Sources of drug in pharmacology

1. Prepared by
Ms. Nisha S. Mhaske
M.Pharm (Q.A.T)
Lecturer, PRES’s COPD, Chincholi.
Email : nisha.mhaske@pravara.in

2. What is Drug?????
Drug is derived
from French word
‘Drogue’ meaning
Dry Herb.
Drug is defined as
any substance used
for diagnosis,
prevention &
treatment of
disease.

3. Classification of
drugs
As per source of drugs As per nature of drugs
Plants Alkaloids
Animals Glycosides
Minerals Oils- Volatile oil, Fixed oil
Micro-organism Tannins
Semi-synthetic Gums
Synthetic Resins
Antibiotic
Hormones

4.  Plants
 Eg- Morphine, digoxin, reserpine, vinblastin
 Digitalis- Digoxin- cardiac glycoside
 Poppy capsule- Opium- Narcotic
 Cinchona Bark-Quinine- Antimalarial.
 Animals
 Liver, endocrine glands & secretary organs of animals are used
to extract active constituent.
 Eg- Liver extract, Insulin,
 Thyroid extract- thyroxine.
 Heparin-obtained from cow lungs, pig intestine - used as anti
coagulant (Blood Thinner)
 Heparin- occurring in mixture of Mucopolysaccharide i.e.
Present in the human body in tissues of the liver & lungs.
As per Source of Drugs

5. Minerals
 It comprises of metal & non-metal with their
salts, mineral acids etc.
 Eg- Iron, zinc, aluminum, mercury, liquid
paraffin, magnesium sulphate, kaolin.
Micro-organisms
 The substance isolated from micro-organism
are used in high dilution to kill or prevent
growth of other microorganisms are called
antibiotics.
 Eg- penicillins, tetracycline, streptomycin.

6.  Semi-synthetic
 The substance obtained by chemical
modification of the naturally occurring
compounds.
 Eg- Homatropine From atropine
 Heroin from morphine
 Methyl scopolamine bromide from scopolamine
 Synthetic
 These are synthesized by chemical processes.
 Eg-Aspirin, sulphonamide, corticosteroids.

7. As per nature of drugs
 The drugs from plant origin contain
pharmacologically active constituents such as
follows:-
 Alkaloids
 These are basic nitrogenous compound.
 Conatin C,H,O & N. also some alkaloid may
contain S & P.
 Eg- Quinoline---Quinine, quinidine
 Isoquinoline---Papaverine, emetine
 Indole---Reserpine, eserine
 Imidazole---Pilocarpine

8.  Glycosides
 Thses are having organic nature
 Conatins C,H,O & some having S & N sugar
moiety.
 Eg-Digoxin, Strophanthin.
Glycoside Aglycone + Sugar moiety
 Aglycone (Genin)- non-carbohydrate residue-
pharmacologically active ingredient
 Sugar Moiety- increase penetrations & duration
of action.
Hydrolysis

9. Oils
Volatile oils Fixed oils
Imparts as aroma to a plant
and are volatilized by heat.
Which remains solid at
ordinary temperature
They evaporate and leave
no greasy stain
Eg-Olive oil, castor oil,
cod-liver oill, peanut oil.
Flavoring agent
Eg- clove oil, eucalyptus
oil, turpentine oil (Pine
wood-Devdar)

10.  Tannins
 These are non-nitrogenous plant constituents
 These are having an astringent action.
 Eg- Catechol- occur in catechu & eucalyptus (used to
treat burns & diarrhea)
 Gums
 These are chemically polysaccharides which on
hydrolysis converts into simple sugar.
 Eg- agar, acacia, tragacanth.
Gums Simple Sugar.
Hydrolysi
s

11.  Resins
 Found in plants
 Produced by oxidation and polymerization of volatile oils.
 Eg- podophyllum resins (irritant purgatives action)
 Antibiotic
 These are the chemical substances produced by various
species of micro-organisms, having the property of
inhibiting the growth or destroying the micro-organisms in
high dilution.
Bactericidal Bacteriostatic
Kill the growth of micro-
organism
Stop the growth of micro-
organism

12.  Hormones
 They are specialized chemicals generally
derived from animals, endocrine glands.
 Eg- insulin- polypeptide nature produced by
Beta cells (β cells) islets of langerhans-
Pancreas. Used to reduced elevated blood
sugar level.
 Sex hormones, corticosteroids- steroids.