations of plants, animals,

fungi, bacteria, or minerals that are used for the prevention or

treatment of an ailment or disease.

Importance of crude drugs

• Plant-derived medicines are useful therapeutic options and often

provide a safe form of therapy.

• Provide lead compounds for the development of new drugs.

Sources of crude drugs

1. Plants

2. Animals

3. Microbes

4. Minerals

Crude Drug Plant Part Active Constituents

Senna Leaves Sennosides

Belladonna Leaves & Roots Atropine & Hyoscine

Nuxvomica Seeds Strychnine & Brucine

Fennel Fruit Volatile Oils

Cinchona Bark Quinine

Ephedra Stem Ephedrine

Sources of crude drugsPlants

Oils from Cod liver oil: contains Omega 3 fatty acid and Vitamin A & D.

Fats from Wool fat

Sources of crude drugs

Animals

Sources of crude drugs

Microbes

Penicillin from Penicillium notatum.

Riboflavin or vitamin B2 from Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli.

Recombinant product such as insulin.

Sources of crude drugs

Mineral Sources

• Mercury for the treatment of syphilis.

• Iron for the treatment of anaemia.

• Iodine is used for thyroid problems and as antiseptic.

Types of Crude Drugs

Crude drugs may be listed in the pharmacopoeia and categorized using

different methods:

1. Alphabetical classification

2. Morphological classification

3. Therapeutic / Pharmacological classification

4. (Active) chemical classification

5. Taxonomical classification

Alphabetical classification

• Crude drugs are arranged in alphabetical order of their:

• Botanical names

• Common names

• Local/ vernacular names

Garlic = Allium sativum

Alphabetical classification

Onion = Allium cepa

Botanical names 1. Allium cepa2. Allium sativum

Common names1. Garlic2. Onion

Local/ vernacular names1. ?2. ?

Advantages

• It is easy and quick to use

• There is no repetition of entries and is devoid of confusion.

• In this system location, tracing and addition of drug entries is easy

Alphabetical classification

Alphabetical classification

Disadvantages

• There is no relationship between previous and successive drug

entries

E.g. Acacia, Benzoin, Cinchona, Dill, Ergot, Fennel, Gentian

Morphological classification

• In this system, the drugs are arranged according to the morphological

or external characters of the plant parts or animal parts.

Morphological classification

Scientific name Bengali name Used parts

Aloe vera Ghritokumari Leaf

Andrographispanniculata

KalomeghLeaf, Stem,whole plant

Asparagusracemosus

SatomuliTuberous root,Leaf, Flower,Fruit

Plumbagozeylanica

Chita Root

Classify – alphabetically > scientific name, English name, Bengali name and Mophologically

Scientific name Bengali name English name Used parts

Winthania somnifera Dunal Ashwagandha Winter CherryRoot, Leaf, Fruit, Seed, whole plant

Aloe vera Tour. ex Linn. Ghritokumari Aloe Leaf

AndrographispanniculataWall.ex Nees.

Kalomegh CreatLeaf, Stem,whole plant

Asparagus racemosus Willd.

Satomuli AspargusTuberous root, Leaf, Flower, Fruit

Plumbago zeylanicaLinn. Chita Root

Adhatoda zeylanica Nees. (Syn. name- A. vasica Linn.)

Vasak Vasaka Leaf, Stem, Bark, Root, Flower

Rauvolfia serpentine (Linn.) Benth.

Swarpagandha Snake root Root

Glycyrrhiza glabraLinn. Jastimodhu Liqourice root Root, Stem

Pharmacological classification

• This involves grouping of drug according to their pharmacological

action.

• This is also referred to as therapeutic classification of drugs.

• Drugs like digitalis, squill and strophanthus having cardiotonic action

are grouped together irrespective of their parts used or their

phytoconstituents.

Pharmacological Action Drugs

Anticancer Vinca, Podophyllum, Taxus

Anti-inflammatory Colchicum, Turmeric

Antiamoebic Ipecac root, Kurchi bark

Antiasthmatic Ephedra, Lobelia

Anthelminthic Fern, Quassia wood

Antispasmodic Datura, Hyoscyamus

Astringent Catechu

Analgesic Opium, poppy

Pharmacological classification

Pharmacological classification

Advantages

• This system of classification can be used for suggesting substitutesof drugs if they are not available at a particular place or point oftime.

Disadvantages

• Drugs having different action on the body gets classified

separately in more than one group that causes ambiguity and

confusion.

• Example: Cinchona is an antimalarial drug because of presence

of quinine but can be put under the group of drug affecting heart

because of anti-arrhythmic action of quinidine.

