sources of drugs

1. SOURCES OF DRUGS

2. SOURCES OF DRUGS
1) NATURAL
a) Plants
Oldest source of drugs used empirically
Leaves, seeds, flowers, roots, bark etc
Problems:
Identification of plant
Climatic and social conditions of area
Season of collection
Condition of storage
cont.

3.  Standardization of active principle
 Purity of active ingredient
 Maintenance of supply line
 Active principle is synthesized after
detection
e.g. morphine, codeine, digitalis, quinine,
atropine, reserpine and pilocarpine

4. VARIOUS FORMS OF PLANT DRUG
 Extract, infusions, decoction,
powders etc
 Chemicals (alkaloids, glycosides, oil,
resins, tannins, gums etc.) isolated from
different forms are used for humans
and animals, c/d active principles

5. b) Animals
 Modern drugs
 Active principles are proteins, oil and
fats, enzymes and hormones
 e.g. gonadotropins, heparin, insulin,
thyroid extract and enzymes

6. c) Microorganisms
 Antibiotics derived = fungi and
bacteria after discovery of penicillin
in 1928 and its use in 1940
 Use for infective diseases
 E.g. penicillin, streptomycin,
tetracycline, chloramphenicol and
erythromycin

7. d) Minerals
 Metals, metalloids, non-metal subs.
and their compounds
 E.g. iron, calcium, magnesium,
aluminium, sodium, potassium,
sulphur, lithium etc

8. 2) SEMI-SYNTHETIC
 Complex molecules
 Expensive and for impure natural
compound
 E.g. 6-aminopencillanic acid
(fungus), semi-synthetic human
insulin (pork insulin)

9. 4) SYNTHETIC
 Pharmaceutical laboratory
 Organic or inorganic or combination
of organic and inorganic compounds
 >90% drugs
 E.g. older drug; chloroform, ether,
nitrous oxide, chloral hydrate
 Antipyretics, sulphonamides,
antihistamines, anticonvulsants, anti
anxiety etc

10. RECOMBINANT DNA TECHNOLOGY
 Human insulin human proinsulin
gene cDNA E.coli treat proinsulin
to form insulin
 Growth hormone, tissue plasminogen
activator, vaccines, interferon,
erythropoitins, G-colony stimulating
factor