CARBOHYDRATES 1

CARBOHYDRATES
Formally carbohydrates were defined as compounds of C,H and O in which H and O are
present in the same ratio as in water and expressed by formula (CH2O)n.

But later it was found that many compound which are not carbohydrates have general
formula (CH2O)n e.g. acetic acid (C2H4O2) and

There are some sugars like Rhamnose which is a sugar but has different formula (C6H12O5)
so carbohydrates were redefined as

Carbohydrates are polyhydrose aldehydes or ketones or compound that produce either of

these on hydrolysis.

Carbohydrates are the first compound synthesized by photosynthesis and converted into
other complex organic compounds by subsequent reaction in plants.

Carbohydrates are classified into

Monosaccharide:-
Monosaccharide is simple sugar which cannot be hydrolyzed further into simple sugar e.g.

 Bioses (containing of 2 carbon) but it does not occurs in free estate

 Trioses containing of 3 carbons.
 Tetroses with 4 carbons.
 Hexoses are the most important monosaccharide in plants D-fructose and D-
glucose are the only hexoses found in Free State in plant .Glucose is an aldo-
hexose and fructose is keto-hexose.
 Sedoheptulose is example of heptose (7 carbon)

Disaccharides:-
Disaccharides consisting of 2 monosaccharide unit e.g.

 Sucrose consisting of glucose and fructose

 Maltose consisting of 2 glucose unit
 Lactose consisting of glucose and galactose

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Sucrose (alpha-D-glucopyranoside beta-D-Fructofuranosyl) only disaccharide which only occur

in Free State in plant.

Trisaccharide:-
Trisaccharide consisting of 3 monosaccharide units e.g.
Raffinose consisting of glucose, fructose and glactose.

Tetrasaccharide:-
Tetrasaccharide consisting of 4 monosaccharide unit e.g.
Stachyose consisting of 2 units of glactose and 1 molecule of each glucose and fructose.

Polysaccharides:-
Polysaccharide yield in definite number of monosaccharide unit upon hydrolyses. They are
formed by the condensation of monosaccharide with the elimination of H2O molecule.
Polysaccharide consisting of pentoses is known as pentosans where as those consisting of
hexoses are called hexosans e.g.
Xylans is an example of pentosans whereas glucose is an example of hexosans.
Polysaccharides consisting of same monosaccharide’s unit is called homopolysaccharides
e.g. Starch consist of a-D glucose units linked to a-1-4 and a-1-6 linkages
Cellulose consisting of B-D-glucose units
Inulin is polymeric form of fructose units.

IMPORTANCE OF CARBOHYDRATES
 Carbohydrates are used as a source of energy e.g. We can metabolize glucose this
purpose through glycolysis other sugar which yield glucose upon hydrolysis like
sucrose, lactose and starch (polysaccharide) furnished provide glucose upon
hydrolysis and provide energy.
 Starch is storage form of energy in plants where as glycogen is storage form of
glucose in human being or animal.
 Hetastarch is form of starch containing large amounts of amylopectin is used as a
plant expender

 Carbohydrates are used as excipient in pharmaceutical industry e.g glucose and

liquid glucose and sucrose are used as sweetening agent for making syrups.
 Sucrose is also used for making sugar coated tablets.
 Starch is used as binder and disintigrent.
 Lactose is used as diluent
 CMC is used as thickening agent or suspending agent in suspensions
 Different derivatives of cellulose are used as coating agent
 Gums are used as tablet binder, suspending agent and emulsifying agent.
 Pectin is used as Antidiarrheal.
 Lactuloses is used to protect against hepatic encephalopathy by decreasing ammonia level in
case of hepatic failure

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 Mannitol (reduce form of mannose) is used as osmotic diuretic .it is used to decrease
intracranial pressure
 Mannitol and Sorbitol is used in parenteral
 Inulin is used for the diagnosis or evaluation of renal function

SUCROSE AND SUCROSE CONTAINING

Sucrose: -
Sucrose is disaccharide consisting of glucose and fructose.

Sucrose is obtain from sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum) and sugar beet (Beta vulgaris)
belonging to families Gramineae and Chenopodiaceae respectively

Production:-
Sugar cane is crushed between rollers and the juice so obtained is boiled with lime to
neutralize the acids present which otherwise can hydrolyze the sugar into invert sugar
(glucose fructose).

