Classification of

Crude Drugs
IN PHARMACONASY
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.

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

Bulbs Scilla Garlic

Morphological Classification

Corns Colchicum

Entire plants Ephedra ,Chirata Ergot , Belladonna Herb

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

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 & 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.

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

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.
Lipids

Fixed Oils Castor oil

Arachis Oil

Sesame oil

Fats Lanolin

Wool fat

Theobroma

Waxes Beeswax

Spermaceti
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
Alkaloids

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 & 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.
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

Pharmacological Action:

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