classification of crude drug presentation

1. Classification of Crude Drugs

2. Objectives
On completion of this period, you would be able to
know:
• Alphabetical classification
• Taxonomical Classification
• Morphological classification
• Chemical classification
• Pharmacological classification of Crude Drugs

3. Crude Drugs
As per D &C Act, 1940 a drug may be defined as
All medicines for internal or external use of and all
substances intended to be used for or in diagnosis,
mitigation, treatment or prevention of diseases in human
beings or animals
OR
Such substances other than food intended to affect the
structure or any function of human body or intended to
be used for the destruction of vermin or insects, which
cause disease in human beings or animals as may be
specified from time to time by the Central Government
by notification in Official Gazette

4. Crude Drugs
• They are available in their original form of
occurance
Organised drugs are the organs of plants, solid, cellular
in nature and identified by their microscopical characters.
Ex. Cinnamon, Senna
Unorganised drugs are the products of plants or animals,
solid, semisolid or liquid in nature and are identified by
chemical tests basing on the type of chemical
constituents present in them
Ex. Acacia, Honey, Castor oil

5. Pharmaceutical Aids
• The substances which are of little or no therapeutic
value, but are essentially used in the manufacture or
compounding of various pharmaceuticals are known as
Pharmaceutical aids or Pharmaceutic necessities
They may be obtained from
Plants Pectin, Starch
Animals Honey, Gelatin, Wool fat
Minerals Kaolin, Talc

7. Pharmaceutical Aids
• They are also classified into
Colouring agents : Caramel, Turmeric, Saffron
Flavouring agents : Cardamom, lemon oil, Mentha oil
Sweetening agents : Licorice, Honey
Emulsifying and
Suspending agents : Acacia, Agar, Bentonite, Gelatin
Ointment bases : Bees wax, Lanolin, wool fat
Diluents : Sesame oil, glucose, lactose
Vehicles : Olive oil, Arachis oil
Disintegrating agents : Starch, Ispagol husk
Lubricants :Talc, Cocoa butter

9. Classification Of Natural Drugs
Alphabetical Classification:
In this system the crude drugs are arranged in alphabetical
order
• This system is adopted by B.P., B.P.C., U.S.P. and I.P.
• Whereas in International Pharmacopoeia drugs are
arranged according to Latin names.

10. Disadvantages
Classification system does not help in
• Differentiating drugs of
Plant, animal or mineral sources.
• Organized and unorganized drugs cannot be
differentiated.

11. Taxonomical Classification
• Purely Botanical classification
• Crude drugs from plants are classified into Phylum,
Order, Family, Genus and Species.
• Animal drugs classified as fishes, arthropods, mammals
etc.,

12. Disadvantages
• It cannot differentiate organized and unorganized drugs.
• In most of the cases only plant part or product is used so
it is of no significance from the point of view of
identification.

13. Illustration of Taxonomical Classification
Phylum Order Family________
Gymnosperms Gnetales Ephedraceae
Angiosperms Canaveral's Papaveraceae
Dicotyledons Rhamnales Rhamnaceae
Angiosperms Lilifore Liliaceae

14. Chemotaxonomical Classification
• The chemical examination of several plants Phytochemical
evaluation have established that there is
• Close link between their Chemical constituents and
taxonomical status.
Ex. Solanaceae family contains Tropane alkaloids
Umbelliferae family contains Volatile oil
Pinaceae family contains Oleo-resin

15. Morphological Classification
In this system the crude drugs are classified according to their
morphological characters like leaves, barks, seeds, fruits,
roots, flowers etc.,
Advantages:
• Most convenient for practical purpose.
• Useful in identification of adulterants.

16. Morphological Classification
Disadvantages:
• It is difficult to classify unorganized drugs.
• Chemical composition and pharmacological behaviour of
drugs cannot be characterized by this system.
• Processing of drugs like collection, drying and preparation
for market may change their original characters making
recognition quite difficult.

