Bingham University, Karu

Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Department of Pharmacognosy

PCG 201

DR Olotu Paul Ngbede

November 2021

2/27/2020 1
 CLASSIFICATION OF CRUDE DRUGS
• Classification is a means of arranging
substances into smaller groups on the basis
of similarities and dissimilarities.

• Crude drugs are obtained from a large variety

of natural sources and they consist of almost
all parts of plants and animals, their juices,
extracts and exudates.

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For convenience of study, description and storage,
these crude drugs of all descriptions are classified
into smaller groups either using their

 names in alphabetical order, or

 accor­ding to the natural groups or
 their sources, or
 on the basis of the plant or animal parts which
constitute the drugs, or
 according to their phar­macological actions or
 therapeutic uses, or
 according to the nature of the principal chemical
substances they contain.
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Thus the systems of classifica­tion of crude drugs
may be accordingly named as follows:
1) Alphabetical system
2) Taxonomical system
3) Morphological system
4) Pharmacological or therapeutic system
5) Chemical system

Each of these systems has certain advantages

and disadvantages and the system to be used by
an individual depends on his need and
convenience. 09/13/2023 4
Alphabetical classification: In this system crude drugs are
arranged in alphabetical order using their English or
Latin names.

This system is used by the Pharmacopoeias and other

official publications.

This is the simplest method of arranging crude drugs

and is particularly suitable for classifying drugs having no
connecting features of a scientific nature other than its
simplicity and ease of use.

This system does not give any useful information about

the drugs and many unrelated drugs may be grouped
together by using system. 09/13/2023 5
Taxonomical classification: In this system crude drugs are
arranged accor­ding to the natural groups (e.g. families) of their
sources.

Thus all the drugs obtain from plants of the family

Umbelliferae are grouped together as Umbelliferous drugs;
those from the Solanaceae are grouped together as solanaceous
drugs and so on.

This system of classification reflects the natural relationship

or phylogeny of the sources, which are also in many instances
found to contain similar chemical constituents.

For example, volatile oils are the main constituents of the

Umbelliferous fruit drugs, while tropane alkaloids are
characteristic of the solanaceous drugs.
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Morphological classification: In this system, the
organised drugs are arranged according to the
morphological similarities and dissimilarities of
various plant parts which constitute the drugs.

Thus all leaf drugs, irrespec­tive of their chemical

constituents and sources are grouped together.

Similarly barks of all plants are grouped in one group

and so on.

Unorganised drugs are grouped in this system as

lattices, extracts, gums, resins, oils, fats and waxes.
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This system of classification is useful for a per­son
who is expected to identify specific drugs and to
detect adulterants in them.

Similar morphological parts from different plants do

not contain similar chemical constituents, e.g., bark of
the Cinchona plant contains alkaloids, whereas that
of Rhamnus purshiana contains glycosides and that
of Cinnamon contains volatile oils.

Since all of them are barks, they are grouped together

in this system. This system is therefore not suitable for
use in storing drugs, but for study this is a good system
because of the structural similarity of the drugs.
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Pharmacological or therapeutic classification: This system
is based on the pharmacological actions and therapeutic
properties of the crude drugs.

In this system, all the cathartic drugs are brought together

regardless of their morphology, taxonomy or chemical
relationship. Thus, Podophyllum (a rhizome), Jalap (a
tuberous root), Cascara (a bark) and Castor oil (oil) are
considered at the same time when this system is used.

• From the phar­macists' point of view of studying drugs, this

system apparently appears to be an ideal one as it furnishes
the vital information about a drug. But the problems of
contamination in storage and incompatibility in formulation
are more likely if this system of classification is used
without proper care. 09/13/2023 9
• Chemical system: Here the crude drugs are divided into
groups according to their principal chemical constituents.
Thus all alkaloid-containing drugs are put into one group
regardless of other considerations. Similarly all crude drugs
containing glycosides are grouped together and so on. Since
the phar­macological actions and therapeutic uses of drugs
depend on their chemical constituents. This system of
classification appears to be the ideal one.

• Moreover, certain plant family exhibit definite types of

chemical prin­ciples, e.g., tropane alkaloids characterize the
Solanaceae; volatile oils are common in Umbelliferae,
while Pinaceae contains mainly oleo-resins. Thus, from
chemical point of view also, the plants of these families are
closely related. In that sense, this system is ideal not only
for study but also for storage.
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