classification of drugs from natural origin alphabetical, morphological, pharmacological, chemical, taxonomical, chemotaxonomical, serotaxonomical classifications are included in the presentation

1. CLASSIFICATION OF
DRUGS

2. Introduction
IN ORDER TO FOLLOW THE STUDY OF THE
INDIVIDUAL DRUGS, ONE MUST ADOPT SOME
PARTICULAR SEQUENCE OF ARRANGEMENT, AND
THIS REFERRED TO A SYSTEM OF CLASSIFICATION
OF DRUGS.
A METHOD OF CLASSIFICATION SHOULD BE :
1. SIMPLE
2. EASY TO USE
3. FREE FROM CONFUSING

3. Overview
BECAUSE OF WIDE DISTRIBUTION, EACH CLASSIFICATION HAS
ITS OWN MERITS AND DEMERITS.
1. ALPHABETICAL CLASSIFICATION
2. MORPHOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION
3. CHEMIICAL CLASSIFICATION
4. PHARMACOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION
5. TAXONOMICAL CLASSIFICATION
6. CHEMOTAXONOMICAL CLASSIFICATION
7. SEROTAXONOMICAL CLASSIFICATION

4. ALPHABETICAL
CLASSIFICATION
• Alphabetical classification is the simplest
way of classification of any disconnected
items.
• Crude drugs are arranged in alphabetical
order of their Latin and English names
(common names) or sometimes local
language names (vernacular names)
Amla
Brahmi
Coriander
Datura
Ergot
Fennel
Fenugreek
Ginger
Gokhru
Henna
Isabgol
Jalap
Kantakari
Liquorice
Mentha
Nux vomica
Opium
Piper
Psoralea
Quassia
Rauwolfia
Sankhpushpi
Senna
Tragacanth
Uncaria
Vasaka
Vinca
Withania
Xanthan gum
Yam
Yohimbine
Zoranol

5. Indian pharmacopoeia
Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India
British pharmacopoeia
British herbal pharmacopoeia
European pharmacopoeia
United states pharmacopoeia and National
Formulary
Some pharmacopoeias and reference
books which classify crude drugs
according to alphabetical systems are as
follows :

6. • Scientific nature of the drug cannot be
identified by this method, whether they
are organized or unorganized drug.
• This system does not help in
distinguishing the drugs of plant,
animal and mineral source. (Original
source is not clear)
Advantages Disadvantages
• It is simple method, in this system
location, tracing and addition of the
drug is easy.
• This method provides quick reference
search of the crude drug.

7. 2. MORPHOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION
 Here the crude drugs are arranged (Grouped) according to the part of the plant or
animal represented into organized (Cellular) drugs and unorganized ( Acellular ) drugs.
 Organized : Drugs are the direct parts of the plant and having cellular structure.
 Examples of Organized drugs
֍ Entire: Shankhpushpi, Brahmi, Punarnava, Neem, Giloy
֍ Leaf: Vasaka, Digitalis, Mint
֍ Fruit: Fennel, Coriander, Amla, Capsicum
֍ Flower: Dhatakipushpa
֍ Root: Rauwolfia, Ashwagandha
֍ Seed: Mustard, Almond, Methi, Linseed
֍ Rhizome: Turmeric, Ginger
֍ Wood : Sandalwood, Red Sandalwood
֍ Bark : Cinnamon bark, Willow Bark, Arjuna Bark, Ashoka Bark

8. UNORGANIZED DRUGS
 Drugs are the products of plant, animal and mineral sources like- dried latex, dried
juice, dried extracts, gums, resins, fixed oils and fats, waxes, volatile oil, animal
products, minerals (Solids, liquids, semi solids etc.)
 Latex: Opium
 Juice: Aloe, Amla, Giloy
 Gums: Acacia, Tragacanth
 Extract: Black Catechu, Pale Catechu
 Resin : Asafoetida, Guggul
 Wax : Bees wax
 Volatile oil : Cinnamon oil, Tea tree oil

9. Difference between organized and
unorganized drugs :
Organized drugs Unorganized drugs
Part of plants or animals Obtained from parts of plants
Well defined structure Not well defined structure
Solid in nature It can be solid, semisolid or liquid in
nature
Morphology and microscopic study
can be perform for evaluation
Microscopy can not be performed,
instead chemical tests can be
performed
Examples : Leaves – Senna, Mint
Bark – Cinchona, Cinnamon
Gum – Acacia, Tragacanth
Dried juices - Aloe

10. Advantages
 This system of classification is
more convenient for practical
study especially when the
chemical nature of the drug is
not clearly understood.
 This type of classification is very
useful in identifying the
adulterants used.
Disadvantages
 It does not give an idea
about chemical constituents
and therapeutic uses of
drug.
 During collection, drying
and packing morphology of
the drug changes ,then they
are difficult to study

