Evaluation and Adulteration of Natural Products Flashcards
What does evaluation of product means?
why is it undertaken?
Evaluation is designed to determine the identity, quality, purity and the degree of adulteration
It is undertaken to determine the value of a product.
Why standardise natural products?
Standards are necessary in order that the _______-and _________ maintain a high quality.
Standards relating to natural products can be conveniently divided into ‘_________’, ‘__________’ and ‘_____________’.
Standards are necessary in order that the crude and isolated drugs maintain a high quality.
Standards relating to natural products can be conveniently divided into ‘structural’, ‘physical’ and ‘analytical’.
Facts about Structural standards
______of vegetable origin often contain parts of ______ or _______ that are not stated in the definition of the drug and are not required.
In some cases the _________ of small quantities of these extra materials may be _______. Then acceptable limits as a __________ will be given in the monograph.
Crude drugs of vegetable origin often contain parts of the plant or foreign matter that are not stated in the definition of the drug and are not required.
In some cases the collection of small quantities of these extra materials may be inevitable. Then acceptable limits as a % of the total will be given in the monograph.
Facts about Analytical Standards
These involve _________ that are designed to identify the __________, to exclude undesirable ________ and to determine the _____________.
These involve methods that are designed to identify the crude drug, to exclude undesirable matter (e.g. moisture in large quantities, contaminants and adulterants) and to determine the % content of the active drug.
Facts about physical standards
For some drugs __________can be determined to show usually that no _______ or _________ has taken place
For some drugs physical constants (such as optical rotation, Wt./ml, solubility and refractive index) can be determined to show usually that no adulteration or decomposition has taken place
How to know the identity of a drug
This may be performed by comparison of the drug either with the ____ or ______ description or with an authentic sample of the drug. Confirmation is then obtained by ________.
With crude drugs, the comparison may involve both ______ and ________characters. Regarding ______, besides identifying specific features, quantitative studies can prove beneficial in distinguishing related species that look similar e.g. _______
_________are identified using chemical tests and physical constants.
This may be performed by comparison of the drug either with the BP or EP description or with an authentic sample of the drug. Confirmation is then obtained by chemical tests.
With crude drugs, the comparison may involve both macroscopical and microscopical characters. Regarding microscopical features, besides identifying specific features, quantitative studies can prove beneficial in distinguishing related species that look similar e.g. measure diameters of fibres and starches.
Unorganised drugs (e.g. oil, latex, resins) are identified using chemical tests and physical constants.
Meaning of quality of a drug
This refers to the quantity of active principles present in the sample of a drug
Preliminary examination (using senses of smell, sight, and taste) will often give an indication of whether the drug is likely to pass or not for quality. TRUE/FALSE
TRUE
What is an adulterant?
Foreign matter other than that specified in the monograph is extra to the requirement
Define purity of a drug
Refers to the amount of any extra or foreign matter present.
In some cases, it is difficult to completely eliminate unwanted parts of the same drug, possibly due to the method of collection or preparation e.g. stalks and stems of a plant. For Atropa belladonna and Datura stramonium the BP states an acceptable limit of not greater than 3% of stems > 5mm in diameter.
What is Adulteration of a herbal drug
This refers to debasement of any article and hence the sample drug does not comply with a monograph description. This can intentional (e.g. substituting all or part with another material), allowing the material to deteriorate by unfavourable storage conditions, or instances of carelessness with e.g collecting or processing of the plant material. Can be detected by means of physical constants and chemical tests.