SO2 gas is passed to decolorize the sugar .The juice is concentrated and the sugar is crystallized
the dark syrup left after crystallization is known as MOLASES which is used to make ethanol, animal
food etc.

USES:-
 Sweetening agent
 Used in syrups
 It is demulcent and nutrient in high conc, it is bacteriostatic.
 It is also used to make sugar coated tablets.

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Lactose :-
Lactose (beta-1-4 linkage) is a milk sugar it is a reducing sugar containing glucose and glactose. It
is hydrolyzed by enzyme lactose .
Deficiency of which came milk tolerance (Diarrhea).This deficiency is treated by oral Lactose
supplement.

USES:-
 As a nutrient in infants formula
 As it is easily digested
 In pharmaceutical industry lactose is used as diluent for making tablets and capsules
 Lactulose is synthesized from lactose which is hydrolyzed into glactose and fructose
 Lactulose is not absorbed through intestine. It is used as laxative
 It is also used to decrease ammonia level in the blood
 The usual dose for this purpose is 20-30 g of lactulose syrup 3-4 times a day
 Dry spray used in industry

Dextrose
(Alpha-D-glucose)
Dextrose is alpha-D-glucopyranose (A-d-glucose) .Dextrose is naturally present in fruits like grapes.
Glucose is produced by acid hydrolysis of a starch under high pressure and temperature. 45 pound
pressure is usually applied .It is 99.5 to 100% pure.

USES:-
 Dextrose is used as nutrient and can be given orally and parentraly
 It is used as dextrose and dextrose and NaCl solution for rehydration electrolytic
replenishment and as a nutrient.
 It is also used in anti-coagulant like citrate solution which is used to preserve whole blood.

Liquid Glucose:-
Liquid glucose contains water, dextrin and maltose in addition to glucose
Production:-
Liquid glucose is usually produced by partial hydrolysis of corn starch .Corn starch is washed and
heated with HCL under 30 pounds of pressure. The acid is neutralized and the liquid is filtered
and evaporated to thick syrupy film.
Identification:-
It differs from sucrose as it reduces Fehling solution produce red precipitants of cuprous ions.

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USES:- *
 In pharmaceutical industry used as sweetening agent and to substitute sucrose in
syrups.
 Also used as tablet binder and coating agent.
 It’s hydroscopic and its hygroscopic and non-crystallizing property is very important
the quality of liquid preparations in pharm industry.
 Commercially it’s used jams, jelly, ice-cream confectionaries etc.

Calcium supplements:-
Calcium gluconate is a salt of calcium with gluconic acid .It is used as a calcium supplement. It is
more water soluble and less irritating then calcium chloride when given parentally usually the
dose is 1g 3 or more times a day or by intravenous infusion at 1-3 days interval.
Calcium gluconate injection is used in calcium deficiency.

Ferrous gluconate:-
Ferrous gluconate is an iron salt with gluconic acid. It is a hematinic acid.
Used to treat iron deficiency anemia.
It has good bioavailability and causes less gastric discomfort then inorganic salt of iron.
Dose 300mg thrice a day TID.

Fructose:-
B-D(-) fructofuranose or B-D(-)fructopyranose or laevulose . Fructose is ketone sugar naturally found
in fruits and honey also known as fruit sugar. Fructose occurs as sweet which crystalline or granular
odorless powder soluble n water

PRODUCTION:-
Produce by inversion of aqua solution of sucrose or by acid hydrolyses of INULIN.

USES
 Fructose is used to some extent as a food for diabetic people to prevent diabetic acidolysis
 Infant feeding formulas after contain fructose.
 It is used as fructose or fructose NACL injection as nutrient fluid and electrolytic replanisher
given intravenously or subcutaneously.

XYLOSE:-
Xylose is pentose sugar also known as wood sugar obtains by boiling corn cobs or straw with dilute
acid to hydrolyze xylan polymer. Xylose is sweet in taste .It is absorbed through intestine by not
metabolized in mammals and is excreted in the urine.

This forms the basis of its use the evaluation of intestinal absorption. The relative excretion in urine
indicates the state of intestinal mal observation eg. in case of crohn’s disease , ciliac disease,
pellagra, surgical resection or radiation antritus.

