Pharmacognosy (A quick review)

NTS, PPSC & FPSC

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Compiled and typed by;

Dr.Mohsin Iqbal (Pharm.D PU, M.phil Sargodha)

Lecturer at Islam college of Pharmacy, Sialkot

Efforts by:

Dr.Tassawer-e-Meran ( Pharm.D , M.phil, Ph.D scholar)

Assistant Professor at ICP.

 Pharmacognosy MCQs for NTS Tests

A. Volatile oils
1. These are the complex mixtures of mono & sesquiterpenes as well as phenyl-propane
derivatives.
2. Method for making essay for volatile oil contents of drugs is water-damp distillation.

1. Hydrogen volatile oil drugs i. Turpentine oil

ii. Cubeb
2. Alcohol volatile oil drugs i. Cardamom oil
ii. Coriander oil
iii. Rose oil
iv. Orange flower oil (neroli oil)
3. Aldehyde volatile oil i. Orange oil
ii. Hamemelis water
4. Ketone volatile oil i. Caraway oil
ii. Warm wood oil (absinthe oil)
5. Phenol volatile oil drugs i. Creosote
ii. Myrica oil (Bay oil)
6. Phenolic ether volatile oil drugs i. Fennel oil
ii. Nutmeg
7. Ester volatile oil drugs i. Lavender oil
ii. Mustard oil

B. Lipids
1. Lipids (fixed oils, fats & waxes) are ester of long chain fatty acids & alcohols are of
closely related derivatives.
2. In fixed oils & fats, glycerol combines with fatty acids.
3. In waxes, the alcohol has high molecular weight e.g. cetyl alcohol
4. Those that are liquid at room temperature are known as fatty or fixed oils.
5. Those that are semisolid or solid at ordinary temperature are known as fats.
6. Galic acid is 3, 4, 5-trihydroxy benzoic acid.
7. Castor oil is the ripe seed of ricinous communis (Euphorbeaceae)
8. Olive oil is a fixed oil obtained from ripe fruit of Olea Europaea (Oleaceae)
9. Sesame oil is a seed of sesame indicum (Pedaliaceae).
10. Almond oil ripe seed of prunus omaygdalus (Rosaceae).
11. Coconut oil is fixed oil obtained by expression or extraction from the seed kernels of the
coconut palm.
12. Theobroma oil; cacao seed or cacao beans are the roasted seeds of throbroma cacao
(Family; Sterculiaceae).
13. Lanolin is commonly known as hydrous wool fat (25 – 30% water).
14. Waxes; esters resulting from condensation of high molecular weight straight chain acids
& high molecular weight primary straight chain alcohols.
15. Bees wax (Family; Apidae)
16. Clove is the dried flower bud (Family; Myrtaceae)
17. Thymol is a phenol.
18. Anise oil is a dried ripe fruit (family; Umbelliferae)
19. Nutmeg is dried ripe seed (family; Myristicaceae).
20. Eucalyptus oil is an oxide volatile oil.

C. Resins
1. Resins are amorphous product with complex chemical nature.
2. Balsams are resinous mixture that contain cinnamic acid, benzoic acid or both or ester
of these acids. Benzoin is a balsamic resin.
3. Balsams are resins dissolved in volatile oil.
4. Resins are insoluble in water but dissolved in alcohol or organic solvents.
5. Podophyllum (Mayapple/ Mandrake); dried rhizome & roots or podophyllum
peltatum (family; Berberidaceae)
6. Jalap or jalap root is dried tuberous root of exogonion purge (family;
Cunvulvulaceae). Jalap contains resins 8 – 12%. Jalap resins occurs as yellowish brown
masses or powder.
7. Cannabis; indian hemp, Marihuana, or pot consist of dried flowering tops of
cannabis sativa (family; Moraceae)
8. Oleo resins are homogenous mixtures of resins & volatile oil.
9. Capsicum or Cayenne pepper is the dried ripe fruit of capsicum frutescens. (Family;
solanaceae). Capsicum contains active ingredient capsaicin 0.02% & it is a phenol.
10. Ginger; dried rhizome (family; Zingiberaceae).
11. Myrrh or gum Myrrh; oleo gum resins. (family; Burseraceae).
12. Storax or liquid storax or styrax (family; Hammamelidaceae).