Pharmacological classification

Chemical Classification

• The crude drugs are divided into different groups according to the

chemical nature of their constituent.

• In chemical classification drugs having identical constituents are

placed in one group.

Chemical Classification

• Carbohydrates• Glycosides• Tannins• Volatile oils• Lipids • Alkaloids

Carbohydrates: A carbohydrate is a biomolecule consisting of carbon,

hydrogen and oxygen atoms, usually with a hydrogen–oxygen atom

ratio of 2:1.

• Gums – Acacia, Tragacanth

• Starch, Honey, Agar

Chemical Classification

Glycosides: a molecule in which a sugar is bound to another functional

group via a glycosidic bond.

• Anthraquinone Glycosides - Senna

• Saponins Glycosides - Glycyrrhiza

• Cyanogenetic Glycosides - Cassava

• Isothiocyanate Glycosides - Mustard

Chemical Classification

Tannins:

• Polyphenolic biomolecules

• Tannins are astringent, bitter and precipitate proteins.

• Tannins causes a dry and puckering feeling in the mouth.

E.g.- Guava, Tea

Chemical Classification

Chemical Classification

Volatile oils / ethereal oils are volatile constituents obtained from

aromatic plant material, including leaves, rhizomes, flowers, roots,

bark, seeds, peel, fruits, wood and whole plants.

Examples- Cinnamon, Coriander, Cardamom, Orange peel, Mint, Clove

Chemical Classification

Lipids: a class of organic compounds that are fatty acids or their

derivatives and are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents.

They include many natural oils, waxes, and steroids.

Fixed oils – Castor, Olive, Almond, Shark liver oil

Fats – Theobroma, Lanolin

Waxes – Beeswax

Alkaloids

• Nitrogenous organic substances of plant origin

• Pyridine and Piperidine – Lobelia, Tobacco

• Tropane - Coca, Belladonna, Datura

• Quinoline – Cinchona

Chemical Classification

Taxonomic classification

Based on an accepted system of botanical classification

Grouped into:Kingdom

Phylum Order

FamilyGenus

Species

Advantages

• Allows for precise and ordered arrangement of drugs.

• Accommodates any drug without ambiguity.

Taxonomic classification

1. Organized drugs

2. Unorganized drugs

Organized drugs

• These are drugs which have a specific cell structure.

• Rhizomes, roots, barks, leaves, fruits, entire plants, hairs and fibres,

stems, flowers, etc.

• Leaves – Digitalis, Tea, etc.

• Barks –Cinchona, Cinnamon, etc.

• Flowering parts – Clove, rose

Organized drugs

Unorganized drugs

• These are drugs which have no cellular or tissue structure and are

obtained from plants as their exudates.

Gums, resins, aloe, honey

Thank you

Mohammad Ahad A Khan, PhDAssistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesNorth South University, Bangladesh Room: SAC 1013email: mohammad.khan03@northsouth.eduCell: +880 17 0386 4707

Medical terminologies

Arthritis -Inflammation of a joint

Ascites -Abnormal accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity

Asphyxia -Inability to breath

Atrophy -Wasting of a tissue or organ

Carcinogenic- Causing cancer

Medical terminologies

Carcinoma- A malignant epithelial tumour eventually becoming fatal

Cardiotonic- An agent that has a stimulating effect on the heart;

increasing the strength and tone of the heart.

Cardiac depressant- Slowing the action of the heart

Carminative Drug- causing the release of stomach or intestinal gas

Medical terminologies

Cathartic -Having the power of cleaning the bowels (laxative, purgative,

drastic)

Decongestant - Relieving congestion, as of the mucous membrane

Demulcent – Soothing action on inflammed mucous membranes

Dermatitis - Inflammation of the skin

Medical terminologies

Diuretic - Increasing the flow of urine

Dysmenorrhoea - Difficult or painful menstruation

Dyspepsia – Difficulty in digestion

Dysuria - Difficulty or pain while passing urine

Emetic -Causing vomiting

Medical terminologies

Expectorant - Aiding the secretion of the mucous membrane of the air

passages and the removal of fluid

Febrifuge - Anything which reduces fever

Haematemesis - Vomiting of blood

Haematuria - The presence of blood in the urine

Heamatinic: Therapeutic agent that causes increase in the

heamoglobin content of the blood.

Medical terminologies

Insomnia: Difficulty in sleeping or staying asleep.

Mydriatic: Drug that causes dilatation of the pupil.

Miotic: Contraction of pupil of eye.

Sternutatory: a substance that causes sneezing

Vermifuge: a remedy that causes expulsion of worms or parasites.

Xerostomia: Anbormal dryness of the mouth