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Caramel:-
Caramel or burnt sugar coloring is a concentrated sole produced by heating sugar or glucose until
the sweet taste is destroy and a thick dark brown viscous liquid results by adding small quantity of
sodium carbonate or mineral acid during heating .Caramel is used in coloring pharmaceutical
products.

HONEY:- **
Honey is a sugar secretion deposited in honey comb by honey bees (Apis mellifera) and other
species of Appis belonging to family Apidae.

Preparation:-
The nectar of flowers is a watery solution containing 25% sucrose .The worker honeybees sucks the
nectar through its hollow tube called proboscis and deposits it in a sack located in its abdomen.

Nectar is converted into invert sugar by enzyme invertase present in the saliva of bees
**
This invert sugar is the deposited in honey comb during preparation honey bees are removed by
smoking the comb. Honey is obtained from the comb by applying pressure to it or it drains out
naturally.

Honey is then heated to 800C.

Impurities from the surface are skimmed of and water is added to dilute it to have density around
1.35 .Natural honey has the density of 1.47.

Heating honey prevent fermentation.it has specific rotation from +3 to -10

Chemical Constituent:-
Honey is an aqueous solution of glucose, fructose and sucrose and other constituent include cooling
mater formic acid, gum, maltose, dextrin, enzyme invertase etc.

During prolong storage crystallization may occur .Heating also decrease crystallization of glucose.
Artificial invert sugar used as adultant contain FURFURAL which can be detected by FIEHE’S test.It
produces red color with resorcinol in HCL.

USES:-
Honey is used as Demulcent and sweetening agent

 It is good nutrient supplement for infant

 It is antiseptic and apply on burns and woods
 Used in cough preparation.
 Commonly used in Lotion, creams soft drink etc.

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 Poly saccharides and Polysaccharides Drugs 7

Poly saccharides and Polysaccharides Drugs

Starch:-
Starch is a polymeric form of alpha-D-glucose. Starch is homo polysaccharide in which alpha-D-
glucose units are combined together through alpha-1,4 linkages and alpha 1,6-linkageat branch
point. Starch consist of two components

Amylose:-
In which a linear molecule consisting of 2500-300 glucose pyranose,linkage is
alpha1,4.bieng linear molecule it is more water soluble than amylopectin.

Amylopectin :-
It is a branch component. The linkage is alpha 1,4 except for branch point where the
linkage is alpha-1,6

Amylose gives blue color with iodine solution whereas amylopectin gives purple color with
iodine. Starch form colloidal solution in water. Upon heating starch granules swell and rupture
forming starch paste

Biological solution :-
Starch of pharmaceutical use is obtained from Zeamays, Triticum aestivum (Wheat), tubors of
potato (Solanum tuberosum ) or rice (Oryza sativa)
The corn grains are crushed after being soaked in 0.2% sulphorus acid at 500C for 2-3 days.
Embryos are separated to prepare oil and the milky liquid is filtered glutin is removed by
centrifugation. Starch is obtained after drying.

USES:-
 Starch-B used internally as astringent nutritive and demulcent.
 Used as antidote in iodine poisoning.
 In PH industry it is used as binder, disintigrent and diluent
 Also used in dusting powder and for the prep of glucose and dextrin.

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INULIN:-
Inulin is a polymeric form of B-D fructose units obtained from the bulb of Inula helenium
(dahlia) Family compocidae or roots of Dendilon (Taraxacum officinale)
Inulin is hygroscopic amorphous taste-less powder. It is excreted unchanged by mammalian
enzyme.

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENT:-
It is a polymer consisting of 35-50 fructofuranose units joint through 2,1 linkage.
The polymer has a terminal glucose unit

PREPRATION:-
 Bulbs of Inula are washed and crushed and boiled in water to dissolve inulin .The
solution is filtered to remove impurities .The solution is filtered to remove impurities. It
is then precipitated by adding water soluble organic solvent

Uses
 As a diagnostic agent to evaluate renal function
 Also used in the preparation of culture media of bacteria
 Used for the manufacture of fructose by the use of inulase enzyme
 Also used as an ingredient of diabetic bred

Dextrin:-
Dextrin is produced by incomplete hydrolysis of starch with dilute acid or by heating dry starch
There are two types of dextrin

White dextrin:-
This type of dextrin is produced by reacting starch with large quantity of acid for short
period of time at low temperature .It gives bluish color with iodine

Yellow dextrin:-
It is produced by heating starch with a small amount of acid at high temperature for
larger period of time.
USES:-
 Mainly used as tablet excipient
 In match sticks and explosive.