D. Steroids
1. A steroid is any compound that contains a cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene
nucleus.
2. The development & control of reproductive tract in man is by estradiol, progesterone, and
testosterone.
3. The molting of insects is by ecdysone.
4. The induction of sexual reproduction in equatic fungi is by antheridiol.
5. Cardiotonic is digitoxin.
6. Vitamin D precursors; ergosterol.
7. Oral contraceptive agents; semisynthetic estrogens & progestins.
8. Anabolic agents; androgens.
9. Digitalis (fox glove) is a cardiac glycoside steroid, is a dried leave of digitalis purura
(family; Scrophulariacae.)
10. Digoxin (colorless or white crystal or as a white crystalline powder) is a cardiotonic
glycoside obtained from the leaves of D. lanata.

E. Alkaloids
1. Alkaloids possess amino nitrogen & basic in nature.
2. Alkaloids are naturally occurring compounds that contain 1 or more nitrogen atom
originated from amino acids.
3. The alkaloids are extracted in mineral salts from plants by shaking with water containing
mineral acids.
4. The alkaloids are obtained in basic form from the plant material by making an extract
with some basic and organic solvent.
 5. The reagent used for alkaloids is potassium-tetraiodomercurate.

Pyridine – Piperidine alkaloid

1. Nicotine is colorless liquid soluble in chloroform, ethanol, ether & petroleum.Nicotine is

a toxic alkaloid. Toxic dose is 40 – 60 mg.
2. Single cigarette contains 14 g of nicotine.
3. Areca nut
4. Lobelia

Tropan Alkaloids (Solanaceous Alkaloids)

1. Belladonna leaf, belladonna herb or deadly nightshade leaf consists of the dried leaf &
flowering or fruiting top of atropa belladonna (family; solanaceae). (not less than 0.35%
of alkaloids)
2. Hyoscyamus (Henbane) is dried leaf with or without stem & flowering or fruiting top.
Hyoscyamus niger (family; Solanaceae). (not less than 0.04% alkaloids)
3. Stramonium (jimson weed or james town weed) consist of dried leave & flowering or
fruiting tops with branches of Datura stramonium (Family; Solanace) (not less than
0.25%).

Quinoline Alkaloids

1. Cinchona (cinchona bark or Peruvian bark) is the dried bark of stem or of the root of
cinchona succirubira (family; Rubiaceae). About 20 alkaloid obtained from cinchona
bark.
Cinchona Alkaoids
i. Quinidine; sterio isomer of quinine. Cinchona bark contains 0.25 – 1.25%
quinidine
ii. Quinidine sulfate;
ii. Quinine; is disterio isomer of quinidine (white & odorless).
iv Quinine sulfate;
Isoquinoline Alkaoids

1. Ipeacac; dried rhizome & roots of cephaelis ipecacuanha (family; Rubiaceae). It

yiels not less than 2% of the ether soluble alkaloids of ipecac. Ipeacac contains 5
alkaloids (2 – 2.5%). Three principle alkaloids are emetine, cephaeline & psychotrine.
(About 40% of starch is present).
2. Hydrastis or goldenseal is dried rhizome & roots of Hydrastis Canadensis (family;
Ranunculaceae). Almost insoluble in water.
3. Sanguinaria or bloodroot; dried rhizome (family; Papaveraceae).
4. Opium or gum opium is the air dried milky exudate obtained by incising the unriped
capsule of Papaver somniferum (family; Papaveraceae). It is an annual herb. (more
than 30% alkaloids obtained from opium & its extracts)
Alkaloids of Opium
1. Morphine; is formed from 2 molecules of tyrosine. Molecule contain a phenolic
& alcoholic hydroxyl group. It is odorless, bitter taste, white silky crystals.
Morphine contents of opium is 10 – 15%.
2. Codeine; is most widely used opium alkaloid. Codeine is methyl morphine.
(monomethyl ether of morphine).
3. Heroin; Diacetyl morphine is called heroin.

Indole Alkaloids

1. Rauwolfia serpentina; dried root (family; Apocynaceae).

2. Catharanthus roseus or vinka alkaloids; dried whole plant (family;
Apocynaceae). More than 55 alkaloids have been isolated from catharanthus.
Catharanthus Alkaloids
1. Nuxvomica; fried ripped seed of Strychnos nuxvomica (family; Loganiaceae).
2. Physostigmine (calabar bean / ordeal bean) dried ripped seed (family;
Leguminaceae).

