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Evaluation of Crude Drugs

The document outlines the evaluation methods for crude drugs, which are natural substances used for medicinal purposes. It details five key evaluation methods: organoleptic, microscopic, physical, chemical, and biological evaluations, each serving to ensure the identity, purity, and quality of the drugs. These methods help detect adulteration and guarantee therapeutic efficacy, ultimately leading to improved therapeutic outcomes.

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Xunar FANG
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8 views4 pages

Evaluation of Crude Drugs

The document outlines the evaluation methods for crude drugs, which are natural substances used for medicinal purposes. It details five key evaluation methods: organoleptic, microscopic, physical, chemical, and biological evaluations, each serving to ensure the identity, purity, and quality of the drugs. These methods help detect adulteration and guarantee therapeutic efficacy, ultimately leading to improved therapeutic outcomes.

Uploaded by

Xunar FANG
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Evaluation of Crude Drugs

Evaluating crude drugs—natural substances derived from plant, animal, or microbial sources
used for medicinal purposes—is essential to ensure their identity, purity, and quality. This
process helps detect adulteration and guarantees therapeutic efficacy. Several methods are
employed in the evaluation of crude drugs:

1. Organoleptic evaluation

2. Microscopic evaluation

3. Physical evaluation

4. Chemical evaluation

5. Biological evaluation

1. Organoleptic (Morphological) Evaluation

It means evaluation of drug by the organs of sense (skin, eye, tongue, nose and ear) or
macroscopic evaluation and it includes evaluation of drugs. This method involves using the
senses to assess the drug's physical characteristics:

 Color: For instance, Indian Senna leaves are yellowish-green.


 Odor: Umbelliferous fruits like fennel and coriander have aromatic scents.
 Taste: Liquorice possesses a sweet flavor.
 Size and Shape: Aconite roots are conical in shape.
 Surface Characteristics: Cinchona bark displays specific patterns of cracks and
wrinkles.

These sensory characteristics provide preliminary information about the drug's identity and
quality.

2. Microscopic Evaluation

Microscopic evaluation is a crucial method for analyzing crude drugs, especially in their
powdered form. It involves examining the drug’s internal structure using a microscope to
identify histological features such as cellular tissues, stomata, trichomes, starch granules, and
crystals.

Importance of Microscopic Evaluation

 Identification of Organized Drugs: Helps distinguish drugs based on histological


characteristics.
 Qualitative Microscopy: Detects the presence of specific cellular structures.

Taslima Anjum Naima, Lecturer, Dept. of Pharmacy, IIUC


 Quantitative Microscopy: Measures aspects like stomatal index, palisade ratio, and
vein-islet number for drug standardization.

Qualitative microscopy helps in identifying drugs based on structural characteristics observed


under a microscope. It primarily focuses on stomata types and trichomes, which vary among
different plant species.

1. Types of Stomata (Based on Subsidiary Cells Arrangement)

 Anomocytic (Irregular cells) – Digitalis


 Anisocytic (Unequal cells) – Datura
 Diacytic (Perpendicular cells) – Mentha
 Paracytic (Parallel cells) – Senna
 Actinocytic (Radially elongated cells) – Mucaceae
 Cyclocytic (Narrow ring around stomata) – Palmae

2. Types of Trichomes (Hair-like Structures on Plants)

 Covering Trichomes (Non-glandular)


o Example: Nux vomica, Datura, Calendula
 Glandular Trichomes (Secreting structures)
o Example: Digitalis, Vasaka
 Hydathode Trichomes (Water-secreting)
o Example: Piper betel

Quantitative Microscopy: This technique examines the drug's cellular and tissue structures
using a microscope:

 Stomatal Number and Index: Determines the number and percentage of stomata (tiny
openings) on leaf surfaces.
 Vein-Islet and Veinlet Termination Numbers: Counts the vein patterns in leaves.
 Palisade Ratio: Assesses the number of palisade cells beneath the upper epidermis of a
leaf.

Microscopic evaluation is particularly useful for identifying powdered drugs and detecting
adulterants.

3. Physical Evaluation

This approach measures various physical properties of the drug:

 Moisture Content: Excess moisture can lead to microbial growth and degradation. For
example, aloes should contain no more than 10% moisture.
 Viscosity: Indicates the fluidity of liquid drugs; deviations can suggest adulteration.
 Melting Point: Helps identify and assess the purity of substances.
 Solubility: Determines the drug's ability to dissolve in specific solvents.

Taslima Anjum Naima, Lecturer, Dept. of Pharmacy, IIUC


 Ash Values: Measure the total mineral content after incineration; high ash values may
indicate contamination.
 Extractive Values: Indicate the amount of active constituents soluble in particular
solvents like water or alcohol.

These parameters help detect adulteration and assess the drug's overall quality.

4. Chemical Evaluation

Chemical evaluation is used to identify and quantify the active chemical constituents in drugs
through specific tests.

1. Qualitative Tests (Identification of Chemical Groups)

 Detects the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, etc.


 Example: Mayer’s test for alkaloids, Borntrager’s test for anthraquinone glycosides.

2. Quantitative Tests (Measurement of Active Compounds)

 Determines the exact amount of active constituents.


 Example: Gravimetric and titrimetric analysis.

3. Methods of Chemical Evaluation

 Instrumental Methods – Uses instruments like colorimetry (e.g., alkaloid detection in


Solanaceae).
 Chemical Constants – Helps in identifying drugs through specific values like:
o Acid Value (measures free acid in oils).
o Iodine Value (determines unsaturation in fats and oils).
o Ester Value (measures esters in oils).
 Individual Chemical Tests – Detects specific drugs using unique tests, such as:
o Halphen’s Test (for cottonseed oil).
o Copper Acetate Test (for resins).
 Microchemical Tests – Uses chemical reactions at a microscopic level.
o Example: Potassium hydroxide precipitates eugenol in clove oil as potassium
eugenate crystals.

These methods ensure drug purity, quality, and authenticity.

5. Biological (Pharmacological) Evaluation

Biological evaluation tests a drug's effectiveness using living organisms, tissues, or cells. It
ensures potency, dosage accuracy, and safety before clinical use.

Taslima Anjum Naima, Lecturer, Dept. of Pharmacy, IIUC


1. Methods of Biological Evaluation

✅Bioassays – Measure a drug’s biological activity using animals, isolated organs, or cells.

 Qualitative: Checks if a drug produces a response (e.g., insulin lowering blood sugar).
 Quantitative: Measures response intensity (e.g., digitalis effect on frog hearts).
 Comparative: Compares drug potency with a standard.

✅Microbiological Tests – Evaluate antibiotics by testing bacterial growth inhibition.

 Agar Diffusion (Kirby-Bauer Test): Measures the zone of inhibition around antibiotic
disks.
 Tube Dilution: Determines Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) for bacterial
growth control.

2. Importance

✔ Ensures drug potency and effectiveness.


✔ Determines proper dosage and safety.
✔ Standardizes natural and synthetic drugs.

Biological evaluation is essential for drug approval and regulatory compliance..

By employing these comprehensive evaluation methods, the authenticity, safety, and efficacy of
crude drugs can be ensured, leading to better therapeutic outcomes.

Taslima Anjum Naima, Lecturer, Dept. of Pharmacy, IIUC

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