ALKALOIDS

Alkaloids are basic nitrogenous organic compounds

of plant origin, shows marked physiological action
when administered internally.

OR

These are organic products of natural or synthetic

origin, which are basic in nature & contain one or
more nitrogen atom, normally of heterocyclic nature
& possess specific physiological action on human or
animals.
CLASSIFICATION OF ALKALOID
Alkaloid Examples

• Tropane Alkaloid Datura , cocca

• Quinoline Alkaloid Cinchona
• Isoquinoline Alkaloid Opium , ipecac
• Indole alkaloids Nux-vomica ,vinca
• Phenanthrine Alkaloid Opium
• Purine Alkaloid Coffee
• Pyrone Alkaloid Tobacco
• Pyridine Alkaloid Castor seeds
• Imidazole Alkaloid Pilocarpus
• Steroidal Alkaloid Kurchi
• Terpenoidal Alkaloid Aconite

• Alkaloidal amine Ephedra

 IDENTIFICATION TEST OF ALKALOIDS

1) Mayer’s reagent (Potassium mercuric iodide solution)

Cream or pale yellow precipitate.

2) Dragendorff’s reagent (Potassium bismuth iodide solution

Brown or reddish-brown colour or precipitate .

3) Wagner’s reagent (iodine and Potassium iodide solution)

Brown or reddish-brown colour or precipitate .

4) Hager’s reagent (saturated sol. Of picric acid)

 FUNCTIONS Of ALKALOIDS
I) Protective agent and discourage animal or insect attacks

II) Plant stimulants or regulators in physiological activities,

such as growth , reproduction and metabolism.

III) Detoxicating agents.

IV) Reservoirs
 VOLATILE Oil
Volatile oils are Odorous and Colourless principles of plants and
animal sources these are evaporated when exposed to air.

CHEMICAL TEST FOR VOLATILE OILS

1) To the thin section of the drug add alcoholic solution of

Sudan red III Red colour obtained by globules indicate
the presence of volatile oil.

2) To the thin section of the drug add a drop of tincture

alkana Red colour indicate the presence of volatile oil.
 Methods of isolation of Volatile oil.
1) DISTILLATION
Most of the oils are obtained by distillation which are of following 3 types
1.Water distillation -is mostly applicable to such plant material, which is
dried initially in air .
e.g Turpentine oil

2.WATER and steam distiilation

It is suitable for such plant material whether fresh or dried the constituents
of which undergo degradation by direct boiling
e .g Clove oil

3.Direct steam distillation

it is invariably applicable to fresh drugs that is loaded with sufficient natural
moisture and hence no maceration is required
e.g. Peppermint oil.
B)Solvent Extraction
Extraction is done by using some organic solvents like ether, benzene,
petroleum etc.

C) Ecuelle Method
In this method the oil cells of the citrus fruits are ruptured mechanically
using pointed projections and thus citrus oil is extracted.

D) Enfleurage Method
it is used in the extraction of delicate perfumes. The fresh flower petals are
spread on a fatty material. The spread petals are exhausted after sometime
as the fatty material absorbs the oil. These exhausted petals are replaced by
fresh petals and then the oil is collected from the fatty material.
 Classification of volatile oils
Volatile oils Examples

•Hydrocarbon volatile oils Black pepper,turpentine

•Alcohol volatile oils Peppermint,rose,cardamom

•Aldehyde volatile oils Lemon peel,orange peel

•Ester volatile oils Lavender,mustard

•Ketone volatile oils Caraway,camphor

•Oxide volatile oils Chenopodium,eucalyptus

•Phenolic-ether volatile oils Fennel , nutmeg

•Phenol volatile oils Clove, thyme

 Tannins
Definition-Tannins are the derivatives of polyhydroxy benzoic acid
capable of combining with protein and causing precipitation.
Chemical test for tannins
1.Gold Beater skin test:- A piece of gold beater skin, (intestine of ox) when treated
with 2%. HCL and washed with distilled water. It is placed in the solution of tannin for
5 mins.it is washed with distilled water and transfer to1% ferrous sulphate. A change
in colour of goldbeater’s skin to brown or black indicates the presence of tannin .

2. With 1% gelatin solution and 10%sodium chloride, tannins precipitates gelatin

3. Phenazone test: Take 5ml of aq solution of tannins. To it add 0.5 gm sodium acid
phosphate .warm the solution .cool and filter. add 2% phenazone solution ,a bulky,
colored ppt is obtained.