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Cellulose and Cellulose Derivative Drugs

Purified Cotton
Purified Cotton is the hair of the seed of Gossypium hirsutum (family: Malvaceae) which is sterile in
its final container. It is also known as absorbent cotton. Cotton plants produces capsules which open
when ripe, releasing seeds with white hairs.

These hairs are separated from the seeds. This process is known as ginning process. Impurities are
removed and hairs are defatted by weak alkali and bleached and washed with weak acid before
finally washing with water. Cotton is then dried and packed and sterilized in its final container.

Cotton hairs are unicellular, non-glandular, 2.5-4.5cm in length and 25-35 microns in diameter. It
consists of cellulose which is beta linked linear glucopyranosyl polymers. We cannot digest cellulose
due to Beta-Linkage as we do not have enzyme cellulase.

Uses:
 It is used as surgical dressing to absorb blood or pus. It provides mechanical protection
against bacteria.
 Cellulose is use in manufacture in many important derivatives.
 Used in different industry mainly in pharmaceutical industry and medicines.

Cellulose Derivatives
Powdered Cellulose
Powdered cellulose is prepared by mechanically disintegrating cellulose from fibrous plant material.
It is available in different particle size i.e. from free flowing to non-flowing powders

Uses:
 It is used as self-binding tablet diluent and disintegrating agent

Microcrystalline Cellulose
Also known as Avicel. It is purified partially depolymerized cellulose. It is available in different
particle size grades with different properties and application

Uses
 Used as tablet and capsule diluent
 It is used in both wet granulation and direct compression method of tablet manufacturing.
 It also as some lubricating and disintegrating properties which make it very useful in
tableting

Methyl Cellulose
Methyl cellulose is the methyl ether of cellulose in which 27-32% of hydroxyl groups are in the form
of methyl ether. It is produced by reacting cellulose with caustic soda and methylchloride

Uses
 Tablet coating agent, emulsifying agent, disintegrating agent, binder and viscosity increasing
agent

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Therapeutics uses
 Bulk forming laxative, usual dose is 1-1.5gms, 2-4 times a day.
 Also used as artificial tears or contact lens solution as protectant

Sodium Carboxy Methyl Cellulose

It is a sodium salt of poly carboxy methyl ether of cellulose. It is a hygroscopic powder.

Uses
 Suspending agent, thickening agent, tablet excipient (coating, binder, disintegrating etc.),
artificial tears, contact lens solution and bulk laxative

GUMS AND MUCILAGES***

Gums are translucent amorphous substances usually produced in higher plants as protective after
injury

Gums are natural hydrolytes which upon hydrolysis which upon hydrolysis produce arabinose,
galactose, mannose and xylose and uronic acid. It is difficult to differentiate between gums and
mucilage. Gums are pathologic product formed as a result of an injury to the plant.

Mucilage’s in contrast are normal metabolic products .Gums is discolored in water whereas
mucilage’s do not dissolve rather they form slimy masses in water .Gums are precipitated by
alcohols and led acetate.

SOURCES OF GUMS:-*****
1 Shrub or higher plants Acacia and tragacanth
2 Marine gums Agar ,Algin , Cara green etc.
3 Seed gums Psyllium husk ,guar-gum etc.
4 Plant extracts Pectin
5 Microbial flora Xanthan , Dextran etc.
6 Cellulose and starch derivatives Heta-starch, Methyl-cellulose etc.

Pharmaceutically Important Gums

Acacia gum :-
Acacia gum is a dried gumy exudate obtained from the stem and branches of Acacia senegal or
Acaria arabica or other species of Acacia belongs to family Leguminosae

Formation :-
Acacia tree up to six meter height .Gum is formed from cell contents by bacterial action.
It is not formed from cell wall.
Bark is removed in patches about 3 feet in length and 2-3 inches in breath exposing the
cambium underneath. Gums are found in the form of tears in 2-3 weeks. The average
annual yield per tree is from 900g to 2 kg.

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Composition :-
Acacia consist of Arabian which is a mixture of Calcium, Potaassium and Magnesium
salts of Arabic acid. Arabic acid is branched polysaccharide upon hydrolysis Arabic acid
yields Arabinose, Glactose, glucronic acid and raminose.
Acacia also contain water upto 12% and enzyme oxidases and pectinases.

