CRUDE DRUGS AND THEIR CLASSIFICATION

Tahir Mahmood Shaukat

Ph. D. Scholar

Pharmacognosy
 Pharmacognosy is the study of naturally occurring substances having medicinal
importance.
 It is the study of crude drugs.
 It is the science of identification of drugs.

Crude Drug
 The term crude drug means products of plant and animal origin found usually in
their raw state/form. These may be improved in condition by any process or
treatment which is essential for their proper packing and to prevent from
deterioration.
 It also includes the pharmaceutical products obtained from the mineral sources.

Importance of crude drugs

 Plant-derived medicines are useful therapeutic options and often provide a safe
form of therapy.
 Provide lead compounds for the development of new drugs.

Types of Crude Drugs

1. Organized drugs
2. Unorganized drugs

Organized drugs
 These are drugs which have a specific cell structure. e.g. Rhizomes, roots, barks,
leaves, fruits, entire plants, hairs and fibres, stems, flowers, etc.
 Examples of organized drugs
 Leaves– Digitalis, Eucalyptus, Mint, Senna, Spearmint, Squill, Tulsi, Coca, Buchu,
Hyoscyamus, Belladonna, Tea, etc.
 Barks–Cascara, Cassia, Cinchona, Cinnamon, etc.
 Flowering parts– Clove, Pyrethrum, Chamomile.
 Fruits– Capsicum, Caraway, Cardamom, Coriander, Dill, Fennel, Lemon peel, Star
anise, etc.

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  Seeds– Bitter almond, Black Mustard, Cardamom, Colchicum, Ispaghula, Linseed,
Nutmeg, Nux vomica, etc.
 Roots and Rhizomes– Colchicum, Garlic, Ginger, Ginseng, Glycyrrhiza, etc.

Unorganized drugs
 These are drugs which have no cellular or tissue structure and are obtained from
plants as their exudates.E.g. gums, resins, aloe, honey, essential oils, etc

Differences between organized and unorganized drugs

Organized drugs Unorganized drugs
These may be of plant or animal origin. These may be of plant, animal or
mineral origin.
These are direct part of plants or animals. These are the product of plant or
animals.
These have well defined cellular These do not have well defined cellular
structure. structure.
Generally identified by morphological Generally identified by organoleptic
character. properties.
Sources of crude drugs
The most important natural sources of crude drugs are;
1- Plants
2- Animals
3- Microbes
4- Marine organisms
5- Minerals

1- Plants
Crude drugs are obtained from various plant parts e.g.
Crude Drug Plant Part Active Constituents
Senna Leaves Sennosides
Belladonna Leaves & Roots Atropine & Hyoscine
Nuxvomica Seeds Strychnine & Brucine
Fennel Fruit Volatile Oils

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 Cinchona Bark Quinine
Ephedra Stem Ephedrine

 These drugs have active constituents, responsible for their medicinal effects. After
understanding the chemical structure of active constituents, their semi-synthetic
derivatives have been prepared in laboratory. e.g. Homatropine is a semi-synthetic
derivative of Atropine

2- Animals
 A number of crude drugs are obtained from animals. e.g.
Oils ------------Cod liver oil
Fats------------Wool fat
Hormones----Insulin, Sex Hormones
 After knowing the structures of active constituents, their semi-synthetic derivatives
have been produced.

3- Microbes
 Anti-biotic drugs have been prepared from bacteria and moulds for treating the
infections. E.g. Penicillin from Penicillium notatum.
 Some vitamins are also obtained from bacteria.
 Streptokinase-an enzyme used to dissolve the blood clot in vessels is also obtained
from bacteria.
 Insulin is obtained from E. coli by Recombinant DNA Technology.
4- Marine Organisms
Compound Name Marine Organism Therapeutic Use
Cytarabine Sponge Anticancer
Vidarabine Sponge Antiviral
Omega-3 Fatty Acid Ethyl Fish Antihypertriglyceridemia
Esters
Ziconotide Cone Snail Analgesic

5- Mineral Sources

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  Metals, metalloids and non-metal substances are used as drugs.
 Mercury was one of the earliest drugs to be used for the treatment of syphilis.
 Iron is used to treat anaemia
 Iodine is used for thyroid problems and as antiseptic.

Classification of crude drugs

Classification of crude drugs may include;
 Alphabetical classification
 Morphological classification
 Pharmacological classification
 Chemical classification
 Taxonomic classification

Characteristics of an ideal system of classification

An ideal method of classification of crude drugs should be;
 Simple
 Easy to use
 Free from confusion and ambiguities

1. Alphabetical classification
Alphabetical classification is the simplest way of classification
Crude drugs are arranged in alphabetical order of their:
 Botanical names
 Common names
 Local/ vernacular names
The following pharmacopoeia classify crude drugs according to this system:
 British Pharmacopoeia
 British Herbal Pharmacopoeia
 United States Pharmacopoeia and National Formulary
 European Pharmacopoeia

Advantages of alphabetical system of classification

 It is easy and quick to use
 There is no repetition of entries and is devoid of confusion.
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  In this system location, tracing and addition of drug entries is easy

Disadvantages
 There is no relationship between previous and successive drug entries
 E.g. Acacia, Benzoin, Cinchona, Dill, Ergot, Fennel, Gentian, Hyoscyamus,
Ipecacuanha, Jalap, Kurchi, Liquorice, Mints, Nuxvomica, Opium, Podophyllum,
Quassia, Rauwolfia, Senna, Vasaka, Wool fat, Yellow bees wax, Zeodary.