4.Match stick test: Dip the match stick in an extract of drug and moisten with conc
HCL and warm over a flame. Match stick turns pinkish purple.
5. With Ferric chloride solution ,hydrolysable tannins gives blue-black colour and
condensed tannins gives brownish –green colour
6. Vanillin- hydrochloric acid test: Tannins gives pink colour with vanillin hydrochloric
acid solution.
f) Define resin and resin combinations. Classify it with suitable examples.

Resin : Resins are amorphous mixture of essential oils, oxygenated product of terpenes and
carboxylic acid and found as an exudation from the trunk of trees.
Classification of resins:
1.Acid Resins- Acid is the main constituent of the resins.
e.g. Abiatic acid (colophony), Commiphoric Acid (Myrrh).
2.Ester Resins - Ester is the main constituent of the resins
e.g.Benzyl Benzoate (benzoin), Ethyl cinnamate(storax)
3.Resin Alcohol - The contents are the complex alcohols of high molecular weight.they are
either in free state or as esters.
e.g Peruresinotannol (peru balsam), Toluresinotannol(tolubalsam)

RESIN COMBINATION :Homogenous combinations of resins with other plant products

like volatile oil,gum etc. are known as. resin combinations .
Classification of resin combinations:
1.Oleo resin –(volatile oil + resin) e.g Ginger,capsicum etc
2.Oleo gum resin –( volatile oil + gum + resin) e.g. Asafoetida, Myrrh
3.Glycoresins (Sugar + resin) e.g jalap , ipomoea
4.Balsam-(Benzoic acid +cinnamic acid) e.g tolubalsam, peru balsam
Why saponin glycosides are not safe for intravenous
administration.

when Saponin glycosides are dissolved in water colloidal solutions are

formed.
The solutions of saponin glycosides are administered intravenously,
come in contact with blood,
they cause hemolysis. The hem
olysis is harmful for the health of a patient. So the saponin
glycosides are unsafe to be administered intravenously.
 Advantages of Taxonomical method of classification -
(i) The method can be used to classify drugs obtained from plants and animals.
(ii) The plants having common morphological features are classified under same
families and having distinguishing characteristics, can be studied at one time.
iii) It is a more scientific.
Disadvantages of Taxonomical method of classification -
(i) The method does not recognise organised and unorganised drugs.
(ii) Mineral drugs get excluded from this classification..
(iii) The method does not inform part of plant or animal used in medicine.
(iv) Does not give idea about the chemical constituents of drugs.

Bark-Barks are secondary external tissue lying outside the cambium in stems or roots of
dicotyledonous plants.
Methods of collection of barks-
(i) Felling method - The tree is cut at the base and the bark is peeled out. As the method
causes complete destruction of plant, it is not used now - a - days.
(ii) Uprooting method - In this method the roots of the plant are dug out of soil and the barks
are stripped off from roots and branches. Example - Collection of Cinchona barks in Java.
(iii) Coppicing method - In this method the stem of plant is cut at some height above the
soil.The stumps ,which remainin ground are allowed to send shoots,which develops further
independently yielding aerial parts.These new parts are cut off and bark is collected from
shoots.The method is economical and less time consuming so commonly used to collect the
stem barks. Example - Cinnamon bark
 Classification based on glycosidic linkages
1.‘O’ Glycoside: The sugar molecule is directly attached to oxygen atom
of aglycon.
e.g. Rhein(rhubarb)

2.‘C’ Glycoside: The sugar molecule is directly attached to carbon atom

of aglycon.
e.g. Barbaloin

3.‘N’ Glycoside: The sugar molecule is directly attached to nitrogen atom

of aglycon.
e.g. adenosine.they are absent in plants and present in nucleoside.
4.‘S’ Glycoside: The sugar molecule is directly attached to sulphur atom
of aglycon.
e.g. sinigrin
 Lipids
Definition: Lipids are the substances of animals or plant origin and
comprise of fixed oils, fats and waxes.

Properties of fixed oil

1. Fixed oils are thick, viscous yellow-coloured liquids with
characteristic odour.
2. They are non-volatile and cannot be distilled.
3. They do have food value and can be saponified.
4. They turn rancid on storage due to free acidity.
5. Chemically, they are glycerides of higher fatty acids (i.e. on hydrolysis
they yield glycerine and fatty acids, like stearic, palmitic, oleic etc.)
6. Physiologically they are emollients and demulcents.