Uses:-
Acacia is soluble in water and remains soluble in preparations containing Alcohol in
counteractions below 60%.
This property makes it better choice in comparison to tragacanth which is insoluble in
Alcohal preprations

It is used as
 Demulcent used in lozenges and cough preparation ,used as Antidiarrheal agent
 Emollient
 Suspending agent
 Emulsifying agent
 Emulsifying and thickening agent
 Tablet binder

Tragacanth:-*****
Tragacanth is dried gummy exudate obtain from the stem of Astragalus gummifer family
Leguminosae

Formation or gummosis:-
British pharmacopeia defines tragacanth as air hardened gummy exudate flowing
naturally or obtained by incerion from the trunk and branches of A. gummifer
When the 2 year old plant is injured the cell walls in pith and cambiums are transformed
into the gum. This is known as gummosis. The gum so formed absorbs moisture and
swells exerting pressure which forces the gum to the surface through the incision that
caused injury.
When exposed to air the gum is hardened. This gum is in the form of ribbons or flakes
.Gum obtains from 1 year old plant is of poor quality. Tragacanth is insoluble in Alcohols
and other organic solvent.

Characteristic of Tragacanth
Tragacanth gum is in the form of ribbon or flakes, white or yellow in color. It is odorless and
tasteless. Metamorphosis occurs only at night and the ribbon show transverse striation which show
the amount that exudes each night. The gum is more translucent or white if the drying time is
shorter. The best quality is the white gum whereas second and third grade gums are darker in color.
As compared to other hydrocolloids tragacanth is more resistant to acid and is preferred for use in
highly acidic conditions. It is more soluble in alcohols and other organic solvents.

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Chemical Constituents
Tragacanth gum consists of sugar and uronic acid upon hydrolysis tragacanth produces galactronic
acid, galactose, arabinose and xylose. Starch and proteins are also present.

Tragacanth gum consists of two components

Bassorin
It is water insoluble fraction. It swells in water forming a viscous solution. Bassorin consists
of methoxylated acid. It constitutes 70% of the total gum.

Tragacanthin
It is the water soluble fraction. It is actually demthoxylated Bassorin. It constitutes 30% of
the total gum.

Uses
 Suspending agent for insoluble powders in mixture
 As emulsifying agent for oils and resin
 As an adhesive
 As a demulcent and emollient in cosmetics

Agar
Agar is a hydrocolloid obtained from different algae like Gelidum Cartilagineum, G.confervoides and
other species of red algae.

Preparation
Algae are cultivated in the coast of Asia and America. The fresh seaweed is washed with running
water and extracted with steam heat digest with dilute acid followed by extraction with water for a
period of 30 hours. The aqueous extract is frozen into ice blocks. Water is removed in the form of ice
and agar is melted and filtered through vacuum filters.

Agar flakes are dried by dry air and reduce to fine powder form.

Physical properties
Agar occurs as thin membranous strips, flakes or granules. It is colorless to yellow in color. It is
odorless with mucilaginous taste. It is insoluble in cold water but when boiled, it forms gel upon
cooling.

Chemical Properties
Agar consist of two components

 Agarose
 Agaropectin

The structure is not fully determined but the primary carbohydrate components are
galactopyranosyl units. Upon hydrolysis agar produces sulphate ions besides galactose. Agarose has
low sulphate content as compared to agropectin. The gel strength of agar is due to agarose while the
viscosity is due to agropectin.

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Uses
 Laxative, suspending agent and emulsifying agent
 Chelating agent for suppositories
 Disintegrant agent
 As a nutrient medium for bacterial culture
 For electrophoresis of proteins

Sodium alginate:
Sodium alginate is the sodium salt of alginic acid. Alginic acid is polyuronic acid composed of beta-D-
mannuronic acid and alpha-L-gluronic acid (glucronic acid is C5 epimer of mannuronic acid)

Algin or Sodium alginate is extracted from brown see weed by the use of dilute alkali. It is chiefly
obtain from Macrocystis pyrifera family Lessoniaceae

Physical characteristics:- It is odorless, tasteless white to yellow amorphous powder .It is water
soluble forming colloidal solution. It is insoluble in alcohol ether and chloroform.

