Classification Of Crude Drugs Alphabetical classification Taxonomical Classification Morphological classification Chemical classification Pharmacological classification of Crude Drugs Share tio Friends

1. Classification of
Crude Drugs
IN PHARMACONASY

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

6. 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

7. 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.

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

9. 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.,

10. 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.

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

12. 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

13. 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.
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.

14. 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

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

16. Morphological Classification
Corns Colchicum
Entire plants Ephedra ,Chirata Ergot , Belladonna Herb
Woods Quassia ,Sandalwood
Hairs & Fibres Cotton ,Jute ,Hemp

17. Unorganised Drugs
Dried latex Opium
Dried juice Aloe
Dried extracts Agar, Catechu, Gelatin
Gums Tragacanth, Acacia, Guar gum
Resins and Resin combinations
Colophony , Benzoin,Asafoetida , Basam of Tolu, Myrrh

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

19. 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.

20. Advantages & Disadvantages
 Advantages
This classification gives logical reasoning to
- biological activities of crude drugs
- which are due to chemical constituents.
 Disadvantages
• Drugs which contains two or more types of chemical constituents cannot get
appropriate placement by this system.

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

22. Glycosides
Anthroquinone Aloe,Cascara,Senna ,Rhubarb
Cardiac glycosides Digitals ,Squill ,Strophanthus.
Saponin glycosides Dioscorea , Liquorice ,Quillaia

23. Glycosides
Cyanogenetic Wild cherry ,Bitter almond
Isothiocyanate Mustard ,Gentian
Tannins Polyphenolic glycosides, Ashoka, Amla
Catechu, Myrobalan
Volatile Oils Caraway Cardamom, Coriander, Dill, Fennel
Clove, Nutmeg Eucalyptus, Lemon grass.

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

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

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

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

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

29. Advantages & Disadvantages
 Advantages
Even if chemical constituents are not known Drugs can be grouped according
to therapeutic utility.
 Disadvantages
Same drug having different actions, may be included in more than one
category.

30. 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

31. Pharmacological Action:
Cardio tonics Digitalis, squill
Carminatives Cinnamon, clove, fennel
Expectorant Vasaka
Laxatives Senna, Aloes
Mydriatic Datura
Oxytocic Ergot

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