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Questions and Answers
How should opium be stored to prevent loss of morphine?
Opium should be stored in well-closed containers and not kept in the open.
What precautions should be taken when storing digitalis?
Digitalis should be stored with a dehydrating agent like silica gel or calcium chloride.
Why should squill be stored in a tightly closed container?
Squill should be stored in a tightly closed container to prevent the mucilage from absorbing moisture.
What is the recommended storage condition for biological preparations?
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List three characteristics of ideal storage facilities for medicinal materials.
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Why is it important to store medicinal material on shelves that keep a sufficient distance from the walls?
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What are the ideal conditions for storing drugs?
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How should volatile oils and fixed oils be stored?
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Why is air-drying drugs not recommended?
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What can deteriorate crude drugs?
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What is recommended for some plants before storage to reduce microbial contamination?
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How should drugs like Digitalis and Indian hemp be stored to maintain their activity?
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What are the ideal storage temperatures for fresh medicinal plant materials and frozen products?
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What type of containers should be used to store fragile medicinal plant materials?
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Why should wooden boxes, sacks, bales, and paper bags not be used for storage of crude drugs?
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How should dried medicinal plants/herbal drugs, including essential oils, be stored?
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What are the quality requirements for materials used in packaging medicinal plant materials?
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What should be implemented to eliminate substandard materials, contaminants, and foreign matter during the final stages of packaging?
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Study Notes
Storage of Crude Drugs
- The most common method for preserving plant material is drying.
- All drugs should be preserved in well-closed and filled containers, stored in water-proof, fire-proof, and rodent-proof premises.
Examples of Poor Storage Conditions
- Opium: Loss of morphine occurs when stored in the open.
- Digitalis: Should be stored with a dehydrating agent to prevent enzymic reactions.
- Squill: Should be stored in a tightly closed container to prevent moisture absorption.
- Biological preparations: Need to be stored at low temperatures to preserve their activities.
Storage Premises
- Storage facilities should be well-aerated, dry, and protected from light, with air-conditioning and humidity control equipment.
- The floor should be tidy, without cracks, and easy to clean.
- Shelves should keep the material a sufficient distance from the walls, with measures to prevent pest infestation.
Storage Conditions
- Plastic sacks effectively seal the contents, but long-term storage is not recommended.
- Ideal conditions are always in a cool and dry place, away from light.
- Temperature, water, and light are the main factors that affect drugs.
Special Storage Requirements
- Digitalis and Indian hemp should not be allowed to become air-dry, or they lose a considerable part of their activity.
- Volatile oils and fixed oils should be stored in sealed, well-filled containers in a cool, dark place.
- Air-dry drugs are liable to attack by insects and other pests, and should be examined frequently during storage.
Deterioration of Crude Drugs
- Moisture can cause rapid changes of active principles due to enzymes requiring a sufficient moisture to activate them.
- Light can affect drugs, especially those containing marked colors.
- Hygroscopic materials can become deteriorated by absorbing moisture in a humid atmosphere.
Packaging and Storage
- Processed medicinal plant materials should be packaged in clean, dry boxes, sacks, bags, or other containers in accordance with standard operating procedures.
- Materials used for packaging should be non-polluting, clean, dry, and in undamaged condition.
- Fresh medicinal plant materials should be stored at appropriate low temperatures, ideally at 2-8°C; frozen products should be stored at less than -20°C.
- Small quantities of crude drugs can be stored in air-tight, moisture-proof, and light-proof containers.
- Wooden boxes, sacks, bales, and paper bags should not be used for storage of crude drugs.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the storage requirements for preserving plant material and crude drugs. Learn about the importance of well-closed containers, water-proof premises, and preventing loss of phytochemical constituents through enzymatic reactions. Identify poor storage conditions for drugs like Opium.
