SEMESTER VI

Herbal Drug Technology

Important questions with answer
1. What is organic farming?
2. Describe Biopesticide & pest management.
3. Describe natural binders.
4. Describe Case study of neem
5. Write a note on Colorants and Diluents.
6. What is nutraceuticals? Explain Alfalfa and chicory herb as health food.
7. What are the protective agents? Explain.
8. What is the role of Nutraceuticals in the treatment of cancer?
9. Explain the role of ginger and garlic as health food.
10. Describe in detail: Curcuma case study

Ms. H.S POPANIYA, Assistant Professor, Page 1

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh
 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Ans-1 What is organic farming?

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 2

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 3

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 4

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Ans-2 Describe Biopesticide & pest management.

Pest Management

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 5

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 6

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 7

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Ans-3 Describe natural binders.

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 8

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Examples of natural binder

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 9

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 10

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Ans-4 Describe Case study of neem.

INTRODUCTION:
• The NEEM tree is a tropical evergreen tree native to India and is also found in other southeast
countries.
• In India, neem is known as “the village pharmacy” because of its healing versatility, and it has
been used in Ayurvedic medicine for more than 4,000 years due to its medicinal properties.
• Neem is also called „arista‟ in Sanskrit- a word that means „perfect, complete and imperishable‟.
• The seeds, bark and leaves contain compounds with proven antiseptic, antiviral, antipyretic, anti-
inflammatory, antiulcer and antifungal uses.
PATENTING OF NEEM: A CASE OF BIOPIRACY:
• Biopiracy is the theft of genetic materials especially plants and other biological materials by
the patent process.
• Corporations of the western world have since the past two decades or so, been reaping
immense profits by patenting the knowledge and genetic resources of Third World
communities, which also form biodiversity hotspots.
• Once patented, the patent owner can effectively prevent competitors from producing the product,
occasionally even interfering with the lifestyles of the community which is the original source of
the patented information.
• In such cases, farmer and community livelihoods are threatened
THE PROBLEM:
• For centuries the Western world ignored the neem tree and its properties: the practices of Indian
peasants and doctors were not deemed worthy of attention by the majority of British, French
and Portuguese colonialists.
• In 1971, US timber importer Robert Larson observed the tree's usefulness in India and began
importing neem seed to his company headquarters in Wisconsin.
• Over the next decade he conducted safety and performance tests upon a pesticidal neem extract
called Margosan-O and in 1985 received clearance for the product from the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA).
• Three years later he sold the patent for the product to the multinational chemical corporation, W R
Grace and Co.
• Since 1985, over a dozen US patents have been taken out by US and Japanese firms on formulae for
stable neem-based solutions and emulsions and even for a neem-based toothpaste.

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 11

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

• In 1992, W.R. Grace secured its rights to the formula that used the emulsion from the Neem
tree's seeds to make a powerful pesticide.
• It also began suing Indian companies for making the emulsion.
DISPUTE:
• The controversy over who has the rights to the Neem tree raised many questions.
• India claims that what the US Companies are calling discoveries are the actual
stealing and pirating of the indigenous practices and knowledge of its people
• The Indians and members of the Green Party in the European Union oppose big businesses
owning the rights to living organisms, because they believe that the rights of poor farmers in
developing countries will be harmed.
• The United States, on the other hand, states that what they are doing will help the Indian economy.
• Another issue is whether the neem tree is patenable, since it is a product of nature.
• The problem is that W.R. Grace does not have a patent on the tree itself, but rather on the
process of making the emulsion.
THE NEEM CAMPAIGN:
• The Neem Campaign consisting of a group of NGO and individuals, was initiated in
1993 in India.
• This was done to mobilize worldwide support to protect indigenous knowledge systems
and resources of the Third World from piracy by the West, particularly in light of emerging threats
from intellectual property rights regimes under WTO and TRIPS.
• The Neem patent became the first case to challenge European
• and US patents on grounds of biopiracy.
CASE JUDGEMENT
• On the 30th September 1997, the European Patent Office (EPO) delivered a favourable
interim judgement on the challenge of a European patent on the fungicidal effects of neem oil (Patent
No. 436 257 B1) owned by W. R. Grace & Co
• The European Patents Office accepted the arguments offered by Indian scientists and
rejected the order of the US patents office to award the patent to W R Grace, a US-based
company, at the last hearing of the case.
• The Indian scientists argued that the people of India have known the medicinal properties of
neem for thousands of years and hence no other company can patent its properties. The EPO
accepted the argument.