2. Morphological classification
 In this system, the drugs are arranged according to the morphological or external
characters of the plant parts or animal parts.
 i.e. which part of the plant is used as a drug e. g. leaves, roots, stem

3. Pharmacological classification
 This involves grouping of drug according to their pharmacological action.
 This is also referred to as therapeutic classification of drugs.
 Drugs like digitalis, squill and strophanthus having cardiotonic action are grouped
together irrespective of their parts used or their phytoconstituents.
Classification of Drugs based on Pharmacological action
Pharmacological Action Drugs
Anticancer Vinca, Podophyllum, Taxus
Anti-inflammatory Colchicum, Turmeric
Antiamoebic Ipecac root, Kurchi bark
Antiasthmatic Ephedra, Lobelia
Anthelminthic Male fern, Quassia wood
Antispasmodic Datura, Hyoscyamus
Astringent Catechu
Analgesic Opium, poppy
Bitter tonic Quassia wood, Nux-vomica, Gentian
Carminatives Coriander, fennel, clove, peppermint
Purgatives Senna, Rhubarb
Expectorant Tulsi, Balsam of Tolu

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 Cardiotonic Digitalis, Squill, Strophanthus
Tranquilizers Rauwolfia Roots

Advantages
 This system of classification can be used for suggesting substitutes of drugs if they
are not available at a particular place or point of time.

Disadvantages
 Drugs having different action on the body gets classified separately in more than
one group that causes ambiguity and confusion.
 E.g. Cinchona is an antimalarial drug because of presence of quinine but can be
put under the group of drug affecting heart because of antiarrythymic action of
quinidine.

4. Chemical Classification
 The crude drugs are divided into different groups according to the chemical
nature of their constituent.
 In chemical classification drugs having identical constituents are placed in one
group.

Chemical classification
1. Carbohydrates
 Gums - Acacia, Tragacanth, Guargum
 Mucilages - Plantago seed
 Others include Starch, Honey, Agar, Pectin, Cotton

2. Glycosides
 Anthraquinone Glycosides - Aloe, Cascara, Rhubarb, Senna
 Saponins Glycosides - Glycyrrhiza
 Cyanogenetic Glycosides - Cassava
 Isothiocyanate Glycosides - Mustard
 Cardiac Glycosides - Digitalis, Strophantus

3. Tannins
 Tannins are astringent, bitter polyphenols that precipitate proteins.
 Tannins causes a dry and puckering feeling in the mouth.
 E.g.- Guava, Tea
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4. Volatile oils
 Monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes obtained from plants.
 Examples- Cinnamon, Fennel, Dill, Caraway, Coriander, Cardamom, Orange peel,
Mint, Clove

5. Lipids
 Fixed oils – Castor, Olive, Almond, Shark liver oil
 Fats – Theobroma, Lanolin
 Waxes – Beeswax, Spermaceti

6. Alkaloids
 Nitrogenous substances of plant origin
 Pyridine and Piperidine – Lobelia, Tobacco
 Tropane - Coca, Belladonna, Datura, Stramonium, Hyoscyamus
 Quinoline – Cinchona
 Isoquinoline – Opium, Ipecac
 Indole – Ergot, Rauwolfia
 Amines – Ephedra
 Purine bases – Tea, coffee

Taxonomic classification
Based on an accepted system of botanical classification Grouped into:
 Kingdom
 Phylum
 Order
 Family
 Genus
 Species

Advantages
 Allows for precise and ordered arrangement of drugs.
 Accommodates any drug without ambiguity

Medical terminologies
Arthritis -Inflammation of a joint
Ascites -Abnormal accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity
Asphyxia -Inability to breath
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Atrophy -Wasting of a tissue or organ
Carcinogenic- Causing cancer
Carcinoma- A malignant epithelial tumour eventually becoming fatal
Cardiotonic- An agent that has a stimulating effect on the heart; increasing the strength
and tone of the heart.
Cardiac depressant- Slowing the action of the heart
Carminative Drug- causing the release of stomach or intestinal gas
Cathartic -Having the power of cleaning the bowels (laxative, purgative, drastic)
Decongestant - Relieving congestion, as of the mucous membrane
Demulcent – Soothing action on inflammed mucous membranes
Dermatitis - Inflammation of the skin
Diuretic - Increasing the flow of urine
Dysmenorrhoea - Difficult or painful menstruation
Dyspepsia – Difficulty in digestion
Dysuria - Difficulty or pain while passing urine
Emetic -Causing vomiting
Expectorant - Aiding the secretion of the mucous membrane of the air passages and the
removal of fluid
Febrifuge - Anything which reduces fever
Haematemesis - Vomiting of blood
Haematuria - The presence of blood in the urine
Heamatinic: Therapeutic agent that causes increase in the heamoglobin content of the
blood.
Insomnia: Difficulty in sleeping or staying asleep.
Mydriatic: Drug that causes dilatation of the pupil.
Miotic: Contraction of pupil of eye.
Sternutatory: a substance that causes sneezing
Vermifuge: a remedy that causes expulsion of worms or parasites.
Xerostomia: Anbormal dryness of the mouth
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