Organized crude drugs part 1 Flashcards
What are biological sources in the context of pharmacology?
Biological sources relate to the plant where the drug is derived from.
Which group of plants dominates the majority of drugs derived from natural sources?
Spermatophytes
What are the two main phyla of spermatophytes?
Gymnospermae and Angiospermae
Which phylum of spermatophytes yields useful oils, resins, and alkaloid ephedrine?
Gymnospermae
Which group of angiosperms provides more useful drugs?
Dicotyledons
What are the two divisions of angiosperms?
Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons
What type of organisms provide a number of useful drugs, especially antibiotics?
Fungi
Fill in the blank: The algae are a source of a limited number of drugs, such as _______.
algar and alginic acid
Which group of plants is currently contributing little to medicine?
Lichens and mosses
What are Pteridophytes best known for in pharmaceuticals?
Taenicidal ferns
True or False: Aloe vera is the only species of Aloe that is not on the protected list by CITES.
True
What has led to a shortage of aloes produced from the usual species?
CITES placed all species of Aloe except Aloe vera on the protected list.
What type of soil is ideal for sowing fresh seeds?
Rich well-drained, sandy soil
What is the optimal distance for transplanting seedlings?
2 to 3 metres
What climate conditions are required for the plants?
Moist and warm climate with 75” to 125” rainfall and average temperature of 32°C
When is the bark collected from the shoots?
In the second and third year
What is the thickness and length of the shoots from which bark is collected?
About 3 meters in length and about 3 cm thick
What type of knives should be used to cut the shoots and why?
Copper or brass knives to prevent blackening from tannins in the bark
What process occurs during the 25 hours of bark keeping?
Slight enzymatic action takes place
What happens to the bark during drying?
It rolls into quills
What are the small pieces and debris produced during the handling of quills called?
Quilling and feathering
How is the quality of the bark determined?
According to thickness; the thinner the bark, the better it is
What are the outer peeled portions of the bark known as?
Cinnamon chips
What do cinnamon chips yield?
Volatile oil of low specific gravity and low aldehyde content
What is the maximum length and diameter of a quill?
Length up to 1 meter, diameter up to 1 cm
What is the color and appearance of the outer surface of the quill?
Yellow brown, showing longitudinal wavy lines
What is the taste of cinnamon?
Warm, sweet, aromatic
What types of cells are present in the bark?
Mucilage cells, oil cells, phloem fibres, sclereids
What is the range of volatile oil content in cinnamon?
0.5 to 1.4%
What percentage of the volatile oil is cinnamic aldehyde?
50 to 75%
What color does cinnamic aldehyde produce when tested with ferric chloride?
Brown color
Fill in the blank: Mucilage cells can be identified after staining with _______.
Ruthenium red
True or False: The inner surface of the bark is dark brown and longitudinally striated.
True
What are the components of volatile oil in cinnamon?
- Cinnamic aldehyde
- Eugenol
- Terpene hydrocarbons
- Phellandrene
- Pinene
- Caryophyllenes