Uses:-
 Used as suspending agent.
 Food industry specially ice-cream and jelly
 Align fibers are used to make absorbable homeostatic dressing
 Used in preparation dental impression
 Used for micro-capsulation of different drug
 It is used as a chelators (soluble complex form with heavy metal) to remove radioactive
substances from the body such as Iodine 131 and strontium 90 which have taken place of
the non-radioactive counter parts.
 It is also used in immobilizing cells and enzymes

PECTIN
Pectin is purified carbohydrates obtain from dilute of citrus fruit from the inner portion of the rind of
citrus fruits and apple. Pectin is a coarse or free powder. It is odourless and tasteless ,soluble in
water ,insoluble in alcohol. Pectin is hydrophilic colloid containing of methoxylated ,polygalacturonic
acid

MOLECULAR WIEGHT:- 100,000 to 250,000

The jelling power and viscosity of pectin solution depends on the number of glucronic acid unit in
the molecule. Unlike commercial pectin, pharmaceutically pectin does not contain any sugar or
organic acid

PREPRATION:-
In fruits pectin is found in an insoluble form known as protopectin by heating the fruit with diluent
acid. This is known as digestion or solubilization. Pectin is obtain from its solution by preparation
with alcohol. It is then washed and dried

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USES :-
 Suspending agent, antidiarrheal
 Pectin due to colloidal nature binds with toxins with the toxins in the intestine.
 Also improves interstitial function
 Efficacy of pectin in GIT is largely due to its colloidal nature
 It is used in preparation of jams and marmalades.
 Also have hypocholesterolemic effect.

TANNINS
The term tannins was 1st used by Sanguin in 1796 to denote the substances which can be combine
with proteins of animal hides (skin) preventing their putrification and converting them into leather

Chemically Tannins are complex none nitrogenous polyphenol compounds which are difficult to
separate as they are non-crystalliazable.

Tannins are present in aerial parts of plant e.g. Leaves, fruit ,stem and bark. Tannins are commonly
found in immature fruits but disappear during ripening.

In plants tannins have protective role during growth and are deposited as end product in dead
tissues of the plant e.g. in heart wood or galls.

Tannins form acid alkaloidal solution .Tannins precipitate solution of alkaloid. Tannins produce dark
blue and greenish black compounds with ferric chloride. They produce red color with potassium
ferricyanide and ammonia. Tannins are also precipitated by lead acetate and copper salt. Tannins
combined and precipitate proteins. This protein tannin complex is resistant to protolytic enzymes.
This property is known as astringent action when applied to living tissue.

During healing process the precipitate protein layers acts as a barrier to infective bacteria and
underneath this layer new tissue is regenerative.

Precipitate by tannins is also utilized in the process of tanning that is conversion of hides into
leather.

Tannin containing drugs are used in the treatment of inflammation, burans, diarrhea , piles
gonnarhea etc.

It also used as antidote to alkaloids poisoning .Red colour complexes with iron salts area used in
making ink (red ink ).Tannin containing drug can cause cancer, if used for a long period of time e.g.
Catechu (Katha) causes oral or esophageal cancer in Indians.

Tannins present in tea can also cause cancer but the chances can be minimized by adding milk which
will precipitate the tannins. This is the reason why the Britishers who add milk to tea have lower
incidence of esophageal cancer the Dutch people who prefer tea without milk.

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CLASSIFICATION of Tannins
1. Condensed tannins
2. Hydrolysable tannin
3. Pseudo tannin
1. Condensed tannins :-
Condensed tannins are non-hydrolysable tannins also known as phlobatannins. They are
dried from flavones upon distillation they produce Catechol upon treating with mineral acids
they decomposed into red color Phlobaphenes. They produce green colour with ferric
chloride solution. E.g. acacia, cinchona, cinnamon
 Hyrolyzable tannins :-
Hyrolyzable tannins are hydrolyzed into sugars and phenolic
acids like Gallic acid (Gallo tannins or gallitannins) and ellagic acid (ellagi tannins). Upon dry
distillation gallic acid and ellagic acid are converted into pyrogallol.

a- Gallic acid

b- Pyrogallol

Gallic acid containing tannins are called Gallo tannins or galli tannins.

