Classification of Crude Drugs

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

 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
 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

 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

 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
 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.

 Disadvantages

Classification system does not help in

• Differentiating drugs of

Plant, animal or mineral sources.

• Organized and unorganized drugs cannot be

differentiated.
 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.,
 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.
 Illustration of Taxonomical Classification

Phylum Order Family________

Gymnosperms Gnetales Ephedraceae

Angiosperms Canaveral's Papaveraceae

Dicotyledons Rhamnales Rhamnaceae

Angiosperms Lilifore Liliaceae

 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

 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.

 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.
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
 Morphological Classification

Fruits Dill, coriander, Bael

Colocynth, Gokhru

Roots Ipecacuanha,

Rauwolfia, Aconite,

Gentian

Rhizomes Rhubarb, Male fern

Turmeric, Ginger
 Morphological Classification

Bulbs Scilla Garlic

Corns Colchicum

Entire plants Ephedra ,Chirata

Ergot , Belladonna Herb

 Morphological Classification

Woods Quassia

Sandalwood

Hairs & Fibres Cotton

Jute

Hemp
 Unorganised Drugs

Dried latex Opium

Dried juice Aloe

Dried extracts Agar, Catechu, Gelatin

Gums Tragacanth, Acacia, Guar gum

 Unorganised Drugs

Resins and Resin combinations

Colophony

Benzoin

Asafoetida

Basam of Tolu

Myrrh
 Unorganised Drugs

Fixed oils Castor oil, Arachis oil

Chaulmoogra oil

Fats Lard

Waxes Wool Fat

Bees Wax
 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.

 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.
 Illustration of Chemical Classification

Type of Components Examples

Carbohydrates

Gums Acacia, Guar gum

Mucilages Ispagol

Others Starch, Agar, Honey

Cotton, Pectin
 Glycosides

Anthroquinone Aloe

Cascara

Senna

Rhubarb
Cardiac glycosides Digitals

Squill

Strophanthus.

Saponin glycosides Dioscorea

Liquorice

Quillaia
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.
Lipids

Fixed Oils Castor oil

Arachis Oil

Sesame oil

Fats Lanolin

Wool fat

Theobroma

Waxes Beeswax

Spermaceti
 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
 Alkaloids

Pyridine & Piperidine Tobacco

Tropane Belladonna, Datura

Hyoscyamus, Coca

Purines Tea, Coffee

Steroidal Kurchi

Diterpenoid Aconite

Phenanthrene Opium
 Alkaloids

Indole Ergot, Nux- vomica

Rauwolfia

Quinoline Cinchona

Isoquinoline Opium, Ipecacuanha

Amines Ephedra
Proteins Gelatin, Yeast

Vitamins Yeast, Cod liver oil

Shark liver oil, Amla

Triterpenes Colocynth, Rasna

 Pharmacological Classification

• In this system drugs are grouped together

according to the therapeutic activity of their main

chemical constituents.
 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.

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

Cardio tonics Digitalis, squill

Carminatives Cinnamon, clove, fennel

Expectorant Vasaka

Laxatives Senna, Aloes

Mydriatic Datura

Oxytocic Ergot
 Summary
In this class we learnt about

• Alphabetical classification

• Taxonomical Classification

• Morphological classification

• Chemical classification

• Pharmacological classification of crude drugs

 Quiz

• The classification method useful for practical purpose in

Pharmacognosy
a) Taxonomical

b) Pharmacological

c) Morphological

d) Chemical
 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)