Ergot Alkaloids

1. Ergot or ergonovine maleate 0r ergometrine maleate.

Imidazole Alkaloids

1. Pilocarpine (Jaborandi) consist of leaflets of Pilocarpus jaborandi. Yields

0.5 – 1% of alkaloid pilocarpine.

Steroidal Alkaloids

1. Veratrum viridi (family; Lilliaceae)

Alkaloidal Amines

1. Ephederine (Ma hung) is the entire plant or the over ground portion of
ephedera sinica (family; Gnetaceae).
2. Colchicine; dried ripe seed. Colchicum autumnale (family; Lilliaceae).
Colchicine is soluble in water & ether.

Purine Alkaloids

Purine has 6 member pyrimidine ring fused to the 5 member imidazole ring.

1. Caffeine or 1,3,7-trimethylxanthan occurs in coffee, tea, cacao, guarana,

kola & mate. Bitter taste.
2. Theophylline; thea or tea consists of prepared leaves or leafbuds of camella
sinensis (family; Theaceae). Tea contains 1 – 4% caffeine.
Green tea; is prepared by drying the freshly picked leaves in copper pans
over a mild heat.

Tannins
Complex substances usually occur as mixtures of polyphenols that are difficult to separate
because they don’t get crystalized. Tannins are categorized into 2 types on the basis of their
phenolic nuclei.

1. Hydrolyzable Tannins
Gallic acid or related polyhydric compounds esterified with glucose are hydrolysable
tannins. Such esters are readily hydrolyzed to yield the phenolic acid & sugars that’s why
these are hydrolysable tannins.
 2. Non-hydrolyzable Tannins
These are condensed tannins. These tannins contain only phenolic nuclei but frequently
linked to carbohydrates or proteins.

Glycosides:
These are acetals in which the hydroxyl of the sugar is condensed with hydroxyl group of non-
sugar components and the secondary hydroxyl is considered within the sugar molecule itself to
form an oxide ring. More simply, glycosides may be considered as sugar ethers. The non-sugar
component is known as aglycone, the sugar component is called the glycone.

1. Anthraquinone Glycosides
1. Cascara sagrada are rhamnus purshiana is the dried bark of rhamnus purshianus
(family; Rhaminaceae).
2. Aloe or aloes is the dried latex of the leaves of Aloe barbadensis (family; Lilliaceae).
Aloin is the mixture of active principles obtained from aloe. Aloin is cathartic. Dose
is 15mg.
3. Rhubarb (Rheum or Chinese rhubarb) is a dried rhizome & root that are deprived of
periderm tissues of rheum officinale (family; Polygonaceae). Principle constituents of
medicinal rhubarb are rhein anthrones. It is cathartic.
4. Senna; these are dried leaflets of cassia acutifolia. It is also known in commerce as
Alexandria senna (family; Leguminosae). Active constituent is dimeric glycosides
whose aglycone are aloe-emodin and/ or rhein. Sennosides A & B are greatest in
concentration.
2. Saponin Glycosides

Saponins form colloidal solution in water that foam upon shaking. They have bitter acrid
taste. Saponins containing drugs are used as expectorants.

1. Glycyrrhiza Glabra other name is Spanish licorice is the dried rhizome and roots of
glycyrrhiza glabra. It is a sweet root. Demulsent & expectorant. Glycyrrhiza contain
 saponin like glycoside glycyrrhizin (glycyrrhizic acid) which is 50 times as sweet as
sugar.
3. Alcohol Glycosides
1. Salicin is a glycoside (family; Salicaceae). It is hydrolyzed into D-glucose &
saligenin (salicyl alcohol) by emulsin. Antirheumatic.
4. Aldehyde Glycosides
1. Vanilla; unripped fruit (family; Orchidaceae). Vanillin is a 4-hydroxy-3-
methoxybenzaldehyde.
5. Lactone Glycosides
1. Coumarin is the lactone of o-hydroxycinnamic acid (family; Gramineae)
 Colorless
 Prismatic crystals
 Fragrant odor
 Bitter
 Aromatic
 Burning taste
 Soluble in alcohol