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 12

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

• The victory is a result of a four-year-long effort by the Research

Foundation for Science, Technology and Environment. Professor U P Singh
an agricultural scientist at the Banaras Hindu University represented the Indian side.

• The European Patent Office agreed to withdraw the patent in May

• 2000, the Patent was revoked however.

• The Patent of US Patent Office of 1992 is still valid.

• The US also needs to change its patent laws which allow biopiracy by non-recognition of
foreign prior art. Patents are supposed to satisfy three criteria - of novelty, non-
obviousness and utility.

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 13

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Ans-5 Write a note on Colorants and Diluents.

Colorants

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 14

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Properties of Colorants:

Examples of Colorants :

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 15

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Diluents:

Examples of Natural Diluents

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 16

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 17

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Ans- 6 What is nutraceuticals? Explain Alfalfa and chicory herb as health food.

Alfalafa as health food

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 18

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 19

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 20

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Chicory as a health food

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 21

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 22

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 23

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Ans-7 What are the protective agents? Explain.

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 24

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 25

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 26

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 27

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Ans-8 What is the role of Nutraceuticals in the treatment of cancer?

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 28

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 29

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Ans-9 Explain the role of ginger and garlic as health food.

Garlic

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 30

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 31

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Ginger

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 32

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 33

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Ans-10 Describe in detail: Curcuma case study

INTRODUCTION:

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a plant of the ginger family yielding saffron-coloured rhizomes used as a
spice for flavouring Indian cooking. It also has properties that make it an effective ingredient in medicines,
cosmetics and as a colour dye.

As a medicine, it is traditionally used to heal wounds and rashes. Turmeric is a plant that grows
widely throughout India and Pakistan. The commercial value of the plant is in the rhizome, or roots, of the
plant, from which a yellow powder is extracted through boiling.

The powder is used as a dye, often in conjunction with other dyes, for leather goods, cotton,
confectionary, and calico. It is also used as a cosmetic, condiment, and as an ant repellent.

In 1995, the USPTO granted a US patent no. 5,401,504 to Dr. Suman Cohly and Hari Har P, two Indian-
American scientists at The University of Mississippi for “the use of turmeric in wound healing.” The patent
covered the following six claims:

1. A method of promoting healing of a wound in a patient, which consists essentially of administering a

wound-healing agent consisting of an effective amount of turmeric powder to said patient.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said turmeric is orally administered to said patient.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said turmeric is topically administered to said patient.

The inventors describe turmeric as “a yellow powder developed from the plant Curcuma longa, which is
commonly used as a food colorant in many Indian dishes and imparts a bitter taste.

Turmeric is also used as an additive in prepared mustard. Although it is primarily a dietary

agent, turmeric has long been used in India as a traditional medicine for the treatment of various sprains and
inflammatory conditions.”

The two scientists discuss their ability to isolate the active agent inturmeric and their
experiments in determining the healing power of the powder on ulcers and wounds when applied
topically or orally.

All patent applications must be accompanied by a statement of prior art, and Dr. Suman Cohly and
Hari Har‟s, application discussion of prior attempts to isolate the active agent and to test the healing powers
of turmeric.

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 34

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

The Indian Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) asked the US Patent and
Trademark Office (USPTO) to re-evaluate the patent. There is no novelty in the patent as India from
generations was using this as a medicine for healing wounds and rashes argued CSIR.

This could easily be proved as there was ample documentary evidence available of
traditional knowledge, including an ancient Sanskrit text and a paper published in 1953 in the Journal of the
Indian Medical Association.

In 1998, after a challenge by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research in India, the USPTO
cancelled all six claims in the patent on the healing power of turmeric.

The Council challenged the validity of the patent on the grounds that the patent was not
novel, citing the prior art in the traditional knowledge of India and despite arguments by the patentees, the
USPTO upheld the CSIR objections and revoked the patent, although there is no written opinion of the
office .

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 35

 Herbal Drug Technology (BP603TP)

Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Subhash Technical Campus, Junagadh Page 36