Example of drugs containing gallo tannins include rose, emblica (amla), galls , rhubab and
clove.
Tannins containing ellagic acids are called ellagi tannins. Ellagi tannins containing drug
include myrobalan (har har) pomegranate, eucalyptus etc.
Hydrolysable taanins produce blue/ black color with ferric choride solution.
 Pseudo tannins:-
Pseudo tannins are low molecular weight phenolic compound. They give positive test for
phenolic but negative Gold beater’s skin test (identification of true tannins)
Example include gallic acid ,catechin epicachuanic acid.
Example of drugs containing pseudo tannins includes Catechu and acacia.

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TANNINS CONTAINING DRUG

1. NUT-Galls :- nut galls are vegetable outgrowth formed on the twigs of Oak tree (Quercus
infectoria) family Fagaceae due to eggs of gall wasp (aldaria gallitinctoria)
The wasp lays eggs on the twigs after hatching larve enter the soft tissue of
epidermis and secretes enzymes which converts the starch into sugar which are
used for the growth of larvae and because of that cavity is formed causing abnormal
growth around the larva .These beads like swallon out growths are called nut galls
or galls
Mature insects escape the galls these galls contain high concentration of tannins .
Galls are calculated before the escape of insects.
Chemical constituents:- Gallo tannins, gallic acid, ellagic acid ,starch resin
Uses:- Estringent dying agent (textile industry) and for making ink
2. Hamamelis leaf:-
The drug consist of dried leaves of Hamamelis virgiana family Hamamelidaceae.The
plant is small tree upto 8 meters in high leaves are collected in summer dried in
shade to preserve the green color of leaves
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENT:- Tannins mainly Haemamelitannins .Gallic acid and
volatile oil
USES:- estringent and hemostatic
3. Catechu(katha)
 Pale catechu
Is the dried aquous extract of leaves and twigs of (Uncaria gambir) family Rubeacea
Prepration :-
Leaves are twigs of the plant are boiled in water ,decoction so
obtained is dried in cubes under the sun
Chm constituent:- Catechutannic acid, catechin, quercitin, isoquercitin
Uses:- Estringent diarrhea ,digestive ,tanning industry ,dying fabrics
 Black catechu
It is dried extract of heart wood of Accacia catechu family fabaceae
CHEMICAL constituent:- Catechu ,tannic acid ,Acacatechin, Corsitin
USES:- Estringent ,digestive, Diarrhea ,ulcer, tanning, pan masala

IDETIFICATION TEST USED FOR TANNINS

1. Gold beater’s skin Test :-

A small piece of a membrane of ox intestine (Gold beater’s skin) is
soaked in 2% Hcl and then rinsed with distilled water and placed in tannin containing
solution for 5 minutes.
It is again washed with water and placed in ferrous sulphate. Appearance of brown
black color indicates the presence of tannins.
2. Gellatin test :-
Tannins formed precipitate with thee solution of gelatin 1% and Nacl 10%
3. Vanillin test :-

Umair Javed
 TANNINS 17

Pink precipitate (phlouroglucinol) are formed with vanillin 1g + Alcohol 10ml+

conc HCL 10ml (vanillin reagent)
4. Phenazone test
5. Catechin test (match stick test)

Key point
 Sucrose non-reducing sugar because it has no free enomeric carbon.
 All sugars are reducing except sucrose.
 INSEPHELOPATHY:-Level of ammonia increase because of hepatic failure, liver convert
ammonia into urine. Lectulose are given and they absorb ammonia .lactulose not absorb
through intestine.
 Galactose +fructose >lactulose (ketonic sugar)
 Use of xylose (crohns disease= inflammation of intestine)
xylose metabolize through intestine. Absorbed 100% in intestine. After absorption it’s
not metabolized in body. Any problem in intestinal mucosa the absorption will decrease.
How much absorption reduces tell us how much problem have.
 Inulin:- it is excreted though urine. It is not metabolized in body. Excreted as such from
the body. It is given through IV route. By comparing the quantity excreted we check the
renal function.
 Artificial Honey :-
(upon hydrolysis) Normal honey
Sucrose invertse enzyme Glucose + fructose (invert sugar)
Artificial honey
(upon acid hydrolysis)
Sucrose acid hydrolysisglucose+ fructose+ furfural and its give positive Fiehe’s test.
 Good decolorizing agent SO2
 High level of ammonia damage brain
 Dextrin partially hydrolysis of starch
 Mucilage good demulcent
 Underline and star articles are important one according to sir 

Umair Javed