17. Illustration of Morphological Classification
Part of plant Drugs___________________
Leaves Vasaka, Digitalis, Senna, Coca,
Datura, Eucalyptus
Barks Cinnamon, Cinchona, Cascara
Ashoka, Arjuna
Flowers Clove, Pyrethrum, Artemisia
Seeds Linseed, Mustard
Isapgol, Nux-vomica

18. Fruits Dill, coriander, Bael
Colocynth, Gokhru
Roots Ipecacuanha,
Rauwolfia, Aconite,
Gentian
Rhizomes Rhubarb, Male fern
Turmeric, Ginger
Morphological Classification

19. Bulbs Scilla Garlic
Corns Colchicum
Entire plants Ephedra ,Chirata
Ergot , Belladonna Herb
Morphological Classification

20. Woods Quassia
Sandalwood
Hairs & Fibres Cotton
Jute
Hemp
Morphological Classification

21. Unorganised Drugs
Dried latex Opium
Dried juice Aloe
Dried extracts Agar, Catechu, Gelatin
Gums Tragacanth, Acacia, Guar gum

22. Unorganised Drugs
Resins and Resin combinations
Colophony
Benzoin
Asafoetida
Basam of Tolu
Myrrh

23. Fixed oils Castor oil, Arachis oil
Chaulmoogra oil
Fats Lard
Waxes Wool Fat
Bees Wax
Unorganised Drugs

24. Chemical Classification
• All plants and animals biosynthesize various chemical
compounds like carbohydrates, proteins, fats etc.,
• In addition to these essential chemicals living organisms
produce several other chemicals and these chemical
constituents possess pharmacological activity.

25. Advantages
This classification gives logical reasoning to
- biological activities of crude drugs
- which are due to chemical constituents.

26. Disadvantages
• Drugs which contains two or more types of chemical
constituents cannot get appropriate placement by this
system.

27. Illustration of Chemical Classification
Type of Components Examples
Carbohydrates
Gums Acacia, Guar gum
Mucilages Ispagol
Others Starch, Agar, Honey
Cotton, Pectin

28. Glycosides
Anthroquinone Aloe
Cascara
Senna
Rhubarb

29. Cardiac glycosides Digitals
Squill
Strophanthus.
Saponin glycosides Dioscorea
Liquorice
Quillaia

30. Cyanogenetic Wild cherry
Bitter almond
Isothiocyanate Mustard
Gentian

31. Tannins Polyphenolic glycosides
Ashoka, Amla
Catechu, Myrobalan
Volatile Oils Caraway
Cardamom,
Coriander, Dill, Fennel
Clove, Nutmeg
Eucalyptus,
Lemon grass.

32. Lipids
Fixed Oils Castor oil
Arachis Oil
Sesame oil
Fats Lanolin
Wool fat
Theobroma
Waxes Beeswax
Spermaceti

33. Resins and Resin combinations
Resins Colophony
Glycosidal resin Podophyllum
Jalap
Kaladana
Oleo – resins Capsicum
Ginger
Oleo-gum resins Asafoetida
Guggul
Balsams Tolu balsam
Benzoin, storax

34. Alkaloids
Pyridine & Piperidine Tobacco
Tropane Belladonna, Datura
Hyoscyamus, Coca
Purines Tea, Coffee
Steroidal Kurchi
Diterpenoid Aconite
Phenanthrene Opium

35. Indole Ergot, Nux- vomica
Rauwolfia
Quinoline Cinchona
Isoquinoline Opium, Ipecacuanha
Amines Ephedra
Alkaloids

36. Proteins Gelatin, Yeast
Vitamins Yeast, Cod liver oil
Shark liver oil, Amla
Triterpenes Colocynth, Rasna

37. Pharmacological Classification
• In this system drugs are grouped together
according to the therapeutic activity of their main
chemical constituents.

38. Advantages
• Even if chemical constituents are not known
Drugs can be grouped according to therapeutic utility.

39. Disadvantages
• Same drug having different actions, may be included
in more than one category.

40. Illustration of Pharmacological Classification
Pharmacological Action:
• Anticancer Vinca
• Anti Spasmodic Datura, belladonna
• Anti asthamatics Ephedra
• Anthelmintic Kurchi
• Anti amoebic Ipecac
• Astringents Catechu
• Anti diabetic Gymnema

41. Cardio tonics Digitalis, squill
Carminatives Cinnamon, clove, fennel
Expectorant Vasaka
Laxatives Senna, Aloes
Mydriatic Datura
Oxytocic Ergot

42. Summary
In this class we learnt about
• Alphabetical classification
• Taxonomical Classification
• Morphological classification
• Chemical classification
• Pharmacological classification of crude drugs

43. Quiz
• The classification method useful for practical purpose in
Pharmacognosy
a) Taxonomical
b) Pharmacological
c) Morphological
d) Chemical

44. Questions
1. Describe various systems of classification of crude drugs.
Give the merits and demerits. (April 2006)
2. Give an account of the different methods of classification
of drugs giving their merits and demerits. (April 2005)
3. How the crude drugs are evaluated by organoleptic
characters physical methods and biological methods.
(April 2004)
4. Define the term crude drug. Mention the various drugs
obtained from animals. (September 2002)