Introduction to Pharmacognosy

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Questions and Answers

What is the literal meaning of pharmacognosy derived from its Greek roots?

Application of remedies

Knowledge of drugs (correct)

Analysis of natural substances

Study of diseases

Which of the following best describes a crude drug?

A drug that contains multiple active ingredients modified for stability

A drug that has undergone chemical modification

A natural drug that has only been collected and dried (correct)

A drug derived solely from synthetic sources

Which of the following substances are classified as natural substances?

Isolated compounds from chemical synthesis

Synthetic compounds resembling natural drugs

Processed pharmaceutical preparations

Whole plants and herbs (correct)

What is extraction in pharmacognosy?

A technique for dissolving and separating components from natural materials Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes the chief principles extracted from crude drugs?

They are separated for use in a more specific manner Signup and view all the answers

In what era did pharmacognosy emerge as a defined field of study?

In 1815 Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following aspects is NOT typically covered in the study of pharmacognosy?

Chemical synthesis of medicines Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following examples is a crude drug?

Rauwolfia root collected and dried Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of a menstruum in the extraction process?

It is the solvent used to dissolve chief constituents. Signup and view all the answers

Which term describes plants that are native to their regions?

Indigenous Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'marc' refer to in the context of drug extraction?

The undissolved residue remaining after extraction. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes synthetic camphor from natural camphor?

Synthetic camphor can be made through total synthesis or semi-synthesis. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following substances is likely to be considered a natural drug?

Natural caffeine Signup and view all the answers

What defines a semi-synthetic drug?

It involves chemical modification of a natural product. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about derivatives or extractives is correct?

They consist of crude mixtures of chemical constituents. Signup and view all the answers

What term is used for plants that have adapted and grow in regions outside their native habitats?

Naturalized Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Introduction to Pharmacognosy

Pharmacognosy is the study of drugs from plant and animal origins.
The term pharmacognosy was coined in 1815, combining the Greek words pharmakon (drug) and gnosis (knowledge).
Pharmacognosy encompasses the history, distribution, cultivation, collection, preparation, commerce, identification, evaluation, preservation, and use of natural drugs.

Crude Drugs

A crude drug is a natural drug in its raw form, collected and dried without further processing.
Examples include Digitalis leaf and Rauwolfia root.

Natural Substances

Refers to substances found in nature, including whole plants and animals, and their parts and constituents.

Extraction

A method to obtain the active principles of a crude drug by dissolving them in a suitable liquid.
The product of extraction is called an extractive, usually a mixture of substances.

Derivative/ Extractive/ Chief Constituent

Crude drugs are rarely used as therapeutic agents.
Their active principles, known as derivatives or extractives, are often separated and used separately.
Derivatives are mixtures of chemical constituents extracted from plants or animals, often representing the Chief Constituent of the drug.

Menstruum

The solvent used in the extraction process to dissolve the chief principles.

Marc

The undissolved portion of the drug remaining after extraction.

Geographic Source and Habitat

The region where the drug-producing plant or animal grows.

Plants: Indigenous and Naturalized

Indigenous plants grow in their native countries, like Pinus palustris in the southern United States.
Naturalized plants grow in a foreign land or region different from their origin, like Datura stramonium introduced to the US from Europe.

Natural drug/Semi-synthetic drug/ Synthetic drug

Some drug constituents are replaced in commerce by synthetic compounds with identical structure and therapeutic properties.
Natural camphor, obtained from the camphor tree, is dextrorotatory, while synthetic camphor is racemic, differentiating them.
Examples of drugs that can be natural, semi-synthetic, or synthetic include epinephrine, caffeine, codeine, ephedrine, menthol, penicillin.

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Description

Explore the fascinating world of pharmacognosy, the study of drugs derived from plant and animal sources. This quiz covers the history, types of crude drugs, and methods of extraction, along with essential concepts in natural substances and their applications in medicine.