11. CHEMICAL CLASSIFICATION
 Crude drugs are divided into different groups according to the
chemical nature of their most important constituent present in
the drug to which the pharmacological/therapeutic activity of
drug is attributed.
 Alkaloids - Datura, Vasaka, Vinca, Lobelia, Tea
 Glycosides - Cascara, Senna, Digitalis, Aritha, Liquorice, Aloe
 Tannins - Catechu, Myrobalan, Ashoka, Amla,
 Volatile oil - Clove, Eucalyptus, Cinnamon, Fennel, Cumin, Tulsi,
Ajowan
 Lipids - Castor oil, Beeswax, Arachis oil, Almond oil, Cocoa butter
 Carbohydrates and derived products - Acacia, Agar, Honey,
Tragacanth, Starch,
 Gum and Resins -Colophony, Asafoetida, Cannabis, Ginger,
Turmeric, Guggul, Acacia, Tragacanth
 Proteins and enzymes - Gelatin, Papain, Collagen, Casein

12. Advantages Disadvantages
• known chemical
constituents are easy
to study the drug.
• popular approach for
phytochemical study
• This type of classification makes
no proper placement of drugs
containing two different types of
chemicals. E.g.: Certain drugs
are found to contain alkaloids
and glycosides (Cinchona),
Fixed oil and volatile oil
(Nutmeg) of equal importance
together and hence it is difficult
to categorize them properly

13. 4. PHARMACOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION
• Here, the crude drugs are grouped according to pharmacological
activity of their main active constituent or therapeutic uses.
• This system of classification involves the grouping of crude
drugs according to the pharmacological activity of their active
constituents or their therapeutic uses, regardless of their
morphology, taxonomical status, or chemical relationships.
• The drugs differing in mechanism of action but having same
pharmacological effects are also grouped together, e.g. bulk
purgatives, irritant purgatives, emollient purgative

14. 1. Antidiabetic drugs : Methi seeds, Gymnema leaf, Bitter gourd
2. Antihypertensive drugs : Rauwolfia
3. Anti-inflammatory drugs : Boswellia gum resin, Guggul,
Wintergreen oil, Eucalyptus leaf, Menthol, Capsicum
4. CNS stimulants : Coffee, Tea, Cocoa
5. Cardio tonics : Digitalis leaf, Squill
6. Anti-malarial drugs : Cinchona bark, Artemisia
7. Anti-cancer (antitumor) drugs : Vinca, Taxus, Curcumin
8. Immunomodulatory agents : Ginseng,
Ashwagandha(Withania), Giloy(Galo), Punarnava, Aloe, Tulsi
9. Purgative drugs : Cumin seeds, Fennel, Mentha, Senna

15. The special advantage is that
if even chemical constituents
of the crude drugs are not
known they can be classified
properly on the basis of
therapeutic or
pharmacological effect
Advantages : Disadvantages :
Many herbal drugs possesses
more that one pharmacological
activity, in that case it’s difficult
to classify one single drug into
category.
Example : leaves of neem used
in skin disorders
Fruits in diabetes
Oil as anti-bacterial

16. 5. TAXONOMICAL CLASSIFICATION
In this classification the crude drugs are classified according to
kingdom, subkingdom, division, class, order, family, genus and species
as follows :
Example of Nuxvomica ( Strychnos nuxvomica)
Kingdom – Plantae
Subkingdom - Tracheophytes
Division - Angiosperm
Class – Dicotyledon
Order – Gentiales
Family – Loganiaceae
Genus – Strychnos
Species - Nuxvomica

17. • It will provide proper idea about species and varieties of the organism.
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
This system does not correlate in between the chemical constituents and
biological activity of the drugs.

18. 6. CHEMO TAXONOMICAL
CLASSIFICATION
• This system of classification relies on the chemical similarity of a
taxon, i.e. it is based on the existence of relationship between
constituents in various plants.
• There are certain types of chemical constituents that characterize
certain classes of plants.
• E.g. : Tropane alkaloids generally occur in most of the members of
Solanaceae family. (Datura, Withania, Belladonna, Tobacco, Duboisia)
• E.g. : Volatile oils occur in the members of Umbelliferae (Fennel, Cumin,
Dill, Caraway, Coriander, Anise)

19. 7. SEROTAXONOMICAL
CLASSIFICATION
• The serotaxonomy can be explained as the study about the application or
the utility of serology in solving the taxonomical problems.
• Serology can be defined as the study of the antigen–antibody reaction.
• Antigens are those substances which can stimulate the formation of the
antibody.
• Antibodies are highly specific protein molecule produced by plasma cells
in the immune system.
• Protein are carriers of the taxonomical information and commonly used as
antigen in serotaxonomy.
• When foreign cells or particles (antigens) are introduced into an organism,
antibodies are produced in the blood (antiserum).

20. • The classification is based on similar plants by means of
differences in the proteins they contain.
• It expresses the similarities and the dissimilarities among
different taxa, and these data are helpful in taxonomy.
• It determines the degree of similarity between species, genera,
family, etc., by comparing the reaction with antigens from various
plant taxa with antibodies present against a given taxon.
• Serology helps in comparing nonmorphological characteristics,
which helps in the taxonomical data.
• This technique also helps in the comparison of single proteins
from different plants.